Strongest plasterboard fixing?

[Participant]

Hi all

I need to hang 4 x floating shelves on a stud wall in a room. There is no way to fix into a stud (without destroying the wall) because of the width of the shelf bracket vs. the width of the studs.

They will mainly have books on them, so a reasonable load.

I've looked at fixing review videos on YouTube and it seems that the two best are Bullfix and Geefix. Does anyone have any experience of heavy-duty plasterboard fixings? Or are these overkill for books and I can get away with some Fischer DuoPowers?

 

[NeoVo]

I've not had single fischer wallplug fail in a plasterboard wall, whether it was a duopower, 6mm LDF or 10mm HDF fixing on a variety of applications, heavy mirrors, shelves etc.

I did fix a 24" TV to a plasterboard wall once but opted to use some gripit fixings, which also worked well but likely overkill for your use case.

 

[ristac]

Hollow wall fixings

Rawlplug Hollow Wall Anchors M6 x 52mm 20 Pack - Screwfix

Order online at Screwfix.com. Interset fixing providing permanent anchoring in cavity walls. For use with setting tool. FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 1 minute.

www.screwfix.com

 

[mushtafa]

Floating shelf direct onto plasterboard won't end well. The thickness of the shelf is small, so they'll be a lot of twisting force rather than shear down force. You might get away with it for ornaments, but not books.

 

[One More Solo]

I’d be tempted to use Corefix if the shelf will carry a reasonable load, at least that puts the weight into the wall behind which feels safer for something like a shelf with more of a lever arm. The other plasterboard fixings are very good with shear force but I’d still worry about them pulling out of the wall over time with a heavy shelf.

 

[ChrisD.]

 

[Nemiyen]

Just watched and when I last researched this years ago (10, as I needed to refix a radiator that had pulled off the wall when we bought our ex rented house) the GripIts were the best.

I'd never expect them to hold 90kg, but how do they rate them at 90kg when they only do a third?! Is there an asterix on the pack that says "plasterboard reinforced with steel required."

 

[jaybee]

Loads of options. I use Geefix, grip it blues and spring toggles depending on wall construction (cavity size). All have been fine. All hold TVs up on plasterboard walls.

 

[200sols]

Gripits are very strong, well over spec for a floating bookshelf but shouldn't pull through over time.

 

[~Divine~Wind~]

Gripits are very strong, well over spec for a floating bookshelf but shouldn't pull through over time.

Unless a child tried to do pullups on it lol

 

[Will Gill]

I will now add gripits to my stockpile of things I don't need and will probably not use

I'm hoping Bayden Powell would be proud of me

 

[~Divine~Wind~]

I will now add gripits to my stockpile of things I don't need and will probably not use

I'm hoping Bayden Powell would be proud of me

aye the gripits are decent as long as there's enough space behind ya board

 

[Mason-]

Really struggling to see how you can't hit at least one stud? Unless the bookshelf is less than the width of your stud spacing and there is a very specific spot you want it to be which is in between the studs. Surely you can get at least one of the brackets to hit a stud? I'd feel much happier if one of the brackets at least was in a stud and then you can put the others into plasterboard.

Is it an internal partition wall? Or is it lining a masonry wall? If it's lining a masonry wall corefix are great.

 

[AyeAyeAhoy!]

Don't forget, if it's an external wall (plasterboard --> cavity --> external brick) then you can just drill straight through the cavity and into the external brick.

Get a long screw, loosely put a red plug on it, then tap it back to the hole in the brick.

 

[Too Tall]

Gripits are fantastic, as long as they’re not used for an item such as a Dyson wall mount.

If found over time they have pulled through the board.

 

[aVdub]

Hollow wall fixings

Rawlplug Hollow Wall Anchors M6 x 52mm 20 Pack - Screwfix

Order online at Screwfix.com. Interset fixing providing permanent anchoring in cavity walls. For use with setting tool. FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 1 minute.

www.screwfix.com

I've been using them for a while now and they so bang on, even tried on lath & plaster with success.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07WG8PT14/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Participant]

Don't forget, if it's an external wall (plasterboard --> cavity --> external brick) then you can just drill straight through the cavity and into the external brick.

Get a long screw, loosely put a red plug on it, then tap it back to the hole in the brick.

Thanks but it's one of the few walls in my house that is plasterboard to void to more plasterboard.

Really struggling to see how you can't hit at least one stud? Unless the bookshelf is less than the width of your stud spacing and there is a very specific spot you want it to be which is in between the studs. Surely you can get at least one of the brackets to hit a stud?

It's a 600mm wide alcove (same as the floating shelves) and the studs are at ~500mm, whereas the shelf brackets are 400mm wide.

 

[rodders]

Snap toggles are good, easy to get rid of if you don't want them there anymore.

 

[Reuben klang]

Hollow wall fixings

Rawlplug Hollow Wall Anchors M6 x 52mm 20 Pack - Screwfix

Order online at Screwfix.com. Interset fixing providing permanent anchoring in cavity walls. For use with setting tool. FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 1 minute.

www.screwfix.com

These are the bees knees, used them for years - we use hilti ones at work which are a fortune. You should always use the tool though, you can get away with screwing it in but it spins the hole causing the little teeth to spin and chew up the plasterboard whereas the tool pushes it in to grip it.

Don't forget, if it's an external wall (plasterboard --> cavity --> external brick) then you can just drill straight through the cavity and into the external brick.

Get a long screw, loosely put a red plug on it, then tap it back to the hole in the brick.

Corefix for this type of thing, then the load is on the metal sleeve rather than the plasterboard itself

Thanks but it's one of the few walls in my house that is plasterboard to void to more plasterboard.


It's a 600mm wide alcove (same as the floating shelves) and the studs are at ~500mm, whereas the shelf brackets are 400mm wide.

Why not just do one side of the fixing into the stud and then use either a hollow wall anchor as linked above or use the fischer things and you’ll at least know you’re solid on side. Use a decent sized screw into the stud and it’ll never move.

 

[Participant]

Why not just do one side of the fixing into the stud

It's not possible to mount into the stud and fix a 600mm floating shelf because the mounting bracket is narrower than the shelf and the alcove is 600mm wide.

Perhaps if I post a pic of the area and the shelf...