Can someone remind me please as to whether I can mount a 24" double radiator (around 30lbs wt) using the screw-in type PB wall plugs ?
It's either that or a couple of timber straps onto the studs first - inevitably the studs are not where they can be used for the radiator. Thanks Rob
When faced with this problem I fastened one radiator bracket to a stud if t he other did not match up with a stud then I used these (the 6mm ones). Inv esting in the setting tool causes less damage to the backside of the PB com pared to forcing the fitting to expand by using
I have never had anything move using hollow wall anchors even heavier radia tors than what you are using.
Richard
+1
Alternatives such as
Cut out a square of plasterboard behind where the radiator will be and add extra wood strips as needed replace plaster board fill as best but wont be seen as it will be behind the radiator. Thats what I did 25 years ago.
You can cut out the plasterboard behind the radiator and put in (screws to timber) a bit of 20mm ply, paint it and screw radiator brackets to that. It is thicker than the plasterboard but it won't be noticed behind the radiator.
On 03 May 2014, Tricky Dicky grunted:
I've certainly done that once in a while and got away with it; depends on how big and heavy a radiator you're talking about really.
But certainly much better to remove a bit of plasterboard and insert some timber, as others have said - it's all going to be hidden behind the radiator anyway so doesn't need to be particularly pretty; very quick and easy job so a bit of a no-brainer really.
What exactly does this do and how does it work? News to me!
It uses a trigger mechanism to squeeze the fixing and expand the "arms", rather than tightening the bolt (while it spins) to do it, means less chance of damaging the P/B.
Yes, you drill a hole and push the complete fitting in. Then the tool engages between the flange and the bolt head. When you squeeze the trigger, the bolt head is pulled outwards, pulling the nut towards the back of the plasterboard and - as Andy says - spreading the arms, which double up and grip the back of the plasterboard.
You can then remove the bolt and feed it through your heavy object and screw it back into the firmly attached nut.
As others have said, you *can* fix the fittings by pushing them in and tightening the screw - but you then have a hell of a job stopping the whole thing from rotating and enlarging the hole in the plasterboard. The flange has some little barbs which dig into the plasterboard to try to prevent this - but they are often (in my experience!) not sufficient. Using the setting tool makes it a whole lot easier.
A perennial question needing a wiki page.
Options: Toggle PB fixings The PB fixings that use a setting tool Fit a Noggin Screw at least one side to an upright
Opinions as to how much people would hang off a PB point fixing vary greatly. Having had single coathooks on toggles fail I wouldnt do it at all. On the other hand some people have hung fairly large rads on PB and got away with it.
NT
Wish I'd seen that before posting my lengthy verbal explanation!
The only thing I would take issue with is his 1/4" hole. All the fixings I had used have needed a 9mm hole. [Probably designed for 10mm - but a nice tight fit in a 9mm hole].
I live in Housing Ass flat, when they upgraded the kitchens a couple of years ago, they hung large wall cabinets using PB wall plugs The units are used for kitchen plates and food storage so become heavy!
I put an extra cupboard up, and cut through the plasterboard and fitted 2 battens direct to the block work. Mick.
I would never ever use toggles. If you need to remove the item for any reason, the toggle falls down inside the void, never to be seen again. Ugh!
Excellent for most things.
For items whose weight is close to the wall so that the fitting is mainly in shear rather than in tension, you can get away with quite high loads.
In article , Roger Mills writes
Setting tool essential in my view.
Further tips:
Don't use too much force with the setting tool, the fixings are made down to a price and have nasty formed threads than can be pulled through too easily.
Using a longer fixing than absolutely necessary results in spreading the load over a larger area as the spread wings will be wider. Be aware that the longest ones are intended for use in thicker panels so may have a minimum fixing thickness greater than a single sheet of PB.
For heavier items use extra fixings to spread the load. Rad brackets are perfect for this as they are long and have a flat back, fix every
50-75mm or so, drilling extra holes in the bracket if reqd.Don't place the fixings too close together as the idea is to spread the load over as large an area as possible in an inherently weak material.
With rads, don't forget that the dead weight may not be the most significant load, people will lean or sit on them and wont think twice about pulling themselves up from a sitting position using whatever fixture is handy (cue lying on back with the whole lot on top of them).
If in any doubt, spread the load over an even larger area by fixing a sheet of 12mm ply to the wall with an array of these fixings then fix the rad (or other item) to that. Sizing the ply to be a couple of inches smaller than the object, chamfering the edge and painting it the same colour as the wall makes it virtually invisible.
The last method is strongly recommended if you only have 8mm PB, it really isn't that strong. I only use 12mm PB but builders may well have used 8.
One thing missed on the video was that a single pull on the setting tool handle will not always fully set the fixing, use the (silent) ratchet action to complete the setting and re-tighten the screw into the fixing to reduce the exposed length during setting if required.
Expect the screw to become a little tight in the fixing after setting as there is no guarantee that it will have set perfectly in line with the through hole. If the screw feels too tight you have probably overdone the setting and have risked damaging the thread on the fixing.
Do not tap the fixing into the wall with a hammer if the screw is fitted, you will weaken the formed threads.
There, that wasn't long at all . . . .
But the video was made in the USA:-) They do not know what 9mm is.
I would not be happy using the awl to check for studs. It could damage the back of the plasterboard and make the anchor fixing weak.
Of course they do. It's an ammunition size.
They don't import mm over there, I did notice that despite saying 1/4" was perfect, he gave it a good waggle.
:-)
While less elegant, I've "surface mounted" a suitable piece of 12 mm ply on lath and plaster walls, fixing it to the studs and fixing the brackets to the plywood. It doesn't really show and is less work than "setting in", also since some of the rad is now a bit further from the wall it potentially improves the heat transfer a shade. (Did this in a room where the rad is a shade undersized with no opportunity to fit a bigger one).
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