Fixing into plasterboard

[Temp]

I normally avoid fixing into plasterboard but looks like I have no choice when I fit a curtain rail for some net curtains. The rail has to fix to the ceiling plasterboard in a dormer. It's a job I hate as the fitting always seems to start rotating meaning the screw won't go in or come out.

 

So what's your favorite fastening for plasterboard? 

 

[PeterW]

Is this for a vertical pull ..? That could be a challenge for any fitting. 
 

For heavy stuff with a decent bracket to cover the fixing I use Grip-Its

[Radian]

If it can be attached with a bolt then these rivet-like anchors overcome the spinning rawlplug situation - so long as you insert them with the gun and not rely on the cage being pulled-in by doing up the bolt.

 

[gaz_moose]

+1 for gripit fixings.

[Spreadsheetman]

Can you find the ceiling joists and screw the track hangers up through the pb into them instead?
 

I am doing that in the dormers in my current renovation to avoid the problem entirely. I have already located the joists by using small neo magnets to find the plasterboard fixing nails.

[Mr Punter]

Spring toggle fixings can work well.

[Nickfromwales]

All depends on whether this is one screw or multiple screws into one small footprint ( base area of bracket )? If a single fixing will do, the Grip-it all the way, as long as the hole is covered by the bracket / other.

[Temp]

Thanks folks.

 

I have a triangular dormer and the way it was built and lined makes it hard to find timber behind the plasterboard.  Was only able to find 2 nails with a magnet so probably 8 brackets will just be into plasterboard. It's only getting net curtains so no great weight. 

 

4 hours ago, Radian said:

If it can be attached with a bolt then these rivet-like anchors overcome the spinning rawlplug situation - so long as you insert them with the gun and not rely on the cage being pulled-in by doing up the bolt.

 

 

Think I'll give those a go. The tool isn't very expensive on amazon. Think the brackets are a bit small to hide the hole needed for Grip-its.

[Nickfromwales]

10 hours ago, Temp said:

Thanks folks.

 

I have a triangular dormer and the way it was built and lined makes it hard to find timber behind the plasterboard.  Was only able to find 2 nails with a magnet so probably 8 brackets will just be into plasterboard. It's only getting net curtains so no great weight. 

 

 

Think I'll give those a go. The tool isn't very expensive on amazon. Think the brackets are a bit small to hide the hole needed for Grip-its.

Put the drill on very high speed. Drill a small hole, then a larger and then the final, without pushing on the drill whatsoever.

If the plasterboard blows out behind, then these fixings won't hold very well.

[Alan Ambrose]

+1 for the anchors that Temp suggested. Treat v gently until they’ve pulled in, otherwise they can fail in all sorts of ways.  Fischer brand are best in my experience.

[PeterW]

34 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

Put the drill on very high speed. Drill a small hole, then a larger and then the final, without pushing on the drill whatsoever.

If I know it’s a clear cavity I use Lip & Spur wood bits as you don’t get any breakout at all.

[SimonD]

16 hours ago, Temp said:

So what's your favorite fastening for plasterboard? 

 

The number of failed rivet like fixings I come across behing radiators is ridiculous.

 

For ultimate strength where there's good room behind the plasterboard I use Geefix fittings - https://www.geefix.com/

 

Otherwise I use Toggler Snaptoggle fixings - https://toggler.co.uk/snaptoggle/

 

Snaptoggles are the easier and quicker to fit but the Geefix ones are super strong.

Edited March 19, 2023 by SimonD

[Thorfun]

17 minutes ago, SimonD said:

For ultimate strength where there's good room behind the plasterboard I use Geefix fittings - https://www.geefix.com/

they look amazing! thanks for the link. I'll try and remember them for if/when I need something super strong.

[Dreadnaught]

I found this YouTube video informative on the subject:

 

 

[Nickfromwales]

5 hours ago, PeterW said:

If I know it’s a clear cavity I use Lip & Spur wood bits as you don’t get any breakout at all.

Breakout behind? Not in front ( which is what I am saying to avoid. Surface is cosmetic, but the plasterboard behind is the functional bit.

I think that’s the bit the Gripit people offer / say to use? That’s due to the size / splay of the Gripit wings, me thinks. 

[TerryE]

The issue with quite a lot of fixings is that they don't service the fixing being temporarily removed because the back bit drops down down the cavity.  A total PITA IMO.   I find those squeeze-grip fixings very effective but you need to work out how to remove them with the minimum amount of damage  if you need to.   

 

In the case of these fixings, I find that the easiect way is to unscrew then part rescrew in the bolt then give it a bang with a hammer.  This punches the whole fixing through into the void -- at least enough to leave a small indent or even a small whole which can be filled, sanded down and painted.  What ever you do, don't try to pull them out as this will tear out a big whole in the board.

[PeterW]

1 hour ago, Nickfromwales said:

Breakout behind? Not in front ( which is what I am saying to avoid. Surface is cosmetic, but the plasterboard behind is the functional bit.

Yep - lip and spur wood bits don’t break either face and leave a decent clean hole. 

[saveasteading]

I agree with Radian. We once had multiple toilet cubicles to be fitted by the manufacturer, and they were clearly wary of the wall fixing efficacy.

You would think they would have a preferred solution.

After research we supplied these expanding fixings with rivet gun. It worked really well. Fitted impressed and no follow-up issues after years in a school.

 

Without the gun  these fixings are a pain.

[TerryE]

39 minutes ago, TerryE said:

The issue with quite a lot of fixings is that they don't service the fixing being temporarily removed because the back bit drops down down the cavity.  A total PITA IMO.   I find those squeeze-grip fixings very effective but you need to work out how to remove them with the minimum amount of damage  if you need to.   

 

I've got to wonder how Uncle Google is listening in. I've just gone to YouTube and for the first time in months I've had something like: YouTube -- Fixing Big Holes from Drywall Anchors!  recommended to me. 🤣

[Temp]

6 minutes ago, TerryE said:

 

I've got to wonder how Uncle Google is listening in. I've just gone to YouTube and for the first time in months I've had something like: YouTube -- Fixing Big Holes from Drywall Anchors!  recommended to me. 🤣

 

I commented on a youtube video last week and mentioned 2's compliment arithmetic. Next day it pops up in my new feed.

[TerryE]

@Temp that one is more understandable as this is big data integration internal to UncleG.  All I can assume is that G monitors any pages that reference YouTube, such as @Dreadnaught's above link and it has somehow previously managed to associate my TerryE ID here with my gmail ID.  Oh Big Brother where art thou?    

Edited March 19, 2023 by TerryE

[Nick Thomas]

Life is suffer

 

 

The µblock origin and "improve youtube" extensions combine to make it vaguely usable if you turn off almost everything. Or there's always invidious.

[Alan Ambrose]

>>>

The issue with quite a lot of fixings is that they don't service the fixing being temporarily removed because the back bit drops down down the cavity.  A total PITA IMO.   I find those squeeze-grip fixings very effective but you need to work out how to remove them with the minimum amount of damage  if you need to.   

 

In the case of these fixings, I find that the easiect way is to unscrew then part rescrew in the bolt then give it a bang with a hammer.  This punches the whole fixing through into the void -- at least enough to leave a small indent or even a small whole which can be filled, sanded down and painted.  What ever you do, don't try to pull them out as this will tear out a big whole in the board.

<<<

 

Yeah I agree with both those thoughts. All of these fixings are made with dodgy thin stuff unfortunately (presumably not good quality steel) - perhaps they need to be a bit like that so they can be squeezed by hand. This means that they need to be treated with some care during installation. After they're installed they're nicely strong. I found 'Fischer HM-S cavity fixings' to be the best.

[Simon R]

I too hate fixing into plasterboard. These are the things I've found "GripIt" . The downside is they have a large hole to cover 15-25mm dependent on the strength required.

[saveasteading]

2 hours ago, Simon R said:

The downside is they have a large hole to cover 

Yes, i bought 2 sizes some years ago, thinking they were briliant.

But they are unused because they would have  remained visible in every case so far. 

For use in a plant room or cupboard perhaps.