Wall plugs

partyguinness

Rather embarrassingly as a 40 yr old male homeowner I have never screwed anything into a wall and confused by what wall plug size to use..:o Honestly my retired father in law was always beating to me any jobs and it gave him something to do.

The kitchen wall is plasterboard affixed to usual concrete block (new extension finished before Christmas)

Need to hang up a plate rack and manufacturer recommended 5 x 70mm screws. Fine I have those.

Do I use 70mm wall plugs like these: https://www.screwfix.com/p/fischer-fischer-sx-nylon-plugs-14-x-70mm-20-pack/28011?tc=BT2&ds_kid=92700024762948872&ds_rl=1241687&ds_rl=1245250&ds_rl=1249413&ds_rl=1249481&ds_rl=1245250&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkp-HvYeC4gIV1qiaCh3nUgqXEAkYBCABEgKnTPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

What is confusing me is that it says to fits screw size 10-12mm but mine are 5 mm so it seems too big?

Also what drill bit size would I use?

Thanks.

Turner

Make sure there are no plugs sockets around where you are going to drill.

If there is the hidden live wires in the wall either go directly straight up towards ceiling or down towards floor from the socket.

Dont drill into one.

tabby aspreme

Is the plasterboard stuck directly to the wall or on timber battens, is there insulation behind the plasterboard

salmocab

Brown rawlpugs 7mm hole in the wall.

Charles Ingles

Hammer in plasterboard fixings might be a better option for you

Twenty Grand

I like the ones that fish hook out when you screw into them.

SmartinMartin

I could write pages on this and you still might not get it, but a decent video is worth a thousand words :

https://youtu.be/JlrTVRGLX90

Personally I would always use the metal screw in type.

partyguinness

tabby aspreme wrote: »

Is the plasterboard stuck directly to the wall or on timber battens, is there insulation behind the plasterboard

Stuck direct to wall with adhesive so approx 1/2 inch gap to block in most parts behind plasterboard.



No timber or insulation.

Mrcaramelchoc

Is it wall or rawl?

Teddy Daniels

SmartinMartin wrote: »

I could write pages on this and you still might not get it, but a decent video is worth a thousand words :

https://youtu.be/JlrTVRGLX90

Personally I would always use the metal screw in type.

this is the correct answer

SlowBlowin

Do a youtube search for "project farm".

He recently tested plasterboard fixings so you can see exactly how good they are..

He does oils, tapes, glues, fixings etc...

salmocab

Mrcaramelchoc wrote: »

Is it wall or rawl?

Rawl is a brand but for the likes of tradesmen it’s used in day to day (probably usually called raw plugs or rawlers) a bit like people use Hoover for vacuum cleaners.

Calahonda52

partyguinness wrote: »

Rather embarrassingly as a 40 yr old male homeowner I have never screwed anything into a wall and confused by what wall plug size to use..:o Honestly my retired father in law was always beating to me any jobs and it gave him something to do.

The kitchen wall is plasterboard affixed to usual concrete block (new extension finished before Christmas)

Need to hang up a plate rack and manufacturer recommended 5 x 70mm screws. Fine I have those.

Do I use 70mm wall plugs like these: https://www.screwfix.com/p/fischer-fischer-sx-nylon-plugs-14-x-70mm-20-pack/28011?tc=BT2&ds_kid=92700024762948872&ds_rl=1241687&ds_rl=1245250&ds_rl=1249413&ds_rl=1249481&ds_rl=1245250&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkp-HvYeC4gIV1qiaCh3nUgqXEAkYBCABEgKnTPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

What is confusing me is that it says to fits screw size 10-12mm but mine are 5 mm so it seems too big?

Also what drill bit size would I use?

Thanks.

As above check for pipes/wires etc

14 X 70MM 20 PACK says a 14mm hole required which is way too big for those screws

before we get started, do you have a decent drill for drilling concrete?

What I do in these cases is
drill a 10 or 12 mm hole for EXPRESS NAIL ANCHORS and then drive the express nail until the head is flush with the plaster board. then fit the raw plug into the hole in the express nail.
Go to your local hardware and see what one best fits best.

The attache pic is am example, it's a bit tight for the red RP, just to show the idea, am out of 10mm and 12mm express nails

dodzy

SmartinMartin wrote: »

I could write pages on this and you still might not get it, but a decent video is worth a thousand words :

https://youtu.be/JlrTVRGLX90

Personally I would always use the metal screw in type.

Teddy Daniels wrote: »

this is the correct answer

No, it’s not.







OP, pop into any hardware store a pick up a few 7 or 8mm x 70mm wall plugs with appropriate screws. With the blobbed board, the other suggestions won’t work, except Calahonda,s but a bit overkill I feel in this situation, requiring a much deeper hole in the concrete.

Something simple like this....the key is to get good purchase on the concrete, so 1.5-2” should be plenty for your needs, plus the blob gap, hence the 70mm suggestion.

SlowBlowin

OK OP I found that video for you, comparison of holding strength for the main plasterboard fixings:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHb-Tcvkn7M

Not all fixings are what they seem....

loyatemu

at least you know (roughly) what you're dealing with. hanging stuff on walls is a dark art; half the time what you expect to find behind the paint is not what's actually there, so you need a range of different fixings to cope, and the screws that come with the fixings frequently don't fit whatever it is you're trying to put up.

I've generally bad experiences with the metal screw-in fixings. If you screw them straight in as the instructions state, they often end up crumbling the plasterboard. It's better (in my experience) to drill out a smaller diameter hole first; but my preference is for the cavity-anchor type (assuming you're never planning to remove the fixing):

dodzy

loyatemu wrote: »

at least you know (roughly) what you're dealing with. hanging stuff on walls is a dark art; half the time what you expect to find behind the paint is not what's actually there, so you need a range of different fixings to cope, and the screws that come with the fixings frequently don't fit whatever it is you're trying to put up.

I've generally bad experiences with the metal screw-in fixings. If you screw them straight in as the instructions state, they often end up crumbling the plasterboard. It's better (in my experience) to drill out a smaller diameter hole first; but my preference is for the cavity-anchor type (assuming you're never planning to remove the fixing):

Great fixing, but op has no cavity.

partyguinness

I went for these bad boys and worked a treat. Rock solid.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/fischer-nylon-hammerfix-6-x-80mm-50-pack/23251

Drilled through plasterboard felt the gap and then into the blockwork behind it. Plate rack not going anywhere anytime soon.

Cheers everyone.

nc6000

This thread is a good read.

Can anyone suggest what went wrong with the attached fixings I used for a towel rail?

tabby aspreme

nc6000 wrote: »

This thread is a good read.

Can anyone suggest what went wrong with the attached fixings I used for a towel rail?

The fittings look like concrete anchors, rather than plasterboard fixings

nc6000

tabby aspreme wrote: »

The fittings look like concrete anchors, rather than plasterboard fixings

These are the fixings I used:

https://www.homebase.co.uk/plasplugs-cavity-anchor-m4-x-20-pack-of-5_p409479

The Mulk

tabby aspreme wrote: »

The fittings look like concrete anchors, rather than plasterboard fixings

They look like the correct type fixings for plasterboard, but the fact that heavy wet towels (plus the weight of the towel rail), being picked up and put back down regularly probably cracked the plaster board. If it is in a bathroom it mightn't be the correct type of plasterboard initially.
Try find a stud/joist to fix to.

com1

nc6000 wrote: »

This thread is a good read.

Can anyone suggest what went wrong with the attached fixings I used for a towel rail?

Did someone swing out of the towel rail?

nc6000

com1 wrote: »

Did someone swing out of the towel rail?

Apparently not.

Hurrache

loyatemu wrote: »

at least you know (roughly) what you're dealing with. hanging stuff on walls is a dark art; half the time what you expect to find behind the paint is not what's actually there, so you need a range of different fixings to cope, and the screws that come with the fixings frequently don't fit whatever it is you're trying to put up.

I've generally bad experiences with the metal screw-in fixings. If you screw them straight in as the instructions state, they often end up crumbling the plasterboard. It's better (in my experience) to drill out a smaller diameter hole first; but my preference is for the cavity-anchor type (assuming you're never planning to remove the fixing):

There's a tool for fastening them proper. In my experience they don't really work too well without it, but once you have it they're brilliant.

Hurrache

nc6000 wrote: »

This thread is a good read.

Can anyone suggest what went wrong with the attached fixings I used for a towel rail?

Looks like they may have been tightened too much. The upper fixing looks like it has been more or less completely closed with no space to grip the plasterboard. When you do tighten them too much they will also crack and damage the board, weakening it and you end up with what you have there.

loyatemu

Hurrache wrote: »

Looks like they may have been tightened too much. The upper fixing looks like it has been more or less completely closed with no space to grip the plasterboard. When you do tighten them too much they will also crack and damage the board, weakening it and you end up with what you have there.

I was about to post the same thing, as you tighten the screw, once you feel a fair bit of resistance, stop. You can keep tightening but all you're doing is digging the "wings" into the plasterboard and weakening the whole fixing.

dodzy

tabby aspreme wrote: »

The fittings look like concrete anchors, rather than plasterboard fixings

Nope, Correct fixings, intended for cavity, not concrete. As others have said, overtightened. Simple as that . The setting tool is well worth having for frequent use as it will lock the fitting in place perfectly; the screwdriver is then used until resistance is felt, thrn stop. Anything further, or using impact driver/drill driver, can les e the amateur in the same position of over tightening.