Stucco over foam, mounting devices on it, which method is safest?

[nhfire77]

I have a classic commercial building with a thin layer of stucco over dense foam. I've been asked to install a pTZ camera (~12-15lbs) on an arm that holds it 2 feet from the wall.

The interior wall is finished drywall, not sure what between the foam and drywall.

I'm hesitant to do this but my idea was mount plywood or strut to the drywall, to distribute the weight. Attach bolts to the strut/plywood and penetrate the wall with the bolts. On the exterior use bolts and washers to suspend the mounting bracket 1/8" from the stucco.

I'm sure it will work, but from a liability perspective, I don't Want to be the guy that 'designed' the support system. If, it was flush to the building that's one thing. The torque created hanging out 2' is concerning.

How would you approach it? Would you want an engineering judgement?

 

[nhfire77]

Moot question. They took my advice to use a roof mounted parapet wall kit instead, but if anyone has thoughts on mounting to a stucco surface, I'd love to hear it.

 

[Agapeelectric]

Is it foam block ?

 

[cowboyjwc]

Moot question. They took my advice to use a roof mounted parapet wall kit instead, but if anyone has thoughts on mounting to a stucco surface, I'd love to hear it.

It's not the stucco that is really your issue it probably more the foam. Simpson makes a lot of different screws and you could use one of their products.

You really have to know how the building was built. If it was all shear wall, maybe you could just attach to that, if it's just paper over the studs, you need to know if they're steel or wood and how far apart they might be.

That all being said, I have found that toggle bolts will hold darn near anything you want.

 

[goldstar]

I haven't had to mount a PTZ camera with the bracket and motor so I can't speak to that specifically. However, I have mounted 200 amp meter enclosures and what I've done was cut a piece of pressure treated 2" x 10", mounted that to the wall, siliconed around the edges and then mounted the enclosure. The depth of the board is about the same size as the foam. Never had a problem.

Funny and sad story about this type of stucco - some time ago I worked at a commercial building in Nyack, NY. The teenagers hanging out in the area found out you can put a divot in this stuff real easy. They ended up cutting a Jack-O-Lanern face into the side of the building. Going to be tough to fix and match up.:rant:

 

[nhfire77]

It's not the stucco that is really your issue it probably more the foam. Simpson makes a lot of different screws and you could use one of their products.

You really have to know how the building was built. If it was all shear wall, maybe you could just attach to that, if it's just paper over the studs, you need to know if they're steel or wood and how far apart they might be.

That all being said, I have found that toggle bolts will hold darn near anything you want.

Yes, the foam will compress over time if it comes even a bit loose and moves around. Or, if you don't use nuts behind and in front the mounting bracket, when you tighten it, it will compress.

Regarding the 2x10, that seems to be find for flush mounted panels, my concern is the 2' arm withe 15 lb weight hanging down off it. Does that make sense?

 

[sameguy]

Use steel not wood.

 

[GUNNING]

basics

basics

Rock on rock
Steel on Steel
Wood on Wood
Foam on Foam?

Get down to the structure and go steel on steel.

 

[KWH]

Assuming where you are mounting the support inside is hidden, maybe a board on the inside with all thread sleeved in emt from the outside. You could tighten down on your bracket and the emt would keep the stucco from caving in.

 

[nhfire77]

Assuming where you are mounting the support inside is hidden, maybe a board on the inside with all thread sleeved in emt from the outside. You could tighten down on your bracket and the emt would keep the stucco from caving in.

(again this doesn't matter for this specific example we are going off the parapet wall now anyway)

The interior wall is finished drywall, under that is high hat, then a block wall, ~6" high densitity foam and then 1/8" of stucco.

Your idea would work, if I could mount a board on the inside, but we could not do anything so conspicuous. The mounting holes pattern is rectangular 4"x8" (four 3/8" bolt holes total) Not a lot of room for error. A 7/8" hole to sleeve 1/2' EMT would work, but the holes would be very close and the foam may just crumble under it. We would have sealed it up, but water would work its way in. There really isn't much you can do unless blocking was in place on the block wall under stucco.

 

[norcal]

Would Unistrut lagged into a couple of studs work? Not fond of foam insulated stucco, just because of the difficulty of mounting anything. The worst is "Western 1 Coat" stucco. (Not sure if it used anymore).