Novice help Reqd on how to fix frame to plaster & lathe

[RunAwayHorse]

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 5:42 pm Post Subject: help..Novice.....with... .Plaster & lathe walls?

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Hi all............I am a bit of a DIY novice, in the process of fitting a shower door between two walls. Unfortunately, where on on side I can fix the frame to a solid block wall, on the other side, is a plaster skim over what appears to be some sort of lathe type underbody.

As the house is 160 plus years old, no doubt the more experienced and knowledgable amongst the forum, will hopefully know what I am going on about.....LOL.

The major problem that I have, is that where I have drilled and attempted to plug the lathe wall it just breaks away, or pulls back through - so i am unable to get a solid fix.

Could anyone please suggest an effective type of anchor fixing for the screws to fix into. I have tried normal style rawls without success and also plastic plasterboard type anchors - again without success.

Your helpful advice on this problem would be very much appreciated.

Sincere regards..............Pete

 

[jbonding]

cut a hole in the wall and fix a batton to fix to, this can be done inside the shower and patched with plasterboard and i prsume you are tiling inside.

 

[RunAwayHorse]

Hi Jb........the inside of the walls (ushape =3 ) are already tiled. The door frame is to the end of this on 2 walls and on the edge of the shower tray.

Unfortunately, there is a groove where the previous door channel had been and this is a 2inch groove that I was going to place the new lhs of the door frame into.

If I cut out the wall and fix a baton there is nothing other than a gap that exists behind the initial plaster and lath - so I don't think it ould be successful as nothing to fix to .......Any other ideas......regards....Pete

 

[jbonding]

can you not screw the batton from the other side of the wall in the other room or fix small battons width way and screw through the plaster board.

 

[RunAwayHorse]

Hi Jb....The other side of the wall, which is in line with the shower door frame, is the wall at the top of the stairs.

So what you have is a two wall sandwich, which has a light skim of plaster over an inner lath - with what appears to be a small depth of cavity between them .........therefore no plaster board at all.

I had though of trying to fix a baton on top of the existing bathroom wall, but for this to be substansive enough, it would close down the width of the opening too much as I only have millimeters to spare in respect of frame adjustment.

Even if I could have done this, say using hard as nails adhesive between baton and existing plaster and, then screwing through the baton into the thin plaster & lath, I fear that it would 'break down' at some later point, given the weight of the pivotal door and this would then disturb any sealing and water would ingress.

I have been looking on the Screwfix site at some toggles for hollow walls as opposed to plaster board and wondered if something like that might hold firm??

Cheers for all your time and advice..it's very much appreciated....Pete

 

[jbonding]

only other solution, mark out where your screws are gonna go cut a small sections out of the wall at every mark and fill with drywall adhesive and let it set, you can drill and plug this stuff once it sets

 

[RunAwayHorse]

Thanks a lot guys for the comments and suggestions - Overall very helpful and I think that I will try the dry bond adhesive and see if that will get me the result required.

All the best...............Pete

 

[JohnD]

those lath and plaster walls are very weak - but the laths will be nailed to upright wooden studs usually 3 or 4 feet apart. If you can find those, you will haver something to fasten to.