Installing a radiator into a plastered wall - Lots of problems. Help!

Ahleckz

Ahleckz

Ahleckz

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I had some plastering work done a few weeks ago and have tried putting my radiator back on.

Originally, I've tried using screws and the brown rawl plugs. This worked, until I was tightening up the pipes and the hole gave way and the screw came out.

Today I went to B&Q and bought proper radiator fasteners (the ones that you screw in, and then screw out which allows the metal plug to expand outwards and 'hook' into the wall) but the same story happened.

Tried then screwing the bracket in through some wood, which was attached to the wall to give it some more stability but that didn't help.

So, what on earth do I do? There doesn't seem to be any immediate brickwork behind the plaster for the top two holes - just seems like a void and then some concrete. Bottom two seem to have red brick but too far away for the hooks to hook into.

So, any ideas? Or, failing that who would be the best tradesman to get in to fix it up? Getting awfully fed up of not having a radiator in my living room.
 
Drill the plasterboard until you hit brick at the back.

Take drill out then get some screw that are longerr so thy will screw into the brickwork ;)
 
Gex, they are the 'hook' things I was trying to describe.
I don't even know what it is. There's brick work maybe 6cm back but before that it just seems to be loose plaster, not even sure if there's even any plasterboard on it.
Think it was a bit of a botched plastering job to be honest.

Going to need some pretty long screws and rawl plugs, not even sure if they make plugs that long! Didn't see any huge ones in B&Q today.
 
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Skalaberg said:
Use these for the top two if the distance between the plasterboard and brickwork is too long.

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9372165&fh_view_size=10&fh_start_index=40&fh_eds=%3f&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB%2fcategories%3C{9372210}%2fspecificationsProductType%3dwall_plugs&fh_search=fixings&fh_refview=search&ts=1266528103645&isSearch=false
Click to expand...

No I would use these, these are better (take more load)..

http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Axminster-Boardfix-Cavity-Fixing-21598.htm

when you screw them in, it pulls the 'plug' back towards the back of the plasterboard and forms spider legs. pretty tough. i can hang from two of them (12odd stone)

they dig into place with the two teeth as well so don't spin etc.
 
Skalaberg said:
Use these for the top two if the distance between the plasterboard and brickwork is too long.

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9372165&fh_view_size=10&fh_start_index=40&fh_eds=%3f&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB%2fcategories%3C{9372210}%2fspecificationsProductType%3dwall_plugs&fh_search=fixings&fh_refview=search&ts=1266528103645&isSearch=false

Just pre drill a 6 mill hole first then wind them in.
Click to expand...

So drill a 6mill hole, and then put them in so the heads will be 6 mill in the wall? Or am I missing something...
They look like what the radiator was originally attached with. How does that work? I thought they were just another form of plug, which haven't worked so far...

Biohazard said:
No I would use these, these are better (take more load)..

http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Axminster-Boardfix-Cavity-Fixing-21598.htm

when you screw them in, it pulls the 'plug' back towards the back of the plasterboard and forms spider legs. pretty tough. i can hang from two of them (12odd stone)

they dig into place with the two teeth as well so don't spin etc.
Click to expand...

See above, tried them. The wall just didn't support it. Hole collapsed downwards...
 
Ahleckz said:
So drill a 6mill hole, and then put them in so the heads will be 6 mill in the wall? Or am I missing something...
They look like what the radiator was originally attached with. How does that work? I thought they were just another form of plug, which haven't worked so far...



See above, tried them. The wall just didn't support it. Hole collapsed downwards...
Click to expand...



ah, see your edit. well if thats the case, your wall is goosed mate. if it can't hold a radiator thats telling you something.

replacement probably.

you did try the spider plugs on news holes yeah?
 
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Ahleckz said:
So drill a 6mill hole, and then put them in so the heads will be 6 mill in the wall? Or am I missing something...
They look like what the radiator was originally attached with. How does that work? I thought they were just another form of plug, which haven't worked so far...



See above, tried them. The wall just didn't support it. Hole collapsed downwards...
Click to expand...

The plasterboard is likely to be 12 mill in depth if its on a wall and dot and dabbed if there is air behind it. you could just go for a very long screw and hope to find brick with it but these will work perfectly well for hanging a radiator on plasterboard. Just pre drill a hole using a 6 millimeter drill bit then using a cross thread screwdriver carefully wind in the self drive plug until it is flush with the wall..the you can use the screw provided to attatch to the bracket.
 
Skalaberg said:
Use these for the top two if the distance between the plasterboard and brickwork is too long.

*plasterboard screws*

Just pre drill a 6 mill hole first then wind them in.
Click to expand...

These are epic win, you woulnd't believe the weighs I've held on walls with them :D

Make sure they're metal though, the plastic ones suck
 
I'm actually thinking there was something wrong with either the hole, or the screwing. I just checked the hook things, and the problem actually lies there it'll seem. Didn't do any diagnosation after it failed for the 3rd time just threw it all in a corner and had a drink.

Is this a problem with the hole, or the person holding the tool? What could cause this to fail?

You can see the proper fixing at the back and the one that failed at the front - did I over screw or something?
cavityfixing.jpg
 
Ahleckz said:
I'm actually thinking there was something wrong with either the hole, or the screwing. I just checked the hook things, and the problem actually lies there it'll seem. Didn't do any diagnosation after it failed for the 3rd time just threw it all in a corner and had a drink.

Is this a problem with the hole, or the person holding the tool? What could cause this to fail?

You can see the proper fixing at the back and the one that failed at the front - did I over screw or something?
cavityfixing.jpg
Click to expand...

The one at the back will fail soon enough if its not screwed in further..those 'spider legs' should be flush with the back of the board. These type of fixings can be difficult to get right for most people...thats why i recommended you the other ones..you simply cannot go wrong.
 
About to tackle the same problem myself.

Was going to go for "no more nails"ings two strips of wood to the wall, letting that set then drilling through it one of those splaying metal rawl plugs if I can get ones deep enough for the wood and plasterboard.
 
Those spring things seem like they could be the answer...

Don't really want to get the professionals in if I can avoid it, may as well keep making holes until it works or I need to get a new plasterer around!
 
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