Hanging radiators on plasterboard

[k.dunbar]

When my 17th cent. timberframed house was renovated 40 years ago a lot of walls were smoothed up using plasterboard.

I have just discovered that in the area below a window where I planned to replace the 40 year old radiator with a new one there seems to be only one leaf of blockwork, and a 5 inch gap and then plasterboard. I cannot find any studs supporting the plasterboard except at its edges

- the distance from floor to window cill is only 2 feet anyway.

Now obviously a previous, slightly smaller radiator has been hanging from this plasterboard quite happily for 40 years without falling off, and the radiator I plan to fit is only a fairly light 400 x 1200 single, nevertheless, I would feel happier with some advise about what sort of fixing to use.

If I hang it directly from the plasterboard again, what sort of fixings should I use? Or would it be possible/practical to get a 7 or

8 inch masonry fitting, drill right through into the blockwork, insert some sort of mega Rawlplug type fitting and screw it all together.

Thoughts please. TIA

Keith

[EricP]

If it was mine, I would remove the plasterboard between the existing supports. Then put new supports in including ones for the radiator and put a new sheet of plasterboard over it.

The material cost is so small and you will know it will do the job.

[The Natural Philosopher]

The problem with fixing to plasterboard is to spread the load over it enough to avoid it crumbling where the fixings go.

e.g. a mirror glue to palsterboad is a lot safer than one screwed to it.

In this case, my definite recommendation would be to remove the plasterboard from behind teh radiator COMPLETLEY and either put in lateral bits of wood between the studs to take the screws, re-board and skim, or possibly replace the whole section with a bit of ply or MDF, and then use scrim tape top stop the joint cracking and reskim the bloody lot.

Or possibly use 'no more nails' to glue up ply disks behind where the mounting points go (temporary screws will hold that in place while the glue sets).

Plasterboard is cheap and quick, but by the time you have faffed around with making places to mount things, and skimmed it, any wall that needs anything mounted off it like kitchen cupboards and the like, is often better made from 15mm MDF, especially if you can get away without butt joining panels.

When painted with emulsion it looks exactly like a very well plastered wall.

It also tiles well.

And it holds up slightly longer than plasterboard when it gets soaked.

[Bruce]

Try something like these:

Or would it be possible/practical to get a 7 or

Possible, but if the situation is as you described, you are more likely to bend/break the plasterboard without doing anything much to help support the radiator.

[John Stumbles]

I doubt you could find the hole in the masonry to get the plug into. If you're going to support the rad on the pb I'd cut out holes (a very large holsaw is good for this) in the middle of where the rad brackets will go, slip some batten through behind the pb and screw and solvent-free glue it in place, refit the disc of pb from the holesaw with solvent-free or caulk or whatever to glue & make good, then fit the rad brackets into your nice load-spreading supports.

[k.dunbar]

Now that sounds a brilliant idea. A good compromise - especially as I am not expereienced at removing and replacing plasterboard etc. as suggested earlier. Many thanks.

Keith

[Thomas Prufer]

I'd add 5" worth of insulation, too, while it's open and it being right behind the radiator and all.

Thomas Prufer