Hanging bookshelves off plasterboard with no battening

[Potatan]

This is a 13 year old house where there are no battens in between the plasterboard walls. From reading around here and elsewhere it looks like it could be poor/cheap construction techniques. I've not seen the property yet or measured anything but the stud finder finds no studs and drilling into the plasterboard reveals an air gap behind - not sure of the depth.

Would there be any safe way to hang bookshelves off this (that are hanging, i.e. not resting on the floor)? Weight is clearly an issue. The shelves are required to be around the top of the room which limits options somewhat.

Maybe moving house would be easier...

Thanks in advance

 

[foxhole]

May be dot and dab in which case you can fix into wall behind.

I've not seen the property yet or measured anything but the stud finder finds no studs and drilling into the plasterboard reveals an air gap behind - not sure of the depth.

How do you know this having never been their?

 

[Potatan]

How do you know this having never been their?

I'm asking on behalf of a friend who has this dilemma, but who has done some preliminary investigations

 

[Potatan]

May be dot and dab in which case you can fix into wall behind.

It's an internal wall with no brickwork between

 

[foxhole]

He needs to establish construction of wall otherwise just guess work.

 

[WLF85]

I think you'll probably find that there are studs. The plasterboard is attached to something.