Bathroom Cabinet on Hollow Wall

  • Thread starter Deleted2797112
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Deleted2797112

Hi,
Hope this is the right section for this!

Trying to hang a stainless steel bathroom cabinet on a plasterboard wall where there are no studs in the right place. Cabinet weighs @7.5kg empty. Searched posts on here, had a look online at the different types of fitting and went to B&Q to see them in the flesh. The metal back of the cabinet has holes drilled in the four corners - the holes will take a screw of 40mm, maybe 50mm at a push.

I looked at self-drive metal plug/screws, plastic (nylon?) toggles and metal cavity fixings (the metal plug with two prongs at the top end) as these were the only ones where I thought the screw would fit the cabinet holes. I asked the advice of the B&Q resident wall-fixing expert who recommended the self-drive ones so off I went with them £9 poorer!

First problem - because the back of the cabinet is only a thin sheet of metal, the screws were too long for the plugs so, looked online and found it was OK to nip the sharp point off the plug with pliers. Drilled pilot holes and screwed the plugs in. I wasn't convinced they were very secure - screwing them in, it just didn't feel like they were 'biting'. But I tried hanging the cabinet anyway. What I found was that because the back of the cabinet flexes a little when screwing, it just 'bounced' the plugs and screws out - 3 out of the 4 came out. I've probed the holes and the plasterboard seems to be approx. 13-15mm thick.

So back to square one. Should I try to re-insert the plugs with something like Wetnfix? Or abandon them for something else? I'm thinking that metal toggles might be the most secure but are they available with a thin enough screw? Or is there something else I can use?

Any advice gratefully received!
 
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You could try something like these http://www.screwfix.com/c/screws-nails-fixings/plasterboard-anchors/cat840114 or butterfly fixings.

Alternatively, if the cabinet is a fair size you could cut a large hole into the plasterboard and fix 60x30 or so wooden straps to the back of the plasterboard where the cabinet screws are required. For example, say your cabinet is 400 x 600 and the fixing centres are 360 x 560, then cut two lengths of 60 x 30 approx 700 long. Then cut an access hole in the plasterboard approx 300 x 500. This will give you access to glue and screw the straps into position onto the back-side of the plasterboard. Once done you can then refit the plasterboard cut-out.
 
Don't see how are the screws could be too long If you have hollow walls ?
 
@jackrae - Thanks! The Fischer 46mm anchors in that Screwfix link look a possibility. B&Q didn't have that type with a thin enough screw. I think cutting into the wall as you suggest is probably beyond my DIY capabilities - I'd be a bit nervous of mucking it up! I'll pay Screwfix a visit tomorrow.

@foxhole - it's not the cavity that was too short, it was the plug. The screw and plug will work with a fixture of up to 10mm thick according to the packet. My fixture is only 1mm thick so there is extra length left in the screw. If the point of the plug wasn't removed to open up the end, the screw would not go all the way in - it would have protruded inside the cabinet. Hope that makes sense!
 
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Another failure :cry: Went to Screwfix, explained what I'm doing to a very helpful chap. Gave him a screw that fits through the cabinet, told him the plasterboard thickness (13-15mm approx.) and he rummaged around in the back and came up with these:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/hollow-wall-anchor-5-x-43mm-6-13mm-pack-of-10/18266

which are similar to the ones that Jackrae suggested I think except they're unbranded. Unfortunately, the pack doesn't have all the same info as the webpage as I later discovered.

Got them home, the screw was a smidge too thick for the holes in the cabinet but I expected that so I've drilled out the holes so that they take M5. However, when I tried to set the fixings in the wall, they wouldn't open and secure. I think the shank just behind the collar is too short for the plasterboard thickness so it's trying to open inside the plasterboard, rather than behind it. Another look at the webpage for these - thickness is 6-13mm (not on the packet or I would have spotted it in the shop). I'll need the next length up with the same screw size if there is such a thing so these will have to go back tomorrow. The chap did say I could bring them back if they weren't right. Good news is they were under £2 compared to £9 for the self-drives from B&Q and B&Q did give me my money back.

Watch this space.
 

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