Fixing through tiles, dot and dab, and old bricks

[askman]

I’m having a bit of a panic about how I’m going to fix a wall-mounted sink and cabinet to the wall. The walls have been dot and dabbed and will be tiled.

Where I’ve fixed into the wall so far, I’ve used these http://products.dewalt.co.uk/fastenings/productlist/hierarchy/2872/ and it’s often taken two or three goes to get the fixing tight due (I think because I can’t see past the plaster) to the brick crumbling and not holding.

I can’t drill half a dozen holes through the tiling and hope that I get two level, plus because it’s dot and dab there’s the gap between the brick and front of the tile where the end holds the sink up which will be around 30mm and cantilevered and I’m not convinced it’ll hold.

What is the done thing here? Surely this must be a reasonably common occurrence...

 

[John D v2.0]

For fixing our wall cabinets i hacked out a strips of plasterboard and used long screws and plugs as we had those rice crispie type blocks.
If you know the locations in advance you can put plenty of "dot" adhesive in the area. But you'll still need long screws eg 80mm frame fixings to guarantee the best fixing.
Falling that there are various propriety fixings or even just a short piece of copper pipe as a strengthener.

 

[ReganAndCarter]

Use Corefix fixings. They're heavy duty and are specially designed with a metal sleeve to bridge the hole through the plasterboard/gap/adhesive gap. You can hang heavy stuff with them, eg. boilers so will be ideal for your situation.

 

[askman]

For fixing our wall cabinets i hacked out a strips of plasterboard and used long screws and plugs as we had those rice crispie type blocks.
If you know the locations in advance you can put plenty of "dot" adhesive in the area. But you'll still need long screws eg 80mm frame fixings to guarantee the best fixing.
Falling that there are various propriety fixings or even just a short piece of copper pipe as a strengthener.

Use Corefix fixings. They're heavy duty and are specially designed with a metal sleeve to bridge the hole through the plasterboard/gap/adhesive gap. You can hang heavy stuff with them, eg. boilers so will be ideal for your situation.

Thanks both. To be honest, it’s the strength of the bricks that is stressing me out most. Every time I’ve drilled into them, the fixing has just spun the first time so I’ve had to have another go an inch or so over to find a stronger spot

 

[John D v2.0]

You can put a blob of something on the end to hold it still. As long as it goes a decent distance into the bricks.

 

[Keithmac]

I've had to use smaller drill bits in our walls due to the bricks, worth trying a smaller bit first and working your way up..

 

[dilalio]

http://www.wallanka.com/