fixing stuff to walls

[wembleyford]

Okay - I know - basic stuff but still, I don't want to damage a wall without reason.

I want to fix a wooden clock I've just built from a kit to the hall wall - I could just use wood screws I suspect - it's not too heavy, there are four mounting holes and I want to put on the wall on the non-load bearing side of the wall under the stairs in the hallway.

My quandry is that it would look a lot better with cheesehead bolts or even hex bolts holding it the wall rather than wood screws - but that would mean drilling all the way through the wall into the under-stairs cupboard.

Is that a really dumb idea? In terms, that is, of say decorating it later or repairing the holes if I decide to move the clock? Should I just try and find some fancy woodscrews and not try and drill all the way through the wall?

Dave

 

[Burnerman]

I think it depends on what the intended wall is constructed of, really - but drilling right through just to hang a clock isn't the best idea.
If its a plaster / brick wall, just use standard rawlplugs and screws......if its the look of the screws you're concerned about, consider dome head types, either stainless or brass.
John

 

[wembleyford]

Thanks- it's just plasterboard judging by the sound and the thickness - really just the space under the staircase that's been boxed in.

I'll and find a source of just a few screws - and somewhere that's definitive about the sizes and naming schemes.

Thanks!

 

[Burnerman]

For plasterboard, its hollow wall anchors every time.
John

 

[wembleyford]

Okay - the load I need to attach to the wall if very light - only a couple of Kg's split over four points - so I really don't need a heavyweight fixing.

The reddi-drive type fixing looks appropriate - except...

They all seem to come with their own screw - fine if you're attaching something thin to a wall - what I need to put up is nearly an inch thick - if I used the screws that come with these fixings, they won't be long enough. Can you just put aside the supplied screws and use a longer woodscrew, or similar?

Dave

 

[Burnerman]

Only my opinion but Redidrive stuff is OK so long as its fixed in ideal conditions.....if not, they can quickly come loose and be a PITA to put right.
For a very light load you can get away with ordinary plugs - especially if you PVA glue them in.....
Why not use 2 hollow wall anchors at the top, and ordinary plugs at the bottom?
John

 

[EightyTwo]

Here's a silly idea - if you want that "industrial" look, why not use some 2" long mirror screws and put some big, shiny nuts on them first - like a washer. Then you can screw the chrome dome onto the mirror screw and they'll look like dome nuts!

This doesn't help with the wall fixing problem but it could give you the look you're after. Mirror screws will go into normal plasterboard (Fischer) grey plugs...

I don't suppose you can get a small enough coach screw with a head big enough to look good.