So many items of DIY require fixings to be made to walls that the possible methods and their limitations need to be considered.
The basic type of wall to which a fixing is to be made can be broadly categorised into solid or hollow.
Always check that there are no pipes or cables hidden in the wall beneath the area to be drilled.
Various pipe and cable detectors are available to check this.
Solid walls
These include brickwork, blockwork, and concrete.
To provide secure fixing to this type of wall, the most common method is drilling and plugging.
The size of screw and plug is dependent on the item to be fixed and the nature of the wall, but an explanation is given here of the method involved.
Many different plug types are available and the choice depends on their suitability for the material being plugged. Generally, the plastic type are the best. The size of hole required will be detailed on the pack.
Mark and drill the wall with the specified size masonry bit. These are quite different from those used for drilling wood. As always, wear goggles to protect your eyes from flying debris when using power tools.
Hold the drill bit against the mark and begin drilling slowly so that the bit does not wander from the position. To assist with this, you may find it helpful to use a nail punch to tap a small recess into the surface at the mark first.
As the drill begins to cut into the surface, you can speed it up, but remember speed isn’t everything. If you have an electric drill with hammer-action facility, this will make the work easier, but a moderate speed is actually more effective in this mode.
The wall should be drilled to a depth which is sufficient to accommodate the plug. Many drills have a depth gauge to help with this. If not, you can mark the drill bit with chalk.
Insert the plug so that it sits flush with the surface. A light tap with a hammer may help with this as it should be a tight fit.
Offer up the item to be fixed and insert the screw through it. Line the screw up with the centre of the plug and begin to tighten it.
As the screw pulls its way in, the plug sides are forced outwards, gripping the surrouding surface. Small lugs on the side of the plug prevent it turning in the hole.
Continue tightening the screw until the item is held securely, but do not overtighten. With sufficient force, the screw may either shear or the plug itself may give way and the process will need to be started again.
Stud, partition or hollow walls
Walls constructed of timber studwork covered with plasterboard require different fixing techniques.
If at all possible, locate the timbers within the wall and line up your fixing points with these. To locate them, gently tap the surface until you hear a muffled sound indicating the presence of solid timber behind.
Always check that there are no pipes or cables hidden in the wall beneath the area.
The screws for fixing the item may then simply be driven through the plasterboard and into the wood providing a very secure fixing.
If this is not practical, special hollow wall fixings will be required. Ordinary wall plugs will not do since they rely on a sideways force within the wall. Remember that you are relying only on the strength of plasterboard to carry the load, so heavy items cannot be fixed in this way.
Types of plug for fixing
There are many different hollow wall fixings available so you will need to check out their suitability for your particular situation.
Drill a hole of the size specified and insert the plug in the plasterboard. The exact way this is done varies so follow the manufacturer’s details. Some have metal or plastic lugs which open out on the other side of the plasterboard spreading the load and providing improved strength. Others have a deep screw thread which cuts into the board. This deep thread provides the spread of load.
Choosing the right screws for plugs
As with all plugs, the size of screw will be specified, as will the acceptable thickness of the item to be fixed. There may also be information as to the maximum load acceptable on each plug. Follow these carefully to ensure a good fixing.
Insert the screw though the item to be fixed and line up with the centre of the plug. Tighten slowly to the point where a solid fixing is obtained. Do not overtighten.
Providing extra support for heavy fixtures
If you need to fix a heavier item to a hollow wall, you must devise a method of supporting it from the timber studwork. Where the timbers do not line up with your fixings, you can use a suitably sized timber batten to bridge between them. It must be sufficienly strong to support the weight of the item to be fixed. Then, it may be simply cut to length and mounted on the surface screwing through into the studwork. This bridge will then provide support for the item.
Alternatively, you can recess it into the wall so that it is flush or beneath the surface. This will make for a much neater job at the end of the day, but will involve some additional work.
Always check that there are no pipes or cables hidden in the wall beneath the area to be drilled.
Cutting the stud wall
Locate the timber studwork in the wall and determine across which ones you are going to span with the bridging timber. This will need to be long enough and at the correct height to accommodate your fixings. The bridge will need to sit on studwork at each end.
Position the batten on the wall and mark around it.
Drill through the plasterboard at the corner of the outline and, using a padsaw, cut out the marked section. As you reach each of the timbers behind, you may find it easier to use a sharp craft knife to cut the plasterboard rather than the padsaw.
Fitting the support battens
Remove the waste and hold the bridge piece in place. If it is necessary to recess it further into the wall -either to make it flush or to allow for plastering over – measure by how much and notch the studwork to suit.
This may be done by making a series of chisel cuts to the required depth across the studs and paring out the waste.
Once you are satisfied with the depth of the batten in the wall, drill holes in the bridge piece for each of the screws. Fix it to the studwork with screws of sufficient diameter and length to provide adequate support and make good the decoration around (including plastering over the batten if required). You can now fix to this batten in the normal way.