How much weight does a 7mm rawlplug take?

CeceBauer

Hi. I am trying to hang a mirror which weighs 17kg onto a plasterboard wall. I was going to use 2 x 7mm rawlplugs at either side but the fixings on the back of the mirror are only 18" apart and I don't think the wall would take 2 rawplug fixings at such a small distance apart. Any advice on whether I can use only one rawlplug fixing and, if so, what size should it be? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

maninthestreet

You want proper plasterboard plugs, that spread the load out over a greater area than an ordinary rawlplug. 17KG (over 37 pounds) is heavy for a mirror - how big is it?

CeceBauer

maninthestreet wrote: »

You want proper plasterboard plugs, that spread the load out over a greater area than an ordinary rawlplug. 17KG (over 37 pounds) is heavy for a mirror - how big is it?

Thanks for this. The mirror is 104 x 75cm. I take it I can get plasterboard plugs in any DIY store? Sorry for being so dumb but not used to this palaver!

Steve_xx

I wouldn't risk this weight on a plasterboard wall, even with special plasterboard fixings. Intead I suggest that you drill through the boards and into solid brick ( if it's not a stud wall) and then plug the brick wall.

ormus

i prefer to use spring toggles when mounting a heavy item onto PB.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k162/ormus55/guesswhat/toggle11.jpg

*jobags*

We fixed a mirror onto our bathroom wall (stud wall with plasterboard over) in our old house it was about 1500 x 900 (the mirror, not the house)

We didn't use screws at all but used Unibond and an array of planks to hold it in place for about 36 hours - I always expected it to fall on my head when I was in the bath but it never did

We were in contact with the new owners recently and after 14 years it's still in place

Don't know if this helps........

Jo

27col

You can get light, medium, or heavy duty hollow wall fixings. I think it says on the pack what load the fitting will cope with. I don't see that 18" spacing should cause any problem. With that sort of spacing, one or both fixings is going to be near one of the studs in the wall. In fact, if you can be a little flexible about where exactly the mirror is positioned, you should be able to pick up one of the wooden studs in the wall and get a good fixing into that. The studs in the wall will probably be about 400mm apart. This presumes that it is a proper stud wall and not a block wall with the PB stuck on to it with dabs of plaster or adhesive.

hayden

building adhesive -used for very large mirrors and sheet materials on construction sites -do not use pinkgrip as it takes the silvering off

Heavy duty metal wall plugs often supplied with the appropriate bolts -screwed directly into the plasterboard. heavy duty spring toggles will do it but whatever you do -as 27col says check what's behind first

baldelectrician

You could find a vertical stud and use that to fix it to behind the mirror (and hang it from there using a chain behind)

It is very important you use a good solid fixing to hold a mirror (otherwise it may be 7 years bad luck and a lot of mess)