Heavy oak shelf into victorian brick wall

[Effy66]

Afternoon all,

I've seen a few similar responses to my query but not exactly the answers I need. So if anyone can assist, I'd be most grateful - it's a straightforward query

Just bought two very heavy oak shelves which have come with heavy duty black steel brackets - 2 for each shelf. Shelves are about 10kg each. Once up, they won't be holding anything heavy, just lightweight objects. Will be drilling into an end Victoria brick wall (as opposed to dividing wall).

Can I ask, what length and size screws are needed for this job and what and type of raw plugs - plastic or metal?

Shelves are going above the tv so although I have concerns about shelves falling on to the tv, I'm more concerned about the wall falling away with the shelves!!

Thank you!!

 

[Effy66]

Bump Attached are pics of the shelves/brackets..

 

[cwhaley]

If it were me, I'd use anchor bolts rather than screws and plugs (presuming they're going into solid brick). With the weight of the shelf already fairly heavy, I'd want to ensure pretty much anything could go on there rather than having to remember to only put light stuff on there.

Screwfixs' "Easyfix" range is good. 80mm should be fine.

 

[Effy66]

If it were me, I'd use anchor bolts rather than screws and plugs (presuming they're going into solid brick). With the weight of the shelf already fairly heavy, I'd want to ensure pretty much anything could go on there rather than having to remember to only put light stuff on there.

Screwfixs' "Easyfix" range is good. 80mm should be fine.

Thank you... that's what the hubby has thought of too but we just wanted to be sure..

 

[Deleted member 174758]

What size holes do the brackets have? Regardless of anything else, that is your best clue to what the manufacturer actually thinks is appropriate, and you should always go for the biggest diameter screw you can get to fit through those holes. In all probability it will be a 4.5mm or a 4mm screw.

In terms of screw length, the plug must be contained within the masonry, not the plaster, and a plastic plug is generally around 30 to 35mm long. Victorian walls can have pretty thick plaster, with 12 to 20mm (or more) of plaster being possible. All that, combined with the bracket being only a few millimetres thick, and the fact that you ideally want the screw to go through the plug a little way means I'd be looking at something like 4.5 x 65 or 70mm screws, into red plugs, with 5mm holes in the masonry.

Normally you drill 5.5mm holes for red plugs, but the OP said the masonry was Victorian, so I'm erring on the side of caution and going for a smaller hole

If the holes in the brackets are larger, you might be better off with 5 x 70mm screws into 7mm holes with brown plugs

BTW the plugs I'm suggesting are plastic - metal plugs are really designed to be used in fire rated environments such as where you need to hold brackets which carry used pipework or wiring trays that you don't want falling onto firemen in the event of a conflagration. A bit OTT for something like this, I'd say

 

[cwhaley]

BTW the plugs I'm suggesting are plastic - metal plugs are really designed to be used in fire rated environments such as where you need to hold brackets which carry used pipework or wiring trays that you don't want falling onto firemen in the event of a conflagration. A bit OTT for something like this, I'd say

I hung my TV low down on a bracket off the wall using some decent plastic plugs (Rawl from memory) and 100mm screws into a solid brick wall on my house. The TV moves a lot on this bracket, and over time a plug at the top started to work away from the wall. I replaced all with anchor bolts.

The shelf may go through similar movement -- people leaning on it, different weights being taken on/off, etc.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

My comment was really to do with metal plugs which are specified for their fire resistance. AFAIK they are little better than plastic plugs in terms of loading.

 

[Effy66]

Just to say thanks for all the comments.. hubby used the anchor bolts in the end and so far so good