Putting up a dartboard board on thin wall

Eldi_Dos

If you are not keen on having MDF on view permanently, which I can well understand, one method you could use is.

Locate two studs in wall, fit two secure picture hooks at correct level, then fit picture wire to back of MDF, to which you can attach your dartboard. Once you have finished your games easy enough to take down and store, plus can have two pictures on wall while dartboard is not in use.

stuart45

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82074172#Comment_82074172

If it's dot and dab plasterboard you can still fix to the wall. You just need a different type of fixing. You might have a timber framed house where the external walls as well as the partition walls are all studwork. If it's a traditional build of brick/cavity/block some of the internal partition walls could still be studwork.

Boohoo

Iif I have missed this then sorry but do you own this house or rent it?

Arsenal2019

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82074280#Comment_82074280

it’s owned

WIAWSNB

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82074195#Comment_82074195

Yes.

However, if there are no actual timber studs there, you are back to square one.

What year is the build?

Arsenal2019

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82074404#Comment_82074404

2006 it was built in. But yeah, the walls are sooooo thin

stuart45

The external wall shouldn't be thin, as it's the load bearing wall that takes the roof. The plasterboard will only be 12.5mm but the actual wall will be either thicker studwork or blocks. Unless you know if it's timber frame or block, you won't know the correct fixings to use.

Arsenal2019

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82074443#Comment_82074443

okay I guess that makes it a bit easier. But honestly, I’ve absolutely no idea what’s behind the wall and what it’s made up of. Doesn’t help I have the craftsmanship of a donkey

WIAWSNB

Hard to know what to suggest, if we don't know the wall construction.

I suspect it's dot-and-dabbed plasterboard, as that is what I found in SIL's similar-age property. In which case, fixings can be a bit tricky. If it's D&D, then the plasterboard you are looking at has been attached to the brick/block wall behind using 'dabs' of adhesive. This means the gap behind the p'board is small, typically only around 10mm, so any fixing that 'springs out' behind the board won't usually work.

However, the fixing you showed us in your OP should work, provided it misses the dabs! So, if you just want your board fixed to the wall, and don't require any wider protective panel, I'm going to suggest you go with these - they are very strong.

A couple of things I'll point out - you do need to miss the 'dabs' as the 'wings' won't spread out if you drill in the middle of one of these. Watch out for any cables - you don't want to drill through them. And you need to get the exact right sized drill bit to suit the fitting you choose, and this bit needs to be able to cut the front and back paper layers cleanly, as that's where a lot of the p'board strength lies. The best type of bit is a 'spade' or 'auger' type, ie one that has sharp outer edges that cut through the paper first. These will slice through the back paper layer instead of 'bursting' through. And, when you drill, do so slowly. P'board is dead easy to drill through, and what you want to achieve is the cleanest cut possible. So, hold the drill 'back'! Stop it from drilling too quickly! Nice fastish spin speed - yes - but 'push' gently.

https://youtu.be/_bzTALwCZ3I?si=guYjophXkfisMTZJ

Finally, p'board can hold surprisingly heavy loads, but they are rubbish where movement is concerned. If the fixing begins to move in the board, then it'll quickly start to break the plaster surrounding it, and come loose. So, you need to ensure the dartboard isn't moved excessively. If it just 'hangs' there, and pulling the darts out makes it swing and thump each time, the p'board fixing will almost certainly fail pretty quickly. So I hope the d'board has at least two fixings, so it's held tight and firm against the wall, with no movement.

stuart45

Have a look in the roof space at the gable end if you have one. If it's block it's a trad build, and if it's studwork it's timber frame.