hanging mirror on wallpapered drywall

fret_wimp2

Recently moved into a house in which all internal walls are stud walls.

I have put nice wallpaper on one wall and now want to put up a mirror, but dont know where the stud is, or if it will even match up with where the mirror needs to go. Mirror is a little over 5kg & plasterboard is 13mm

Ive hung shelves in in a few places but i found conviniently placed studs. When trying to hang shelves (for light objects) where there is no stud, I have not had good results with drywall screws or mollybolds, but i have become good at filling holes and refinishing walls! most likely down to inexperience but its made me dubious of drywall anchors/mollybolts etc.

Refinishing on a wallpapered wall is not really an option though.

Any advice on hanging a mirror/pic frame on wallpapered drywall, to help ensure I dont wreck the wall?

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fret_wimp2

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studs are wood though. It will take a pretty strong magnet to find the nails in the stud through a 13mm plasterboard

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fret_wimp2

sourced a magnet from an old hard drive, its very small and very strong, will give that a go, thanks!

cletus

https://www.google.ie/search?q=plasterboard+fixings&safe=active&client=ms-android-alcatel&prmd=ivsn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwji7NGd4PLVAhVQF8AKHdqMAHEQ_AUIESgB&biw=360&bih=560#imgrc=pl4oNc-yiJfITM:

I find these work well, think they're called hollow wall anchors

Steve

Beg borrow or buy a stud finder. I bought one years ago and was well worth the money.

bonzodog2

fret_wimp2 wrote: »

sourced a magnet from an old hard drive, its very small and very strong, will give that a go, thanks!

That should work well. Hang it off a bit of thread and you should find the screws/nails fixing the board to the studs

dok_golf

Why do you want to find studs? Use metal rawlplugs. 13mm plasterboard can hold up to 14 stone in weight with the right plugs. You dont even need metal ones, heavy duty plastic ones will do fine.

fret_wimp2

Thanks guys.

I have a stud finder. It's not as accurate as I would like, I don't trust it.

Dok - I tried Molly bolts before, even when using them as advised, they didn't tighten up they just rung a big hole in the plasterboard. I could repair that on a painted wall but it could wreck a wallpapered wall. II just don't like using them.

I found the studs using the magnet, and I'm going to put up a small screws to hang the mirror off.
The mirror doesn't have a string, its awkward and has a little hole each side (Ikea Stockholm mirror) so this would be the easiest and most reliable solution.

dodzy

If the mirror is going central on the wall, you'll be damn lucky to find a stud in the right place. Don't waste you time with magnets, stud finders, string etc; just refer to Cletus post above.

Pick up one of these and you're all good to go. Hang what you like on them. I've put 50" flat screens up without any hassle. They're a must for every DIYers toolbox. Come up in Aldi from time to time, and they're only about 14quid. The setting tool with a large selection of anchors in a box.

Here's the tool and anchors: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heavy-Duty-Plasterboard-Fixings-Brackets/dp/B01315VZ9U

dok_golf

You're more than likely over tightening the bolt. These will work just as well in your case

http://www.ie.screwfix.com/easydrive-self-drill-plasterboard-fixings-metal-32mm-pack-of-500.html?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8se_2bP01QIV5pXtCh3W8gWhEAQYAyABEgIrPPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

dodzy

dok_golf wrote: »

You're more than likely over tightening the bolt. These will work just as well in your case

http://www.ie.screwfix.com/easydrive-self-drill-plasterboard-fixings-metal-32mm-pack-of-500.html?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8se_2bP01QIV5pXtCh3W8gWhEAQYAyABEgIrPPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

these are pure and utter crap. There should be a law against their sale. They destroy surfaces and are the worst fixings available.

kurtainsider

dodzy wrote: »

these are pure and utter crap. There should be a law against their sale. They destroy surfaces and are the worst fixings available.

Couldn't disagree more. They are fantastic for mounting light things on plasterboard. I've used them to fix skirting boards, hang pictures etc. I wouldn't use them to hang anything heavy but you know - horses for courses.

To answer the OP's query I would definitely find the timber studs.

kurtainsider

fret_wimp2 wrote: »

studs are wood though. It will take a pretty strong magnet to find the nails in the stud through a 13mm plasterboard

Drill a small hole (4mm) in the plasterboard at an angle in a spot that will later be covered by the mirror. Cut and open out a wire coathanger and poke the end through the hole to find the stud. Don't forget to add 20mm or 25mm as the wire will tell you where the edge of the stud is and you need to put the screw close to the centre.

fret_wimp2

Sorted, small strong magnet from and old hard disk drive done the job. Order of magnitude better at finding studs than the electronic stud finder. Just find 2 or 3 nails in the stud, get a spirit level or straight edge along the marks where the nail heads are and there's the stud.

No uncertainty, and no need to make exploratory holes in the wall.
Also, As I know I'm going directly into the stud I can use screws or nails that are way smaller than the plasterboard anchors so if I ever take mirrors or pictures down, repair work is almost nothing.

Used the magnet method a handful of times yeaterday and it's bang on every time.

dok_golf

dodzy wrote: »

these are pure and utter crap. There should be a law against their sale. They destroy surfaces and are the worst fixings available.

you mustn't be able to use them correctly. Simple to use if you predrill a hole as someone above said.

mcbobbyb

Complete over kill. All you need are some raw plugs and screws into the plasterboard. They can hold plenty of weight without looking for studs

antiskeptic

kurtainsider wrote: »

Drill a small hole (4mm) in the plasterboard at an angle in a spot that will later be covered by the mirror. Cut and open out a wire coathanger and poke the end through the hole to find the stud. Don't forget to add 20mm or 25mm as the wire will tell you where the edge of the stud is and you need to put the screw close to the centre.

I wouldn't stick wire into a space which could well contain electrical cables (with the potential for poorly made connections / bare wires). If you must, then wear a pair of marigolds.

OP

There are any number of plasterboard fixings which would do the job. From the simplest plastic plugs (which, if installed correctly could easily support this load), to ones that mushroom out behind the plasterboard and each hold mutiples of what you're proposing.

fret_wimp2

mcbobbyb wrote: »

Complete over kill. All you need are some raw plugs and screws into the plasterboard. They can hold plenty of weight without looking for studs

I tried anchors and didnt like them. Even when set correctly, I just dont like hanging heavy items off drywall/chalkboard.

user ....... suggested a solution with a magnet and it worked a treat, very quick and painless. 2 mins extra to find a stud hardly constitutes as overkill. To each their own though. Thanks for the opinion.

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bluemc

Bit late to the party but I would have said go low tech, solid tap on the walls with your knuckles, when you hit a stud you can feel the difference and it makes a different sound.

mcbobbyb

Didn't really mean overkill as its a small job but when you need to hang something in a certain position and there's no stud behind, a plug will do fine once fitted correctly. Of course you can't hang everything this way but shelves, mirrors etc are fine.