Getting started with DIY, wanted some advice

dekaspace

Ok so far have fitted a set of blinds to akward wall, put up 2 coat racks to doors and looking to next do a few other small things.

On the coat rack side, one bedroom one was ok, was a little wobbly but strong enough to hold a heavy bag, and 2 dressing gowns as a test but decided to widen holes a tiny bit and put wall plugs in and that made it solid, the problem I had though which affected other room is the doors are hollow, I lost the thick wallplugs down the hollow part of door and in the end had to just attach the rack by making smaller holes and just using screws and again its a tiny bit wobbly but stable.

Im thinking, considering wall plugs did work in the other room, and the issue being the ones that fell inside were simply short (they were a tiny tiny bit short of the hole) if I get a longer one and just push it in and cut off the end it wont fall in and be strong.

The other thing still to do in house is another coat rack, this time attached to a wall, its plaster type wall and the current fitting is ok but the coat rack cannot handle much more than a small hoodie or two before it buckles, so I was thinking similar to the doors, put a stronger and thicker wall plug in (and maybe a slightly longer and thicker screw)

Is this the best idea? And if I get wall plugs what type would be suitable for both scenarios?

onomatopoeia99

You always have to think about the surface you are attaching to before starting a job. So, if as it appears from your post you've got one of those pressed hardboard faced doors, attaching anything desgined to bear weight to it is a bad idea unless you can find somewhere that the real wood frame is located and screw into that.

I'm not sure what a "plaster type wall" is - do you mean plasterboard stud wall, or do you mean brick / block wall that is faced with a layer of plaster? If a brick / block wall then rawlplugs and screws, if a plasterboard wall then unless you can find the studs behind to screw in direct to the wood, specialist plasterboard fixings are needed (and it will bear less weight, no matter what the fixing manufacturers claim).

d0nkeyk0ng

If you have a hollow core door, trying to fix anything to it is pointless. Look at hooks that hang over the door - that's what we did. Alternatively, switch for solid wooden doors and you'll have less of an issue.


As onomatopoeia pointed out, it's what's behind the plaster that's important.

jk0

You can use these things on doors with a small modification:


https://www.wickes.co.uk/Fischer-Cavity-Fixing-Anchor---4-x-46mm-Pack-of-4/p/141038?utm_source=google&scid=scplp141038&sc_intid=141038&gclid=Cj0KCQiAsdHhBRCwARIsAAhRhsmywuH2si3jEiah8BWOx31u-nT5Hpqao0BpTQvhzUS073Z1sKCSArYaAjSJEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds


You can see that they are designed for plasterboard that is about 12mm thick. If you try them on a door on their own, they will wobble, as the door surface is only about 3mm thick. You need to pass them through a thin piece of wood to 'fur' them out.


Maybe then screw into the wood with your hooks.

Jackmydad

You can get purpose made fixings for hollow doors like these for instance.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/plasplugs-hollow-door-fixings-6-x-20-pack/5255k
Been awhile since I used any and they weren't that specific type, but the ones I had worked OK.

jennifernil

jk0 wrote: »

You can use these things on doors with a small modification:


https://www.wickes.co.uk/Fischer-Cavity-Fixing-Anchor---4-x-46mm-Pack-of-4/p/141038?utm_source=google&scid=scplp141038&sc_intid=141038&gclid=Cj0KCQiAsdHhBRCwARIsAAhRhsmywuH2si3jEiah8BWOx31u-nT5Hpqao0BpTQvhzUS073Z1sKCSArYaAjSJEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds


You can see that they are designed for plasterboard that is about 12mm thick. If you try them on a door on their own, they will wobble, as the door surface is only about 3mm thick. You need to pass them through a thin piece of wood to 'fur' them out.


Maybe then screw into the wood with your hooks.

Those are great for plasterboard walls, but you can get that type much cheaper at places like Screwfix or Toolstation

LandyAndy

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

You always have to think about the surface you are attaching to before starting a job. So, if as it appears from your post you've got one of those pressed hardboard faced doors, attaching anything desgined to bear weight to it is a bad idea unless you can find somewhere that the real wood frame is located and screw into that.

I'm not sure what a "plaster type wall" is - do you mean plasterboard stud wall, or do you mean brick / block wall that is faced with a layer of plaster? If a brick / block wall then rawlplugs and screws, if a plasterboard wall then unless you can find the studs behind to screw in direct to the wood, specialist plasterboard fixings are needed (and it will bear less weight, no matter what the fixing manufacturers claim).

I have two of these

http://buyrigifixonline.co.uk/

holding up a very heavy antique mirror on a dot and dab wall with blockwork behind. It's totally secure.

trailingspouse

General advice for a beginner - think it through before you start. Actually that's good advice even if you're experienced, if you're doing something for the first time. If you have someone to talk it through with, so much the better - think it through step by step. Note down everything you'll need, and then go and get any items that you don't already possess. There's nothing worse than starting a job and then having to stop because you don't have the right sized screws or whatever.

YouTube is a great source of advice, and you can see someone actually doing the work, which helps enormously.

And finally, if it goes hideously wrong, think of it as a learning experience - you'll have a better idea of how to do it (or how not to do it) the next time.

dekaspace

Thanks for advice, I decided to go to screwfix and was recommended some fixing anchors, unfortunately they were about a mm too thick and so came out other side of door (almost unnoticable and easily hiden with a bit of paint) but they still seem loose. i'm guessing get shorter ones? I think I attached them wrong anyway, just popped them into the screw hole already there, attached screwdriver bit and set to screwdriver mode and let the bit just go in deeper by that method (hence the tiny hole on other side now.) if Im doing it wrong it may in fact be the bits are the perfect size and im just putting the attachment in too deep?

And I don't think its plaster walls, I was just unsure as some parts seemed thick and others had a smooth surface in one room (I remember trying to put a screw in that smooth part of wall once to hold a clock with a normal screwdriver and it just crumbled) the rest seems fine, looks like stone and I just drilled into it and got this nasty black powder on me, luckily I have now sorted the coat hook on the wall so its just the doors now.

dekaspace

And sorry will thank when im a little less manic and calm down, I worked out my problem as found a youtube video, I was misunderstanding the wording of self drilling etc, I was making my own hole for the fitting, then putting the anchor in and using screwdriver attachment to drill using the anchor, I feel stupid! Of course I am going to fill in the mistakes I made on door, luckily bar the holes on the internal side of door the outside is unnoticable.

oystercatcher

Overdoor hooks might be better than making holes in thin hollow doors.

Something like this, lots of other places sell them too. Argos came up on my search too.



https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-over-the-door-hooks-chrome-plated/p/0194332?nst=0&gclid=Cj0KCQiAsdHhBRCwARIsAAhRhsntXV9sT4g84m_bGbO96yXCbJZYCHpNGWQBtCoQ5irkPSO42ZUmkw8aAtCdEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds