Screw jamming in wall plug - please help!

[LauraT100]

Hello,

I'm trying to fit a picture ledge to a masonry wall. I've drilled a 7mm hole (slightly deeper than it needs to be), vacuumed out the dust and inserted a brown plastic plug (which say they are for screw sizes 8, 10, 12 and 14) but when I try to screw a screw in (with an electric screwdriver) it will only go halfway in (not even close to the end of the plug). I'm using size 8 screws.

Can someone please help point me in the right direction of where I'm going wrong? I've tried this with 3 different holes and am having the same problem in each - it's driving me nuts!

Thanks

Laura

 

[foxhole]

What electric screwdriver do you have?What length of screw?
Picture rail would usually go up with adhesive and pinning.

 

[big-all]

are you saying the screwdriver is stopping ??
what voltage and size is it and how old is it ??
does it have 2 gears ?
does it judder jump or ratchet ??

 

[JohnD]

Picture rail would usually go up with adhesive and pinning.

In your house, maybe. But a large mirror, with an ornate frame, is far heavier than I would trust to a bit of glue. So are some paintings.

 

[foxhole]

Holds 320kg per 10sq cm, strong enough for most.

 

[JohnD]

and what's the strength of the plaster, and the wallpaper or paint, that you've glued it to?

 

[big-all]

thats about 15m off 69mm picture rail for 32kg or 1.5m per 3.2kg ???

 

[big-all]

and as said above no stronger than what its fixed to
plus zigzagging as per instructions will give a average 40- 70% surface coverage so any where between around 1.5-2.5kg hold per metre ??

 

[Burnerman]

Laura, ditch the electric driver and go for a 'mans' (sorry, woman's too ) proper screwdriver - PZ2 maybe?
Much better control anyway in this situation.
John

 

[longdogs]

Or by hand??

 

[LauraT100]

Thanks very much for all of your replies.

To answer your questions:

- The screws are about 2 inches long (a bit longer than the wall plugs but I've drilled slightly deeper than their length).
- I'll have to check what voltage the screwdriver is, but it's only a couple of years old and has two gears.
- It doesn't feel/sound like the screwdriver is malfunctioning - it just feels as though the screw has gone as far in as it will go (if that makes sense - sorry I don't know the lingo!).
- I wouldn't feel comfortable just using adhesive, plus there are pre-drilled holes in the picture ledge that I'd then have to fill/cover.
- I have tried a manual screwdriver too, but admittedly probably a wimpy one rather than a "man's" one!

Maybe I'll try a better man's screwdriver?!

Does it sound like I'm using the right size plugs and screws to you? Should I try the next screw size down (6?) or will they be too small?

 

[Dave54]

Usually if you're getting that "screw won't go in any further" thing happening, the hole isn't deep enough behind the plug.
I'd agree with the others. Glue is great for anything that's just decorative, but anything that can possibly be used to bear any load needs solid fixings.

 

[LauraT100]

Thanks Dave54, but if the problem were that the hole isn't deep enough, wouldn't the screw keep going in until it hit the end of the hole? At the moment it isn't even close to breaking through the end of the wallplug, let alone the rest of the hole behind it.

 

[Dave54]

What's actually happening? If the screw / plug is actually stopping the screwdriver turning, then the screwdriver isn't powerful enough. Use another screwdriver as already suggested. If the screw is continuing to turn, which will damage the plug, then the hole isn't deep enough. The only other thing I can think of is the plug is turning in the hole which can happen sometimes if the plaster is soft, and you have hit the mortar behind, and so there is nothing to grip the plug.
Plugs you're using and No. 8 screws sound right.

 

[Burnerman]

How thick is your picture wotsit, Laura? Maybe the screw is too long or too great a diameter......
Bet the plug is spinning in the wall
John