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Adjustable wall fixing


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SWMBO ( ffs ) has ordered a wall mounted bookcase . It’s got these key hole fittings .

Now I know ; no matter how hard I try to line these up exactly I’ve got no chance of getting it spot on .

Is there a small wall fitting ( which would be hidden by the unit ) you mount but the sticking out ‘screw’ head can be adjusted in all dimensions ? . Maybe with a grub screw or small Allen key ….

 

 

image.jpg

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Large piece of cardboard covering the back of it, poke holes through marking the fixings, hold cardboard against the wall and mark for drilling 🤷‍♂️

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6 minutes ago, joe90 said:

Large piece of cardboard covering the back of it, poke holes through marking the fixings, hold cardboard against the wall and mark for drilling 🤷‍♂️

Yeah - that’s do able . Been googling for an adjustable fitting . The problem with the screw in the wall ( especially through plasterboard ) is if I need to move it a few mm in any direction . I’ve created a solution with my adjustable fitting for my problem !

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Googles not giving me anything . Clearly the rest of the human race mount these things mm perfect ….

A cardboard template probably my best bet 

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Just now, joe90 said:

My worry would be weight! Books are heavy and those fixings small, especially through plasterboard (what’s behind it?) 

No books are going on it ! 🤣

Well ! What’s behind it … The unit is in 2 halves each with 2 keyhole fittings . I can certainly get 1 into stud work but not the other ….

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I would make a pattern from a piece of thin ply, say 6mm. Mark out the distances, drill a tiny hole and put a screw through the ply do it sticks out the other side a little. Then measure for the other screw, drill & fit another screw. Check the bookcase fits on the plywood then drill a very small hole in the wall. Lodge one of the sticking out screws in that hole and scribe a small arc, 5mm each way on the horizontal. with the other screw. Use a spirt level to get the horizontal from the small hole over to the arc, then drill the second small hole. 

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40 minutes ago, Pocster said:

Thought I’d try these on the pb 

Please report back as good fixings on PB are not easy (IMO)

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Posted (edited)
5 hours ago, Pocster said:

It’s only 4 screws

You can unscrew a bookshelf from the wall, but you cannot unscrew a pregnant wife.

Or send back to Screwfix for a refund.

Edited by SteamyTea
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  • 2 weeks later...

Having difficulty here !

 

Sent those fittings back . Got a different variation which are now also going back .

 

Considering the pita option of actually cutting a rectangle out the plasterboard and nogging across where the ‘bookcase’ will go . Then getting it skimmed back in later and repaint the entire mofo wall . Is that too OTT ??? 🫤

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9 minutes ago, Pocster said:

Is that too OTT

Depends on what you put on the shelves weight wise! In the past I have cut a 4” square from the plasterboard, slid an 8” batten behind and covering the hole, plasterboard screws above and below the hole holding it, refit the cutout and fill and paint. You then have a short batten to screw to. 

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The problem with most of the plasterboard fixings is that they require something to be fitted flush to the plasterboard to hold the fitting in place, and you just want the screw to be poking out. Not an easy fix. You might be able to try something like a Rawlplug with the setting tool as they have a shoulder that will hold the fixing in place, but even that I'm not sure will work too well over time without anything hard up against it.

 

On the subject of marking out, the best option I've found is to take a long enough spirit level and to mark in pencil where the two holes go. Then you can use the level to a) make sure it's level (!) and b) transfer the exact placement to the wall.

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6 minutes ago, joe90 said:

Depends on what you put on the shelves weight wise! In the past I have cut a 4” square from the plasterboard, slid an 8” batten behind and covering the hole, plasterboard screws above and below the hole holding it, refit the cutout and fill and paint. You then have a short batten to screw to. 

Each shelf is only about 15kg - 2 of them .

SWMBO wants to put glass ornaments on them aka shite . So the weight isn’t an issue . But shelf falls off wall is an issue !

The problem I’ve got is these ‘super duper’ plasterboard fittings don’t fill me with confidence. Chunk of timber deliberately in the wall makes me much happier . Also if I need to reposition a screw a few mm either way it’s doable in timber . These plasterboard fittings require drilling a hole around 10mm wide to put the collar in . So a few mm out is a problem. I tried them on a bit a plasterboard I’ve got lying around . I can rip them out by hand - admittedly applying more force than they will deal with . But you know …. Paralysis by analysis 🙄😊

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Posted (edited)
2 minutes ago, garrymartin said:

The problem with most of the plasterboard fixings is that they require something to be fitted flush to the plasterboard to hold the fitting in place, and you just want the screw to be poking out. Not an easy fix. You might be able to try something like a Rawlplug with the setting tool as they have a shoulder that will hold the fixing in place, but even that I'm not sure will work too well over time without anything hard up against it.

 

On the subject of marking out, the best option I've found is to take a long enough spirit level and to mark in pencil where the two holes go. Then you can use the level to a) make sure it's level (!) and b) transfer the exact placement to the wall.

Agree ! If I rip a rectangle in the pb and renoggin - then getting level far easier . Once the screws are in place just leave them there as plasterer skims around them .

Would a skim in the offending area once repainted ( the entire wall ) be not noticeable?

Edited by Pocster
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Just now, Pocster said:

Would a skim in the offending area once repainted ( the entire wall ) be not noticeable?

I've cut holes in more walls than I care to remember to run cables and fit TV mounts etc. It's always possible to make it completely invisible, but it may require a few goes at filling, sanding, and painting before you are happy.

 

If you want to minimise the hole you are cutting, then rather than a noggin, you could cut a circular hole and feed a small piece of wood in that overlaps the sides of the hole. Then while pulling the piece of wood tight to the plasterboard (use a screw in the middle to grasp it) use plasterboard screws to secure it to the plasterboard. Given you're not looking to put some kitchen cupboards up, that sort of approach may be enough strength for what you want. Hope that makes sense. If not, here's an example of the sort of thing I'm writing about...

 

 

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1 minute ago, garrymartin said:

I've cut holes in more walls than I care to remember to run cables and fit TV mounts etc. It's always possible to make it completely invisible, but it may require a few goes at filling, sanding, and painting before you are happy.

 

If you want to minimise the hole you are cutting, then rather than a noggin, you could cut a circular hole and feed a small piece of wood in that overlaps the sides of the hole. Then while pulling the piece of wood tight to the plasterboard (use a screw in the middle to grasp it) use plasterboard screws to secure it to the plasterboard. Given you're not looking to put some kitchen cupboards up, that sort of approach may be enough strength for what you want. Hope that makes sense. If not, here's an example of the sort of thing I'm writing about...

 

 

Yep know exactly what you mean .

I’ve got 4 screws to get in at various distances so rather than work through a hole it’s going to be a lot easier to get a slot out . As long as plasterer can skim it so it’s invisible after I paint …. 

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10 minutes ago, garrymartin said:

then rather than a noggin, you could cut a circular hole and feed a small piece of wood in that overlaps the sides of the hole.

Great minds think alike 🤷‍♂️(see my post above)

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15 minutes ago, garrymartin said:

Missed that! 🙂 Nice one

Understand the method for 1 fixing . But surely far easier for me with 4 fixings in a row to cut out rectangle and noggin between studs … ?

Something like this ?

 

IMG_9961.jpeg

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On 08/06/2024 at 15:34, Pocster said:

Thought I’d try these on the pb 

 

 

IMG_9923.png

 

I don't trust those.

 

These are much, much better: https://www.tcfixings.co.uk/category/toggler-snaptoggle-plasterboard-anchors/1001 which I use to fix radiators to plasterboard. Or, I use these to fix towel rads to plasterboard (because they get pulled about with towels etc. which are solid as:

 

https://www.geefix.com/

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