Help with screw length / width / types

bluei...@gmail.com

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Jan 31, 2015, 1:49:59 PM1/31/15

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Hi, I have a really basic question that I hope you can help with. I have an Ikea Mulig Clothes Bar, link here:http://m.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/art/30179435/

It's going to be fixed to a brick wall, will be around 75 cm across and bear a reasonable amount of weight of clothing - the bar itself can take 15kg apparently .

Please can you advise on the length and width of screws I should use? The diameter of the screw holes in the bar are 6mm but ideally I'd like to go smaller to allow for slight drilling errors! Thanks so much.

Roger Mills

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Jan 31, 2015, 2:29:25 PM1/31/15

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I'd probably use 2" No 10 screws (or 50mm x 5mm if metric)

Use heavy duty plastic wall plugs - for which you'll need to drill 7 or
7.5mm holes in the brick.

--
Cheers,
Roger
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Tim Watts

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Jan 31, 2015, 2:36:34 PM1/31/15

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5mm 50mm long screws - preferably "woodscrews" rather than goldscrews
etc as the former are tapered so tend to do up tighter in the plug.

Those will hold way in excess of your load. I say 50mm as then you'll
get past the plaster and well into the bricks.

Use decent plugs - eg Fischer S type. Blue regular plugs are OK if the
bricks are solid and non flakey, but I still prefer Fischer for plugs
where it matters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fischerwerke#mediaviewer/File:S-Plug_8mm.jpg

Sold by either Toolsatan or Screwfix.

bluei...@gmail.com

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Jan 31, 2015, 3:09:21 PM1/31/15

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Thanks both, so I should drill at 7.5mm, use the 50mm/5mm screws and squish in Fischer S 8mm wall plugs? Does that sound about right?

It a wall on a 1930's semi, so it is slightly crumbly, decent wallplugs and a good fit are a must!

Thanks so much, cheers Jon

Bill Wright

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Jan 31, 2015, 3:28:32 PM1/31/15

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Is the wall plastered? If so use longer screws that have been suggested.

Bill

bluei...@gmail.com

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Jan 31, 2015, 3:43:30 PM1/31/15

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Yes it's skimmed, not thick though.

The Medway Handyman

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Jan 31, 2015, 4:15:44 PM1/31/15

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I'm a huge fan of the Rawlplug "UNO" plugs. Work in just about
anything, really strong fix.

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Roger Mills

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Jan 31, 2015, 5:23:48 PM1/31/15

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Yes. The actual size of hole you need to drill depends on which plug you
use and the crumbliness of the wall. Err on the side of an undersize
hole and then enlarge it with the next drill size if the plug won't go
in. Ideally the plug needs to be light tap fit into the hole. If you
have to hit it too hard, it will buckle - but you shouldn't be able to
rotate the plug in the hole because it would then rotate when you screw
the screw in, and would fail to do its job.

Tim Watts

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Jan 31, 2015, 6:31:25 PM1/31/15

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On 31/01/15 20:09, bluei...@gmail.com wrote:
> Thanks both, so I should drill at 7.5mm, use the 50mm/5mm screws and squish in Fischer S 8mm wall plugs? Does that sound about right?

Well - I always drill at 8mm (or whatever Fischer say fo rthe particular
plug) unless the bricks are friable - but no harm if a 7.5mm lets the
plug go in and the screw is not mentally tight - you can always ease it
out with an 8mm.

stuart noble

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Feb 1, 2015, 4:46:07 AM2/1/15

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I use a 5.5 masonry bit and with standard red plugs from Scewfix or
wherever for up to 50mm x size 8 screws. For the 1 in a 100 times where
the plug won't tap in with the hammer, I might go to 6mm. Can't remember
when I last used a size 10 screw.
I have a 1000mm wall cupboard choc full of crockery hanging on 2 size
8s, and it's been that way for at least two decades.
It's all about a good clean hole, so I have a pile of 3mm bits and my
5.5 and 6mm are only used for enlarging

fred

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Feb 1, 2015, 8:37:33 AM2/1/15

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In article <acd5c5fc-ad92-4348...@googlegroups.com>,
bluei...@gmail.com writes

>Yes it's skimmed, not thick though.
>

It might be thicker than you think :-)

My rule is to aim for 2" of plug and screw actually in the brick so if
you have half an inch of plaster, you want a 2 1/2" screw & plug. For a
vertical load directly down the wall I might reduce that to 1 1/2"
actually in the brick but not for anything likely to result in puling
outwards with any firmness.

With old crumbly bricks it's often a good idea to drill a small pilot
first as it may end up drilling oversize. eg. I'll often drill a 6mm
before an 8 or a 5mm before a 7. Some plugs can be very fussy if the
hole is oversize.

To clear dust from a drilled hole in masonry you can put a bendy straw
in the hole and gently blow it out. Gently so you don't fill the room
with brick dust and bendy so you're not blowing it back in your face.

An open envelope or folded paper lightly taped below the hole will catch
most of the dust from drilling.

--
fred
it's a ba-na-na . . . .

stuart noble

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Feb 2, 2015, 2:50:52 AM2/2/15

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> To clear dust from a drilled hole in masonry you can put a bendy straw
> in the hole and gently blow it out. Gently so you don't fill the room
> with brick dust and bendy so you're not blowing it back in your face.
>

Good idea

bluei...@gmail.com

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Feb 13, 2015, 9:28:50 AM2/13/15

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Thanks guys ended up drilling at 7mm having started with 5mm and gradually widened - bit of a crumbly wall so 7mm probs ended up around 8 anyway! 50mm x 5mm screws and brown Rawlplugs. V secure despite some less than perfect drilling, thanks all.