Plastic Rawlplug Success

[Clive Arthur]

Maybe everybody does this, but...

Heavy curtains, rail about 100mm from wall so lots of leverage.

Over the years, two brackets at one end have failed a couple of times and have been fixed by using larger plugs. This time, the holes are just too big. It's crumbly mortar and plaster which is the problem. Unfortunate as the other five brackets are nice and solid in brick.

So, I hoover out the 10-15mm crumbly holes, squirt in some hot melt glue, position a new rawlplug, then fill around it as best I can with more hot melt glue. Trim excess and refit brackets.

Solid as a rock.

Cheers

[Bill Wright]

Car body filler works as well. Two part epoxy works but it's quite expensive. You can use a fiver's worth on one hole!

Bill

[tabbypurr]

If you do you're paying way too much for the stuff Usually I find painting the hole with PVA before polyfilling works fine.

NT

[ss]

Yip +1 hoover out/PVA/pollyfilla.

[Clive Arthur]

A good method indeed, but I'd have to buy some Polyfilla (I have some PVA), then when set, drill it to take the plug. With the hot melt glue gun, bish-bash-bosh, sorted, no mess.

Cheers

[Rob Morley]

I usually set the plug in the Polyfilla before it hardens. I don't think I've not had Polyfilla (although I use that as a generic term, because I wouldn't buy the expensive stuff) ready for use since forever

- it's one of those things Rawl Plugs (generic, see above) that you just /have/.

[Bill Wright]

Depends on the hole

Bill

[Bill Wright]

Polyfilla is just plaster. It's crap for taking a load.

Bill

[tabbypurr]

No, it doesn't. You're either paying way too much or inappropriately fillin g drainpipe sized holed through walls with epoxy.

NT

[tabbypurr]

It has enough compressive strength for almost everything. Radiators, banisters, handrails, cupboards, all sorts. And I do not do weak fixings. I wonder if you've been using too short screws.

NT

[Dan S. MacAbre]

A good idea! I usually wrap a long strip of paper round one, and push that in (assuming the hole is still basically cylindrical), but I'm always looking for other ways of doing things.

[Bill Wright]

I use screws with a length appropriate for the plug. I wouldn't trust any fixing that was only into plaster or polyfilla. Masonry fixings have to be into something solid: brick, stone, or concrete.

Bill

[Bill Wright]

I use various ones; normally get them from RS. I use the one that has aluminium granules in it mostly.

Bill

[tabbypurr]

bonkers prices

A quick search gave this

that's polyester resin though.

NT

[tabbypurr]

nisters, handrails, cupboards, all sorts. And I do not do weak fixings. I w onder if you've been using too short screws.

You're doing something wrong if you can't suspend yourself off a screw into polyfiller type fillers. I'm not sure what but likely screws too short. Fo r a medium load I'll use 2.5" screw into plugs in polyfilla in a larger mas onry hole. 3" for heavy duty loads. Nothing shifts it.

NT

[Rob Morley]

Whenever I've had a fastener pull out of a plaster wall and repaired it with a good splat of Polyfilla it seems to have resulted in a stronger fixing.