Fixing (or not) into a wall made of celotex

[ladbrookejan]

I'm sure there's a simple solution that I'm not privy to, for the secret of getting things to stay fixed into my unbearable, heat retaining but apparently necessary, wall of celotex.

My wall now looks like Al Capone has been target practicing but still has nothing hanging on it.
I was advised, and tried and failed with brass cavity anchor, then blue plastic heavy duty plasterboard hollow wall fixings, and some Helta Skelta looking grey fixings. None of these do much but twist round in the celotex with the screw I attempt to put in.
My next advice was to get a stud wall detector to seek out the wooden upright which I'm sure you can guess proved pointless as it seemed to like to play games and beep at random just to tease me and create another hole. I tried a lot of tapping as I've seen it done on the telly, but just annoyed the neighbours.

If anyone out there thinks they may have a sensible suggestion to how I can increase the profits of my local DIY store again with another box of tricks I would welcome any ideas...oh and what's a good filler?

 

[cotswoldbuilders]

Try and find the end upright timbers, then measure approx 450mm centres.
Use a cordless drill with a small bit in, and find the studs.
Use easyfill for the filling.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Do you actually know what the construction of the wall is or are you just assuming there are timber studs somewhere? Finding out the construction of the wall is the first step to fixing anything to it securely.

 

[ladbrookejan]

Thanks for that, I am only assuming there are wooden uprights but the section of wall is only 70cm from corner to door so maybe not?
It's definitely thick celotex behind the plaster as I can see it through the holes I've made and I have reached some blockwork with a drill but it's too far away to get a rawl plug in.
Is there nothing specifically designed to fix into celotex?

 

[JohnD]

It might be a partition wall made of plasterboard skins on a foam core. Is it an external wall or an internal partition?

If there is blockwork behind it, you can fix to that. We can explain how. How far from the surface are the blocks?

What do you want to fix to it?

How old is the house?

 

[ladbrookejan]

Thanks for all being so helpful... what a wonderful website. It's a 5 year old external wall built on as an extension. The blockwork I reached is 80mm in. The whole wall measures 270mm from internal plaster to outside smooth render. I didn't see the building of it but guess it's blocks with celotex inside?
I want to hang a lovely old tin string dispenser which is 210mm wide and has two fixing holes 130mm apart, so not much weight butstring will be pulled from the 3 dispensing holes so has to be fairly strong.
Thanks for your help.

 

[JohnD]

From your description I think it might be solid lightweight blocks (no cavity) with insulation and drylining inside. You will not be able to put anything substantial on the foam and plaster.

It would be possible to drill through the foam into the blocks and use a long screw-type fixing, but for a string dispenser, not worth the trouble. Use no-more-nails to glue it to the wall. If the glued surface area seems too small, glue a wooden batten to the wall and fix the dispenser to that.

If you had to fix anything substantial like a radiator, you would screw a couple of battens, or a piece of ply, to the blocks with long screws, then fix the radiator brackets to the battens

BTW if you ever need to put screws into a crumbly material, drill a loose hole, fill it with no-more-nails, and push the plasplug into that, then leave it to set. The next day you can drive a screw into the plug.

 

[BigRobCanUFixIt]

sorry to jump in, but the glued plug idea, do you reckon that would work with a rendered wall above a window, as the render behind the plaster is almost like sand and when I try drill a no6 hole is ends up about no10 and the fixings dont work. And all that is probably deepr in is a lintel... I just want to secure a timer batten for a curtain rail to go on.
Thanks in advance

 

[JohnD]

curtain rails are heavy so you need to go in deeper.