| > | >>My daughter bought a new bathroom suite from B&Q which included a | > | >>no-pedestal sink. Two "ex plumbers" have walked away from fitting the | > | >>sink | > | >>saying that the partition wall is not suitable. I checked it out and | > | >>found | > | >>that the wall has one vertical strap just off the centre of the sink. | > | >>The | > | >>sink fixings are 8mm x 110mm special coachbolt type and too short to | > reach | > | >>any strap I might fit on the other side of the wall. My plan was to | > buy | > | >>screwed rod to replace the special bolts. However this appears to be | > | >>quite | > | >>a heavy sink and there are a couple of 6-8 year old kids around | > | >>
| > | >>Any advice appreciated as to what pitfalls might remain? e.g. is it | > okay | > | >>to mount the sink directly to the plasterboard surface or should I face | > | >>the | > | >>wall with plywood? | > | >>
| > | >>Beemer | > | >
| > | >
| > | > Either the wall needs considerable strengthening with new studs and | > noggins | > | > to safely support the weight of the sink and children who may sit, pull | > or | > | > lean on it, or a pedestal sink needs to be installed instead. Personally | > I | > | > don't think it is safe to rely on a partition wall to support a heavy | > sink. | > | >
| > | > Even with a pedestal sink you may still need new studs and noggins to | > ensure | > | > a good attachment to the each of the two sink fixings. Mounting the sink | > on | > | > plasterboard with or without plywood will be very dangerous. | > | >
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| > | Wot' he said. | > | | > | It can be done. | > | | > | For example, a substantial piece of plasterboard can be removed to | > | expose the whole of several studs, noggins jointed to them and the | > | plasterboard made good. As the pipework will also be hidden, removing | > | some plasterboard is going to be needed anyway. Removing and replacing a | > | largish piece of plasterboard is often far easier than removing and | > | replacing a small piece. | > | | > | Lining the wall with structural grade plywood will not help carry the | > | weight to a significant extent - it will help protect the plasterboard | > | from horizontal rotational movement of the sink about the one stud over | > | which it is positioned. But, with adequate internal strengthening of the | > | wall, this wont be needed. | > | | > | Don't underestimate the incredible leverage that can be achieved by even | > | a modest weight on the edge of such a sink. As well as studs and noggins | > | being strong enough, the fixings need to be anchored well enough to them | > | to take the load. Screwed rod going right through the load-bearing | > | members and big washers to spread the load on the far side sounds a good | > | starting point. | > | | > | Me? I'd wish I had a solid wall and then go get a different type of | > sink... | > | | > | -- | > | Sue | > | | >
| > Sue, | >
| > As a former electrician I am quite familiar with mounting heavy items but I | > thought that there might be some interesting help responses. Thanks for | > yours and the link. I have also just read about using an S-frame but I see | > this mentioned only by one supplier | >
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formatting link
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| > and is £106 !! | | You can obviously make your own. Three pieces of timber uprights, | reaching to the floor, that line up with the existing studs and are | secured to them. Noggins jointed between them. Then box the lot in. You | may have to add an additional "fake" upright, to extend the boxed-in | section so that it is symettrical about the sink. But it could be done | quite nicely and even give little shelves/cupboards around the sink. | Always handy. But not flush with the wall. | | You could get a piece of 1/4" steel plate big enough to reach the floor. | Bolt that to one or more existing studs and weld on a couple of fixings | for the sink or bolt through the plate. It will be hardly visible, once | painted. 3/8" aluminium plate would do - if the plate extends to two or | more studs and the guy doing the welding knows what he is about.. | | -- | Sue | | | | | | The sink isn't going to be flush with the existing wall though. | It's always harder "unfixing" an impulse purchase especially if its not your own!
Thanks,
Beemer