How Do I Mount a Folding Table on Concrete or Cinder Block?

The short version

Concrete and solid brick are walls that table makers such as VIVO name for mounting, and they spare you the stud question: you can anchor wherever the brackets need to go. The work is different, though: masonry anchors instead of wood screws, a hammer drill bit of the right size, and three things to avoid: mortar joints, hollow cells without a plan, and anchors the manual does not name.

What the table makers say

Only some makers give a masonry option. The two manuals we read are clear:

• VIVO (43 x 18 workbench): the maker page lists wood stud, brick and concrete as mounting options. For brick or concrete, the manual says to drill 3-inch-deep holes with a 5/16-inch bit, press the supplied anchors in and fix the brackets with the M5x80 screws. It adds that the anchors are meant only for brick or concrete walls.
• Mount-It! (MI-7993): drill with a 5/16-inch (8 mm) bit to 3.3 inches (85 mm), clear dust from the holes, insert the concrete anchors flush with the wall, then drive the lag screws and do not over-tighten. The manual also says not to drill into mortar between bricks or stones, only into solid stone or concrete.

Both load figures – 110 lb for VIVO, 33 lb for Mount-It! – are the makers' figures for their tables on the walls they name. If your table's manual has no masonry option, ask the maker before you drill.

Hollow block versus grouted block versus concrete

“Cinder block” walls are usually concrete masonry units (CMU) with hollow cells. Some cells are filled with grout, many are not. That matters a lot for anchors. Simpson Strong-Tie's data sheet for its 1/4-inch Titen Turbo 316 stainless concrete screw shows the difference for one and the same anchor:

Those allowable values already include a safety factor: Simpson lists them at one fifth of the ultimate load in block and one quarter in concrete. They also assume minimum edge distances and spacing, and for block a minimum masonry strength. Read them as a comparison between walls, not as what your table can hold – the table maker's rating still applies, and the top screws of a fold-down table are pulled hardest. The weight capacity guide explains that leverage.

Step by step on masonry

1. Read the manual. Use the masonry option if there is one, with its bit size and hole depth.
2. Find the solid material. Mark the bracket holes so they land in the face of the block or brick, not in a mortar joint, and keep away from block edges.
3. Check for hollow cells. If the bit breaks through into a void, you are in a hollow cell. Ask the anchor maker or a contractor whether your anchor is rated for hollow block.
4. Drill and clean. Drill to the depth the manual names and clear out the dust before setting anchors.
5. Fix and check. Drive the screws until secure without over-tightening, fold the top up and down once, and check that every bracket sits tight before you load it.

The general procedure, including height and leveling, is in the guide on how to install a wall-mounted folding table.

Which table fits a masonry wall?

For a garage with concrete or block walls, the garage workbench guide recommends the VIVO 43 x 18 bench because its maker names brick and concrete. If your wall is drywall over studs instead, the question can you mount a fold-down table on drywall without studs covers ledger boards and toggle bolts. More questions are collected under questions and answers.