Gripit Fixings

[Lectrician]

http://www.gripitfixings.co.uk/

Anyone used these?

I have a 28" TV to mount on a stud wall. The wall is steel verticals with doubled up 12mm plasterboard, dry lined, not skimmed. Bracket falls directly between two up rights.

Thinking of using these. Anyone know if they will work with two layers of board?

 

[Robin0577]

The promotional video on that website claims they will.

I've not seen these before, mental note made...

 

[333rocky333]

Not used them, but your link shows there made for different thicknesses including double board, looks like each pack contains a few of each

 

[Lectrician]

Looks like you just sink them a tad deeper.

They come in 4 sizes - 4 different size screws, M8, M6, M5 and tiddlers.

for the price, may order a few packs and see how they go.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Not seen these before, Lectrician I would be interested on how you go on with them, look forward to some hopefully positive feedback, although 180kg is quite a claim!

 

[crystal ball]

Are they any better than traditional spring toggles?

 

[SimonH2]

... although 180kg is quite a claim!

Indeed. In the past I've used "fastbrollies" and thought "Hmm, the fixing might take that, but I'm not sure the board fixings will". In that case, it was a network cabinet, and my concern was the cantilever effect just pulling the whole of the top of the board off the frame.

These do look quite neat - bookmarked !

 

[Lectrician]

Are they any better than traditional spring toggles?

I'm hoping so - especially going by the build quality of the spring toggles/umbrellas on the market these days!

 

[skotl]

I don't like the spring toggles - you make such a large hole for them, compared to the diameter of the bolt, that it's sodding difficult to to get them lined up correctly.

These grip-its look good, if you go by what the video says. I need to mount a 37" TV in a couple of weeks so may give them a go. Interested in anyone else's findings beforehand, of course

I see Screwfix do them for £18 for 25x; http://www.screwfix.com/p/heavy-duty-plasterboard-fixings-type-20-2-pack-of-25/96416

edit: Screwfix suggests safe working load of 80KG per fixing...

 

[Lectrician]

Even the actual grip-it website states 160kg max, safe working 80kg.

I have ordered a selection of them in the different sizes.

Only a couple quid more direct from gripit, and cheaper if you include SF delivery. And you can order smaller qty from gripit direct. Not that I have shares

 

[flyingsparks]

They look good. Free sample ordered..

 

[ban-all-sheds]

my concern was the cantilever effect just pulling the whole of the top of the board off the frame.

My concern too.

Well - not the boards, the fixings themselves. I'm sure they resist pull-out very well, but do they resist tilting? Even the smallest amount would be too much.

Samples on their way.

 

[bernardgreen]

The installation pictures show a vertical batten being fixed the wall by the Grip-It, This batten would reduce the twisting force to almost zero.

With double plaster board the screw is not supported at the front face of the plaster and might bend under load if the batten or fixing can move vertically.

Without the batten the scew head will descend ( may not immediately ) until the thread part of the screw is bearing with the full load on the plaster at the bottom of the hole.

I would put second Grip-It ( wings not opened ) or something similar into the front sheet to prevent the screw bending dwn under load. A bit of dowelling drilled to take the screw for example.

Untitled

• bernardgreen
• 9 Aug 2013
• 1

 

[JohnW2]

my concern was the cantilever effect just pulling the whole of the top of the board off the frame.

My concern too. Well - not the boards, the fixings themselves. I'm sure they resist pull-out very well, but do they resist tilting? Even the smallest amount would be too much.

Seemingly not quite 'the smallest amount'. If you look here , you will find their 'ratings' based on results of tests in relation to 'shear' (presumably vertical loading), 'tension' (presumably 'pull-out') and cantilever forces. For the latter, the quote a 'max' cantilevered force at 150mm of 50kg ('safe' 25kg) for the largest size. Of course, if what one is attaching to the wall has a substantial vertical height, this will tend to 'eliminate' true cantilever forces, converting them to essentially 'pull-out' ones.

What worries me with any sort of fixings like this (including traditional spring toggles etc.) is that they appear to be crucially dependent upon the integrity of the plasterboard remaining intact in the vicinity of the retaining arms/whatever. If any cracking/crumbling of the plastboard occurred in those regions whilst drilling the hole (far from impossible), the strength of the attachment could presumably be very seriously compromised (without one necessarily knowing).

Kind Regards, John

 

[SimonH2]

Seemingly not quite 'the smallest amount'. If you look here , you will find their 'ratings' based on results of tests in relation to 'shear' (presumably vertical loading), 'tension' (presumably 'pull-out') and cantilever forces. For the latter, the quote a 'max' cantilevered force at 150mm of 50kg ('safe' 25kg) for the largest size. Of course, if what one is attaching to the wall has a substantial vertical height, this will tend to 'eliminate' true cantilever forces, converting them to essentially 'pull-out' ones.

Interestingly, all of then show a similar strength under tension, and not a huge variation for cantilever loads. What they don't say for the cantilever tests is what vertical size the arm was. As you say, if fixing something that's got a large height, then you'll have a combination load with the top fixings predominantly under tension.

For teh largest size, the loading drops from 90kg under shear, to just 20kg under tension (same for all sizes), and 25-30kg for cantilever fixings. It's interesting to compare the cantilever values between the largest and smallest sizes !

The last thing I had to fix to a sheet wall was a network cabinet - around 500mm deep and a similar height. For the height, I was reasonably happy that the vertical height made a reasonable arm length compared to the horizontal distance out to the potential CoG (have you seen the weight that goes in some of these cabinets ?).
But then I've seen smaller cabinets, similar depth, but less than a foot high, and I shudder to thing of the pull-out forces on the top fixings.

What worries me with any sort of fixings like this (including traditional spring toggles etc.) is that they appear to be crucially dependent upon the integrity of the plasterboard remaining intact in the vicinity of the retaining arms/whatever. If any cracking/crumbling of the plastboard occurred in those regions whilst drilling the hole (far from impossible), the strength of the attachment could presumably be very seriously compromised (without one necessarily knowing).

Indeed, and we've all watched some bodger making a hole with whatever blunt poker came to hand haven't we ? I think that's where brolly type fixings have an advantage in terms of the area they cover at the back of the board.