hanging a heavy tall radiator

Hello,
I wondered if its advisable to fix the brackets for a radiator through plasterboard?
Its a new loft conversion and the stud work doesn't line up with the pipes so the brackets cannot be fixed into the studs.
The plumber thinks it will be fine to use extra long screws that go through the plasterboard and celetox and into the OSB chipboard on the otherside.
The radiator is 22 kg according to the packaging (feels a lot heavier than that) so approx 32 kg when full of water so that is roughly 8 kg per bracket.
Also the copper pipe that protrudes from the wall on the left of the radiator moves so I think its no longer attached to the stud. Is this ok?

 

remove the plasterboard place noggins[timbers] where the brackets need to fix to
or replace then plasterboard with ply with blocks attached to back where the brackets go

 

As has already been suggested, you need something solid other side of the plasterboard
You could do what plumber suggests, but he will not be there when some time later, the radiator will be hanging off the wall, lying on the floor even.

What do you think is going to happen to the screws that have very poor support where the thread is in the insulation and plasterboard and screw head is supporting afore mentioned heavy load.

 

I'm with your plumber on this one. 4kg/screw no probs. You don't have to use the screws supplied either. So long as no-one swings on it.

That said, I always insist on ply or studwork on my own jobs.

 

With the right type of screw I would expect the Cellotex to be able to support that kind of loading.

Its so annoying when builders just bang on and fix their most convenient studwork without thinking of how rads are to be hung.

Tony

 

+1 for 4-6", size 10 or 12 screws through to OSB.
It's not "perfect" but it will suffice as the load is shear.

Otherwise it's noggins and make good!

 

Suggest you also use the foot mounts that are available for that style of radiator. Foot mounts take the weight and the wall fixings hold it in place.

 

Thanks for the replies folks, very helpful. I hadn't heard of foot mounts, thanks jackrae.
Also the loft company have suggested using gripit.
They are a fixing that allow heavy objects to be fixed to plasterboard

 

Yeah. Used them. They're ok but you'll struggle to get two of them that close together for the brackets fixings as you have to use a large diameter hole for the blue ones that are the most heavy duty!

 

The radiator comes with 4 brackets each with 2 holes.
If we use the blue Gripits, in theory 1 Gripit per bracket would be more than enough to hold the radiator, I hope.
Although i suppose it would be better to take off plasterboard and put extra noggins and make good as others have suggested

 

Up to you mate but I've hung heavier designer rads than yours through to the OSB of loft conversions and not had a call back yet! If I did, it would not be an impossible fix - just a bit of make good work is all!

 

PITA

 

Gripit type things are great for static loads, but any tension forces will bring the rad away from the wall.

Screwing through to hte OSB is probably fine, but if there are still snags and second fixes to do, then why compromise. Builder should have thought ahead. Celotex has zero structural integrity.

 

I've just had to do the exact same thing, after my plumber attempted to attach the radiators to the plaster board. Admittedly my rads where a bit heavier (more like 25-30kg) but maybe another 5-10kg of water on top. He screwed blocks of wood to the inside of the plasterboard and then screwed the brackets to these - unfortunately the rads crushed the plaster board and the noggins slipped down when I removed to re-plaster. I screwed new noggins to the stud and put cross bracing in - IMO you only need to do it at the top or bottom as this is easily enough to take the weight.

My understanding is you can cut up to 150mm out of the insulation before its a building control/insulation issue. IMO worth doing a strong job and not worrying about your rads falling off and flooding the place.

Also you have LH and RH brackets there so make sure you have screws on the inside. My plumber hadn't worked that out. Given architectural radiators are meant to look pretty, its work hiding the brackets as the manufacturer intended.

I hope the plumber insulated those pipes, as per building control

 

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