Putting up shelves/cupboards on plasterboard wall

Curry_Queen

I want to put up some shelves and an extra cupboard in my kitchen to maximise storage space but all the walls are made of timber frame and plasterboard. However, there are a couple of wall cupboards already fitted (holding some considerable weight already, so obviously it can be done) so I'd like to know what type of fixings I would need to use to keep them in place.

I've heard of plugs that have a butterfly type back that expands once inserted but there appear to be so many different types that I'm not sure exactly what I need

haribol_2

There are some made of metal that have wings. Once you have inserted these in the hole you've made, as you tighten the screw the wings come out and eventually lock on the other side of the plaster.

I have used these numerous times and found that they are very secure.

Hope this helps !!

Haribol

Curry_Queen

Do you mean something like this that I managed to find at screwfix.com?

Mr_Warren_2

This is of the family but not what I would use. You need "Heavy Duty" plugs from any DIY store (Ask the store people if in doubt)The kind that deforms itself when you tighten the screw supplied with it. The screw is of the "machined type", ie. the thread is fine (as those screws used in a nut and screw application. You proceed as follow:
1- Drill hole in plaster suitable for the size of your plug.
2- Insert "heavy duty" plug and screew attached in the hole. The head of the plug will have two little teeth that will bite in the platerboard to stop the plug turning on itself when you tighten it.
3- Using an appropriate size screwdrive, screw the screw (hehe) clockwise. It will be slack for a little while but continue. By screwing the screw in the plug, you are actually bringing the deformable head against the other side of the plasterboard. When you can no longer screw clockwise, it means that the plug has deformed completely and is ready for use.
4- Unscrew the screw (anti-clockwise) until it comes out of the unit. The plug is now ready to do its job, just put the bracket and screw the screw back in its place. If the unit you are putting up is heavy, ask for help. The best way for me to ensure the assembly is nicely level is to fix one part of the unit, shelf or similar on one end, make sure the shelf/units are level (using spirit level) then mark the other hole onto your plasterboard. Remove unit/shelf, and repeat as per stage 1.

When you hole are drilled and nicely plugged, just present your unit/shelf back in place (with some help) and tighten both screw nice and tight.

Good luck, let us know how you are doing.

john-306

You will find the cupboards already in place are screwed directly to the wood inside the plasterboard wall, even so called "heavy duty" plasterboard fixing would be risky holding up a heavy item.

Just find the wood studwork in the wall (by stud detector or series of small holes) and fix directly to them.

dan.mcl

in my recent DIY office installation I came across the same problem, now let me mention that the plasterers and the builders were lazy good for nothings (long story) and that on one wall the joists were more than the regulation 16" apart, this caused me a bit of a problem installing wall cabinets.

Nipped down to my local building suppliers and found these great thingies (dont know the proper word) quite similar to the heavy duty plug thing mentioned previoulsy but without the messy drilling.

They are like a very coarse threaded screw with a hole in the middle (down the shaft) they screw in with a standard no. 3 philips bit and when installed with the screws they come with I can swing off one (very scientific I know) I weigh almost 100kg, i dont think that a cabinet full of crockery or other tatt would be a problem spread over two of these! YMMV

plumb1_2

As well as using the plasterboard fixing,put some panel adeshive onto the timber as well.

they have some in Jewsons called STICKS LIKE SH*T