Plasterboard fixings-which are the best?

therealbob

Hi Everyone, Can anyone help with a following problem

 I have asked on another forum, but thought I would ask here. I have a radiator to fix to plasterboard. Its a cavity wall and decorated and I cannot match the paper anymore.. Normally you would put in studs where required or piece of plywood in to support and run to floor and then decorate over this. I have a brank new kitchen and its a last minute change to place a RAD where I was not expecting. I am a good DIYer and use to work for a builder, now in management.
So I decided to start looking for a really good plasterboard fixing for Cavity walls. Before you all say umbrella, these and the majority of fixings will not fit behind the wall, they are too long as the cavity behind is only 10mm approximately as its Dot and Dab on the walls onto breeze. (thought of hollow steel rawl plugs but we have pipes and wires embedded in different places, so don't want to risk those. So most fixings have to travel through the wall a good distance, 30-40 mm before they open. So I need something that will open up in less than a 10mm space. Oh and before you say GRIPIT, no, no no, bought these before and they broke up screwing in a screw, one spun around in the hole and another wings would not open at the back all out of one packet and made a right mess of of the job I was doing, but is there any other Cavity wall fixing that can crawl into a tight cavity? I need something that can hold a lot of weight. The best I found for hanging pictures in plasterboard were hammer in Timcos, cannot hold a lot of weight, but brilliant for light duties.
Cavity is 10mm
Plasterboard in 12.5mm (1/2 inch)
Not going to be removing the plasterboard
Not going to drill into breeze with hidden wires.  
Look forward to your response.

grumbler

therealbob said:

Not going to drill into breeze with hidden wires. 

Wires can easily be in the 10mm gap too and usually are predictable depending on the positions of sockets and switches. I just use my common sense and drill very carefully if in doubt, but if you are that concerned about this, just buy a detector, e.g.

I cannot vouch for it as I never needed one.

Another_Level

Whats the weight of the radiator ? 
These fixings are good for your wall  https://www.drylinepro.com/

Work out where the cables run, should be straight forward !

fenwick458

https://www.screwfix.com/p/corefix-metal-original-heavy-duty-dot-dab-wall-fixing-10-x-95mm-24-pack/344HG?tc=FA4&ds_kid=92700048793290424&ds_rl=1249413&gclid=CjwKCAjwqIiFBhAHEiwANg9szq9uwQ5vhuhh7JeQczPyE-W36wFqKyEW6vcW7yGzfqmKHu0boYSmIhoCBZcQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
https://www.amazon.co.uk/DrylinePro-DLP050-Trade-Pack/dp/B003DAQEFE/ref=asc_df_B003DAQEFE/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=218078576849&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17590424445838532820&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9041111&hvtargid=pla-421117585094&psc=1
any of these
you'll need to drill the blocks, you can't fix a radiator to a plasterboard

Jeepers_Creepers

How big is this rad, Bob?

12.5mm p'board is actually incredibly strong, but its nemesis is movement. If the fixing begins to move, it'll continue to do so until it crumbles.

So, if you must fix into the p'board only (I'm with others - go into the breeze blocks if you can), then my preferred type of fixing is the expanding brolly type. Eg: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111663186705? (These seem heavy duty).

A few provisos:

1) Use the setting tool if you can - it's important they are fitted neatly and without any 'destructive' movement, which can be tricky to avoid when screwing.

2) Drill the hole through the p'board using a flat-bladed drill bit (like a wood drill), and drill gently so as to leave the neatest hole you can, and without bursting through the back paper. P'board relies on its strength on the paper surfaces - try to drill it and not rip it.

3) Drill the holes as snugly as you can - just the right size for the fixing.

4) Once the brolly fixing is in place, you should be able to cut the actual bolts to be short enough to hold the rad brackets, but not go into the breeze blocks behind.

5) Important - once you know they are in the correct position, before the final fixing of the brackets, add a smear of strong adhesive to the bracket/wall surface - use StixAll or similar. This will add significantly to the overall strength, but more importantly, should prevent the bracket from moving even slightly. You know what 'movement' is to p'board...

grumbler

I cannot imagine this working in 10mm gap.

Jeepers_Creepers

Probably not... :-(

If Bob is careful, tho', and carries out due whatsit, he should be fine.

First, look for obvious signs if there are wires - light switches and sockets in vertical or horizontal line with the brackets. Ditto with pipes.

Then drill the holes through the p'board only. Place a flat-blade screwdriver through this hole and 'feel' what's there - cables and pipes will be obvious, as will the soft crumbly feel of a breeze block. Use the blade to 'drill' a hole in the breeze block to whatever depth is needed to clear these fixings - 10, 15mm? All the time, it should be obvious that it is only soft breeze block wot's being drilled.

Jobbie jobbed.

grumbler

Well, if you drill the block, I don't see any point in using these fixings that are designed for hollow stud walls in the first place. If there are wires they are either in the gap or very close to the surface of the block. If you drill it to 15mm, you can keep drilling deeper for a normal wall plug suggested above.

Vertical chases can't be deeper than 33mm (in 100mm blocks),  but I don't think that anyone would chisel that deep for a cable, especially under the plasterboard.

therealbob

Many thanks for all your suggestions guys , much appreciated( I have a cable and pipe detector ). I cannot drill into the blocks behind as the plumber and sparky chopped out for cables and pipes all over the place , do have the 10mm cavity everywhere , so made sense to go for a Plasterboard fixing . ( Rad is a single panel weigh 40kg , so x6 fixings would be supporting 6.66kg so Plasterboard fixings can do it ) otherwise I would have used Corefix into block.
So I were in the builders merchants asking what fixings they have for Plasterboard, two different plumbers waiting to be served said they have just started using Bullfix Plasterboard fixings and buy online and can't fault them . Also a builder recommended these in the queue and said check out their videos,  I did and was impressed that it's the first company that actually proves their loads with video evidence at their website . Also ordered Timco zip toggles too , but realized these will not go into a 10mm cavity . So I have ordered a pack of 10 Bullfix off Amazon and I am going to give them a go. I will keep you updated as to how these go.  Wow ,Mrs said Amazon prime just delivered. Thanks again guys 😉👍

therealbob

These are what have been delivered, very strong just tried to break one with my hands, impossible. These can go into a 7mm cavity, but ordered the pro pack by mistake so no free cutter , I have a 20mm hole cutter.  

FaceHead

I agree with Grumbler that the answer to avoiding pipes and wires, along with common sense, is to use a pipe and wire detector.

Having recently encountered exactly this - putting a rad on a dot-dabbed plasterboard - some 80mm screws all the way into the wall seems to have done the trick. Well, it's still on the wall after a few weeks.