Problems with raw plug

Tim Robbins

Hi,
I was using Metal self drive plug from B&Q to put up some shelves on an interior wall (stub partitioning). The plug wouldn't go the hole way in and instead ended up taking a lot of plaster of the wall such that a hole was created that was bigger than plug!

I have polyfilled the hole but my questions are:
1. Can you put a raw plug into polyfill?
2. What are doing wrong here? Should I drill a small hole before putting the plug in?

Any tips appreciated.

Thanks.

thebullkf

Tim Robbins wrote: »

Hi,
I was using Metal self drive plug from B&Q to put up some shelves on an interior wall (stub partitioning). The plug wouldn't go the hole way in and instead ended up taking a lot of plaster of the wall such that a hole was created that was bigger than plug!

I have polyfilled the hole but my questions are:
1. Can you put a raw plug into polyfill?
2. What are doing wrong here? Should I drill a small hole before putting the plug in?

Any tips appreciated.

Thanks.

try and find the joist behind the plasterboard...tap wall till you notice the sound changing/ get a small Bradawl..{ie a tiny pointe screwdriver...prick it into wall @ intervals till you find the joist..then use wood screws..}
...don't put rawl plug unto poly filler...

thebullkf

or buy the small brass onse that have arrow tipps on them..you hammer them into the wall and screw in the supplied screws...back of the brass widens the deeper you screw into them...those steel self drive are muck i find...

Tom Slick

Did you look inside the hole before you filled it to see what you were actually driving into?
If it was timber you can just drive wood screws in but it could be metal. In this case I'd bore through it & use a plug that expands to grip but make sure it's not a pipe! Or try a different location.
A stud detector is useful in these situations.

Tim Robbins

thebullkf wrote: »

or buy the small brass onse that have arrow tipps on them..you hammer them into the wall and screw in the supplied screws...back of the brass widens the deeper you screw into them...those steel self drive are muck i find...

Do you have a link to those brass ones or where can I buy them?

Tim Robbins

thebullkf wrote: »

try and find the joist behind the plasterboard...tap wall till you notice the sound changing/ get a small Bradawl..{ie a tiny pointe screwdriver...prick it into wall @ intervals till you find the joist..then use wood screws..}
...don't put rawl plug unto poly filler...

That's not an option, because we are putting up shelves, the brackets have to go in a particular place.

Tim Robbins

Tom Slick wrote: »

Did you look inside the hole before you filled it to see what you were actually driving into?
If it was timber you can just drive wood screws in but it could be metal.
A stud detector is useful in these situations.

Looked in but couldn't really ascertain what it was - just look like plaster board.

The top of the steel raw plug came off so whatever happened - the top of the raw plug must have got stuck and then when more force applied it just broke. It has meant huge hole in the wall.

Tom Slick

Sounds like it hit a stud of some kind. If it's wood you can attach your shelves directly to it, it will be stronger than the plasterboard.
I usually try to avoid the metal ones.

thebullkf

Tim Robbins wrote: »

Do you have a link to those brass ones or where can I buy them?

like this only brass....



http://www.rawlplug.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=85&Itemid=34



heitons...B&Q....Homebase,,goosd hardware.

yoshytoshy

Some modern apartments/houses have plywood behind the plasterboard ,so you can screw straight into the wall.

Tim Robbins

Tom Slick wrote: »

Did you look inside the hole before you filled it to see what you were actually driving into?
If it was timber you can just drive wood screws in but it could be metal.
A stud detector is useful in these situations.

Looked in but couldn't really ascertain what it was - just look like plaster board.

The top of the steel raw plug came off so whatever happened - the top of the raw plug must have got stuck and then when more force applied it just broke. It has meant there ended up being a huge hole in the wall which I had to fill with polyfill.

Tim Robbins

yoshytoshy wrote: »

Some modern apartments/houses have plywood behind the plasterboard ,so you can screw straight into the wall.

How would I now if this is the case with out apartment?

Buford T Justice

If it looks like plasterboard behind the hole, then i would hazard a guess that is dot and dab behind the board that you are screwing into, hence the problem

I hate those feckin things with a passion. They are complete rubbish and If I was you, I wouldn't hang shelves with them, especially those floating ones. Be mindful of the weight that you are putting on them too if you do use them.
If its a partition wall with nothing on it, then maybe use toggle bolts like this one



If its a dot and dab board over a block wall, then i'd drill through into the block behind and use screws to fix to that.

Tim Robbins

Tim Robbins wrote: »

How would I now if this is the case with out apartment?

I think the problem is knowing what I am going into.

How can be 100% sure that it's just plasterboard or plasterboard with wood behind it?

yoshytoshy

Tim Robbins wrote: »

I think the problem is knowing what I am going into.

How can be 100% sure that it's just plasterboard or plasterboard with wood behind it?

Small screwdriver through the wall where the shelf will be covering it. You should be able to pierce through plasterboard ,if you hit something then it's probably wood.
You also know by screwing straight into the wall and if it bites tight ,your flying. Just watch out for radiators below ,try avoid the line of radiator valves.

Tim Robbins

yoshytoshy wrote: »

Small screwdriver through the wall where the shelf will be covering it. You should be able to pierce through plasterboard ,if you hit something then it's probably wood.
You also know by screwing straight into the wall and if it bites tight ,your flying. Just watch out for radiators below ,try avoid the line of radiator valves.

I have screwed a long headed screw all the way through. Does this mean there is wood behind or there isn't?

yoshytoshy

Tim Robbins wrote: »

I have screwed a long headed screw all the way through. Does this mean there is wood behind or there isn't?

If the screw tightens to the wall ,it should be stiff to drive the screw into the wall if there was timber.

Tim Robbins

yoshytoshy wrote: »

If the screw tightens to the wall ,it should be stiff to drive the screw into the wall if there was timber.

The screw was stiff but I'd be very worried about being lulled into a fall sense of security here. It's better to put a plasterboard raw plug up then have a shelf fall on your head.

Buford T Justice

Tim Robbins wrote: »

The screw was stiff but I'd be very worried about being lulled into a fall sense of security here. It's better to put a plasterboard raw plug up then have a shelf fall on your head.

Plasterboard plugs won't screw into timer unless there a big enough hole for them to thread into. Fit the shelf bracket to the screw you have in and give it a few stiff tugs and see if it stay's put.