Heavy item plasterboard.

jamie_128

Hi all,

Got a cabinet and ive got 2 gripit fixings in the wall which are apparently loaded for 93kg.

Now my worry is, this cabinet when full will probably be about 40kg at the most.

Ive had to buy longer bolts than the ones that came with the gripit fixings as the actual hole in the cabinet you hook the screw on, is about 5cm away from the wall, so ive had to use 60mm length instead of 40mm length.

Are the gripits still likely to be safe to hold it given the screw wont be flush to the plasterboard wall? The cabinet does sit flush to the wall when fixed but obviously due to the edges the bit the screws are hooked on are 5cm away from the wall.

Also with the gripits, the screw gets tight then just keeps turning, i dont know why it does this? It feels to hold fine though.

FreeBear

Plasterboard will only take a few Kg of weight. The fixings may be fine, but the plasterboard around them will fail.

If you want to hang a heavy load on plasterboard, you must locate the timber studs and screw through the plasterboard in to the timber - For dot'n'dab plasterboard over brick, drill in to the brickwork and use the appropriate fixings with spacers so that the plasterboard isn't taking the load.

jamie_128

Hi thanks for your reply.

These fixings are designed to hang heavy stuff on plasterboard.

There is no timber studs in the wall in question, and there is nowhere else to put the cabinet.

-taff

I wouldnt trust plasterboard, even with gripit fixings to hold 40kg, especially not on one screw..
You will have to drill through to the brick to fix your cabinet. Better that than find your cabinet smashed on the floor and half your plasterboard hanging off.

Belenus

jamie_128 wrote: »

Hi thanks for your reply.

These fixings are designed to hang heavy stuff on plasterboard.

There is no timber studs in the wall in question, and there is nowhere else to put the cabinet.

What is the plasterboard attached to? There must be something holding it in place.

Will the top of the cabinet be above eye level? If yes, then you could fix a wooden batten to the wall and 'hang' the cabinet from that to give extra support.

Also consider a batten underneath if that can be done where it would not normally be seen.

That is what I did with some kitchen wall cupboards in a utility room with a plasterboard wall. I probably grossly over engineered it but better that than the whole lot collapsing.

I can't see the battens unless I bend down to worktop level or stand on a chair.

Jackmydad

As above, I don't trust plasterboard to hang really heavy stuff on.
In fact I don't trust it much at all really.
And the problem with estimating weights "no more than", is that it's fine until someone comes along and loads it up with more and more. :eek:

getmore4less

Plasterboard can hold quite heavy weights when supported properly.
Tiles are 20kg m2

Correctly supporting cantilever loads can be a problem

Some good YouTube videos. Of the various fixtures under test.

jamie_128

there is no brick behind the plasterboard, or studs, on the other side of the wall is the ensuite.

Its held on by two grip it fixings not one.

martinthebandit

jamie_128 wrote: »

there is no brick behind the plasterboard, or studs, on the other side of the wall is the ensuite.

Its held on by two grip it fixings not one.

So there is just one layer of plasterboard? It's not fixed to anything?

I'm not entirely sure I believe that and consequently I'm not entirely confident that your diy skills are up to the job, perhaps it's time to get someone in to do a proper job.

FreeBear

getmore4less wrote: »

Plasterboard can hold quite heavy weights when supported properly.
Tiles are 20kg m2

Tiles will be evenly distributed over the surface of the plasterboard, so the loading at any one point is going to be relatively low. A single ( or pair) screw will place considerable stress on a material that is not designed for such loads.

Belenus

jamie_128 wrote: »

there is no brick behind the plasterboard, or studs, on the other side of the wall is the ensuite.....

When was the house built, or when was any later modification done?

A wall consisting of just one layer of plasterboard is crazy. It would give way if someone leaned or fell against it.

Are you certain that there isn't a stud assembly with plasterboard either side?