Putting up a dartboard board on thin wall

WIAWSNB

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82076152#Comment_82076152

Yes, these are good, and were/are my go-to. But, they can be awkward for newbies, as they need keeping dead still for that initial screwing-expanding. If they part-turn during this process, they'll tear the front paper and damage the plaster.

I've even resorted to starting the screwing before fitting them - just that initial turn that starts the expanding bit moving. It is then much easier to continue with after they are in place. But you need to prevent them from turning until they are fitted in place.

There are neat tools available that'll 'plier' them into place, but probably not worth it unless you are fitting lots.

ButterCheese

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82076173#Comment_82076173

Yes, but I find the sharp tabs stick into the board and prevent them turning, a good design. If your bracket or sheet material is thick, it sometimes won't go in far enough to engage the thread. So I like to put them in first and screw them up finger tight, then take out the bolt, put it through the bracket/bit of wood or whatever, then screw it in again when the threaded end has been pinched up closer to the back surface of the board. I believe the tool is called a drywall anchor setting tool, but my way works just as well without purchasing said tool

WIAWSNB

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82076523#Comment_82076523

Yes, the sharp tabs stick in to the p'board and should prevent it from turning, but I've found the initial expanding screwing force required often rotated the fitting and threatened to wreck the surrounding p'board.

The fitting needs holding firmly to ensure it doesn't move during this initial stage. One way is to push the fitting in, but not fully 'home' - leave enough of the outer flange out to allow it to be grabbed by a pair of pliers or similar. Start screwing. Once the expansion has begun and the screwing becomes easier, then push it home, driving the tabs in.

Arsenal2019

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82076104#Comment_82076104

I would presume wood as I didn’t know they had metal ones . On my finder tool, the setting was set to ‘stud’…. So your guess is as good as mine

WIAWSNB

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82077895#Comment_82077895

Does it have a 'metal' setting? This is usually to detect nails, but should also locate vertical studs if they are metal.

With nails, you'd expect them to be in vertical lines too (and horizontal), but staccato with nail heads, and steady if it's a metal 'stud'.

Arsenal2019

yeah it does. I’ve just tested it against the wall and it wasn’t picking anything up, I then tested it against metal which is not in the wall to test it works.

WIAWSNB

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82078099#Comment_82078099

Ok, that's promising, tho' not definitive. It doesn't appear to be a metal stud (good), but although it might be a timber stud (good!) it might also be a series of dabs (okish). I understand these detectors work by sensing the wall density, so p'board with timber hard against it would be more solid. But the same would likely happen with a vertical series of dabs.

Two ways to narrow it down - if they are timber studs, then they should be regular and either 400 or 600mm apart - are they? And, if it's timber, then there will also be lots of nails or screws in them, following where the studs are, so the 'metal' detector, set at the right sensitivity, should pick these up too - does it?

jimi_man

Also, as I mentioned earlier, do not underestimate the power of your ears/feel. Wherever the stud is that you've found if you tap in a straight line above and below it, it will sound the same if it's a wooden stud. You can compare it to the sound of tapping where there isn't a stud which will sound hollow.

If it's dot and dab then it won't be like that.

victor2

I would go with the earlier suggestions of some sort of board or dartboard cabinet on the wall and fixing the dartboard to that.

When we purchased our house many years ago, one of the bedrooms had obviously had a dartboard hung directly onto the wall, with countless "misses" around it in the plaster (some were a matter of feet away, so I assumed children's attempts 😉.

We had to have the wall skimmed to clean it up. You still have to mount the board to the wall, but have more flexibility finding good mounting points, and can paint the board to blend in with the surroundings a little.

Arsenal2019

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82078598#Comment_82078598

I’ve had the stud protector on and it seems like the spacing are around 300-350cm apart. However, the metal setting does not pick up on any nails/ metal in the wall, other than where I know there is metal on the wall / near to. Does this seem right