fixing to a stud wall

[nobackwheel]

This is a silly question - I need to hang some pictures (some quite heavy) to plasterboard. Now I know that you have to use hollow wall plugs, which I have. The problem is, if you fix something to a wall, the screw then grabs the plug, and you get the fix. However when you drive a screw into a plug, to hang a picture on for example, what can you do to make this grab?? Are there small grommets, or little caps around that will grip the screw and grab the plasterboard? Or should I try a different technique for hanging pictures?

sorry if that doesn't make sense!

 

[Nestor_Kelebay]

Nobackwheel:

If you're simply wanting to hang something like a calendar, then a nail is fine, or even an adhesive hook.

If you're wanting to mount something like a wall clock, which will break if it drops, then a hollow wall anchor, or even a plastic anchor, is all you need.

If, however, you want to hang a heavy picture, then you'd do better by going out and buying a tool called a "Zircon Stud Sensor" to locate exactly where the studs are in this wall, and then driving a screw through the plasterboard and into the wooden stud. Then, hang the picture on the screw. Alternatively, for a bigger picture, put screws in at the same elevation on two neighboring studs, and hang the heavy picture from both screws.

I'd prolly use 1 3/4 inch #8 or #10 sheet metal screws, depending on how heavy the picture was. (The only difference between a wood screw and a sheet metal screw is that the sheet metal screw is threaded all the way up to it's head, whereas the wood screw will have an unthreaded shank before the head.) Predrill to the correct depth with a 7/64" drill bit for a #8 screw and a 1/8 inch drill bit for a #10 screw.

http://www.zircon.com/sellpages/ScanAndSensor/SS/SS.html

PS: Hollow wall anchors have a threaded end on them. You drill a hole through the plasterboard, insert the hollow wall anchor into the hole, and then tighten the screw. As the screw tightens, the legs of the hollow wall anchor spread out behind the plasterboard, locking the anchor in place. Once the anchor is locked in place, you can remove the screw and put it back in again. Not sure if this explains things better.

 

[nobackwheel]

not really

I know for a fact there aren't any studs where I want to hang it (as I made this particular wall myself) - it's only about 80cm wide, and it was used to fill in a stupid internal window that looked horrible. I see what you're saying about fixing straight into the wood of the stud, which in theory i could do for this wall (i've only plasterboarded one side thus far!) but I will need to do it for other walls in the house. And the rest of the walls aren't stud walls, but that's another story...

I need something like from this thread; see masona's post about 4th down

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=46848&highlight=heavy+mirror

where do you get these hooks from with plastic washers? Or even just the screws with washers? Could I just buy a bag of various size washers?

 

[DIYIdoit]

Whenever I (as an amateur) screw into plasterboard I always use these

 

[nobackwheel]

I don't know whether i'm making any sense, maybe that's the problem

i'll try again

I don't need the hollow wall fixings, I need something to screw into - if you look at these pictures;

http://www.diydata.com/materials/wallfix/hollow_wall_fix.htm

you'll see that in each one, they are screwing 'something' to the wall e.g. the screw is tightening into a piece of word. What I want to do is use the screw (or something else) to hang the picture from - much like you'd stick a nail in a wall and hang something from that. The problem is, if you screw a screw into any one of these plugs, it just goes all the way in and doens't 'grip' - I need there to be 'something' inbetween the wall and the screw. Does that make any more sense???

 

[DIYIdoit]

How about these with a large washer with these

 

[soaringjock]

bet the next time you do a stud wall there will be provision for fixings

 

[nobackwheel]

well I can sort this one out, but as I say, there will be other walls witout studs to fix to in the future

I guess I just need to buy some washers, or use one of the methods above.

I would have though there might be some kind of screw+fitting for this kind of problem. It must be a common problem surely?

Ideally what I need is a hard plastic/metal casing that can fit over the screw shaft so that it grips into the plaster, and gives a strong lever to hang a picture on.

 

[big-all]

do you mean something like these
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/sea...F-8&q=17481&pn=1&pd=1&pi=1&cn=1&cd=1&x=5&y=11

 

[noseall]

why don't you fix a picture rail batten to the wall first then fix your frame hangers to the batten?

 

[Nestor_Kelebay]

Nobackwheel:

The real problem I'm reading from your responses is that you don't realize that all of the suggestions offered so far will work perfectly well to hang a picture from.

You say you want something for the screw you put in to "grab". Well, in the case of the hollow wall anchor that DIYIdoit suggested in his most recent post, you can use the screw that you see inside that anchor to hang the picture from. That is, you drill a hole in your plasterboard, slip the anchor in, tighten it using a flat head screw driver (or whatever kind of screw is in the hollow wall achors you buy) so that it grips the plasterboard, then remove that screw completely and slip the kind of hooks that Masona suggested onto THOSE same screws. Then slide the screw into the anchor and thread it into the end and tighten the screw so it holds the hook firmly in place.

Ditto for the kind of nylon anchor that Big-All suggested. You use a driver bit on a cordless drill to drive that nylon anchor into the plasterboard just like it was a screw. That nylon anchor has a hole in the middle of it so that you can then drive an ordinary screw into the nylon anchor (to support the kind of hooks that Masona suggested in his post). Nylon is one of the stronger plastics, and that's why nylon carpets are longer wearing than carpets made from polyester and polypropylene fibers. That's also why whomever made these plastic anchors decided to make them out of nylon.

Here, take a look at the images on this web site:

http://www.smithfast.com/ezanc.htm

(with Big-All's "Easy Driver", you predrill a hole in the plasterboard and then screw in the nylon anchor. this E-Z anchor has a cutting thingie on the front of it so that you just drive it in without predrilling. otherwise, the two anchors are identical)

Click on the "Installation" line on the above site to get to this web page:

http://www.smithfast.com/ezinst.htm

Now, can you explain to us why you can't use exactly the same anchor and procedure to install the hooks shown in Masona's post instead of the shelving bracket illustrated in that "Installation" link? Cuz I can't see no reason why you can't.

 

[big-all]

(with Big-All's "Easy Driver", you predrill a hole in the plasterboard and then screw in the nylon anchor. this E-Z anchor has a cutting thingie on the front of it so that you just drive it in without predrilling. otherwise, the two anchors are identical)

./quote]

your right you do need a pilot hole and you sort of get a special flat bit with a pointy end with a plastic head that slots through the plug and bores a hole the correct size [one per 100 pack]so when it wears out or you cant find it yo can drill a hole with about a 6mm drill so if your drilling holes in masonary and plasterboard at the same time you can just use the masonary bit without hammer of course

 

[nobackwheel]

lots of solutions!

I ended up going the big cork screw method ( I had some metal ones not the nylon type) - i did not realise that these were strong enough to hold something of weight. They did make a mess of my new plastered wall though! I put in the thread first, then put in a large screw which I left partially protruding, which I can hang the picture on.

I also didn't realise that the metal lug type plugs;

http://www.rswww.com.hk/electronic-...ng-cavity-fixings-interset-cavity-fixing.html

were fixable without having to leave that screw in. Which is defo worth remembering.

Thanks for all your help, I am new to fixing to plasterboard - no doubt i'll be back here again asking questions when I do the kitchen.

 

[big-all]

aaaahhhhh with plasterboard your wall units need to have solid wood to hang from so youve either got to fix a batton full length to support the cupboards or fix them to the studs

 

[skybluescooby]

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?cId=100067&ts=66937&id=17481

I have used these in the past for small picture frames to kitchen cabinets and none have let me down so far