Another rawlplug problem

[gissle]

Hi,

I had some really useful tips about rawl plugs before. Our new house has a new problem.

The walls are plasterboard and behind that, block. The gap between the plasterboard and the block is too narrow to use those special winged fixings.

So far I have got round the problem by using really small rawl plugs just in the plasterboard, but I don't know if this will really be sufficient in most cases, especially if I am hanging something heavy.

I also once tried drilling through into the block, but this quite frankly was a nightmare and I ended up with a massive hole in the plasterboard because the drill moved a bit when I drilled the block, and just kept making the first whole bigger. I had to fill it in with polyfilla and it looked a mess. Thankfully I have hidden it behind a mirror!

Any ideas?

 

[phatboy]

I would suggest getting a powerful SDS drill if you had issues keeping steady pushing into hard blocks - I have had the same issues.

A powerful SDS drill and bit will go through block effortlessly, so much less change of slipping. The just push the rawl plug in, tap a screw into it, until the plug disappears through the plasterboard and then a bit more, and insert the screw - job done!

 

[gissle]

Thanks,

How far into the block does the plug need to go? They are hollow, so presumably just into the outside skin of the block?

 

[phatboy]

The plug should be completely buried into the block, with the head of it flush with the block, approximately - obviously its difficult when its hidden by plasterboard!!

 

[taddies]

I just hammered an old Phillips screwdriver into the block then punched in the plug so that it was in the block that way you are not removing material and the plug is a tight fit.works for me every time.had too many disasters like yours before I tried this method

 

[gissle]

Great, thanks all.

 

[dmiller]

I find that if your drilling into blocks behind plaster board start the hole in the block with the drill not on hammer action, so drill action only. Once the holes started it will keep the bit in line and then go at it with hammer action. This stops the wandering bit trashing the plasterboard.

 

[Adam_151]

Also note that when fixing to this type of wall, be careful how tight you do the screw up, too tight and it'll be trying to pull the plasterboard towards the block causing cracking

 

[TheGayOwl]

http://www.drylinepro.com/why-use-dryline-pro.html

Try the above, they work a treat.