Heavy shelf... What fixings?

SAM81

SAM81

SAM81

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I have a shelving unit I need to hang in the living room. Studs are too narrow for the shelf holes, so it's got to go straight on to the plasterboard. Shelf is around 9kg, unloaded. I'd guess it won't be too much heavier with what she wants to put on it

What fixings should I be looking at for this kind of weight on plasterboard?
Appreciated
 
It sets the anchor without risking it spinning and damaging behind the plasterboard.

*edit*
A video of how to use the tool here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mpcer0QzW8

If you are too forceful with the setting tool, or even when screwing up your screw, it can strip the thread and the anchor becomes useless.

However.. if you look at an unused anchor, the flange at the front can be bent away from the shaft (ahem) and will eventually snap off, letting you push the dud anchor behind the plasterboard and ready for you to re use your hole and try again.

I personally take note of which orientation I put the anchor in so I know if I need to remove it I know which way to bend the flange (using a flat blade screwdriver).

Any way, hope that helps.
 
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How many fixings are there on the 9kg shelf? Most come with 6 or 8.

Those hollow wall anchors in the first reply will do the job (use the setting tool or you risk damaging the board behind and creating a weak fixing), they are a bit fiddly to use though.

Spring toggles will hold more weight, are a little easier to use and are likely to be more cost effective if you don't have the setting tool for hollow wall anchors.

I wouldn't use gripit fixings, you have to put huge holes in the walls for those and only have tiny blades to hold the load against the plasterboard. There expensive and and I don't really like them (didn't they also just go into administration last year?).

You might be able to get away with good quality fixings suitable for plasterboard like fisher duo power (these are great). Of course you don't want to be getting close to the rated rating (15kg each) due to the cantilever effect of a shelf but spread across multiple fixings it soon adds up.

This thing looks mightily impressive but I have never used them so I can't vouch for them:


Out of everything, if you want belt and braces, I'd go with spring toggles assuming they are suitable for the shelf.
 
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I've found the best fixings are the genuine toggler toggle bolts (search ebay).

I've found the M5 sizing to be pretty much perfect for everything. I've wall mounted three TVs using them.

The M6 is really heavy duty, I used those for a coat hanging rack, but I think the M5s would have done.
 
As above, anchor fixings are good for heavy things, but depending on how many attachment points, the Fischer duo fixings may be a better choice. Rosett fixings strike a good balance between capacity and ease of install but aren't as widely available. I avoid gripits because of the size of hole required. Whatever the choice, make sure you use the right length and thread of screw for the fixing though.
 
for a tv, attachment load is distributed over a large plate , where cantilever effect, as b0rn2sk8, references, is smaller,
its wall fixings are, a distance, above the point where tv centre of gravity intercepts the wall - torque = force * distance it is applied at, tending to rip out the fixings

but, for a shelf, especially with 'invisible fittings' , the fixings have to sustain more/different stress ... so you may need more fixings. ... the fitting will be tending to shear, or bend under the weight on the shelf....

a traditional shelf with long vertical repositioning slots would be most resistant - so .... what does the shelfs attachment look like ?
 
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