Drilling between Tile joints / fittings

[Steven Campbell]

I've just had the bathroom tiled and I'm in the process of putting the radiator back on. One fitting falls exactly between tile joints and the other is about 5mm in from a joint. Will drilling at these points have more chance of cracking the tile?

Also it is a plasterboard wall and I was going to use these hollow wall fixings to mount the radiator

but the top of the fixing has a bit pulled down obviously to grip while going into plasterboard. If I flatten this "grip" it may mean the fixing will just spin round while trying to tighten.

I'm sure there is an alternative / other method for fixing heavy radiators to tiled walls?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Steven.

[Chris Bacon]

Was the rad. hung on this wall before?

Yes. Between the joint, not too bad - just in from the edge will probably lead to breakout.

Not sure I'd really like to hang a rad. on a tiled PB wall at all - if it was originally on the wall, was it screwed into studwork? What's going to happen to your tiles when the PB wall flexes where the rad. is hung off it?

Could you get a rad. that sits on the floor?

[Neil Bush]

I've just used these to fix an electric shower to the wall. I flattened the tab as you suggest and, yes, they do spin. I held them in place with pliers until it was tight enough to grip - worked fine.

Regards,

Neil Bush

[fred]

In article , Neil Bush writes

They're a lot easier to use if you get a setting tool which pulls the tabs into place; the action is a bit like a pop riveter. Some are a bit flimsy though, the Draper one in particular is v poor.

[cj squirms]

Masonry bit without the hammer action shouldn't cause any problems. Maybe bit of splintering which would be covered by the bracket anyway.

[Stuart]

Is the plaster board on battens or straight on to the wall.How was the rad hung before ?

Stuart .

[Steven Campbell]

The radiator is part of the central heating and was originally hung on this wall. I merely disconnected it so the tiler could tile the wall. However when I originally got it fitted I asked the plumber to put it higher up the wall than it usually goes in order that once it was tiled I could lower it by 6 inches so I wasn't guessing where the original holes were and making them a lot bigger if I was slightly out if you know what I mean.

I don't have the option of moving the radiator unfortunately as it can only be mounted on this wall.

[Chris Bacon]

I should be inclined to install a floor-standing column radiator such as the ones at:

look nice, and wouldn't make the wall flex, cracking or popping off your tiles.

[kajr]

I used to have floor mounted aluminium rads, I didn't have any choice as I had lath & plaster walls (upstairs). They were a bit of a pain but since that I didn't have any choice made do. As I have replaced the l&p walls with p/b I have put timber behind the p/b to take the mounting for the rads.

Kevin

[Chris Bacon]

Interesting. Why a pain?

[Steven Campbell]

I don't think my wife would wear that. As we have already spent over £100 getting a towel radiator for the wall

taller than what I remember of the wall before it was tiled, I think the batons ran down the wall every 18 - 24 inches or so. The wall didn't appear to bow before. Is it really likely?

Cheers Steven

[NikV]

got settig tool from screwfix it was only about £5 and is very solid makes putting these in much easier!!

nik