[Engram]

Hi all,

I'm currently trying to mount my LCD on a wall bracket and I need some help to figure out what the wall is made from - and thus which fixtures I should use for the bracket.

Here are the clues.

1. The building is old, probably Victorian.
2. The wall sounds (generally) "dead" when tapped.
3. The wall does not flex or exhibit any of the characteristics of a plasterboard cavity wall.
4. The wall has a squared off protrusion where a fireplace and chimney breast used to be. The protrusion is a couple of metres wide. (And it's the target for my mounting efforts).
5. I have drilled 6 test holes, 2 rows of 3.
6. The plaster on the wall was very tough to drill through. I really had to push the drill.
7. When drilling the leftmost 2 holes (first row and second row) I appeared to drill through 1 inch of plaster before hitting something harder. I had red dust on the drill-bit. (Brick, right?)
8. When drilling all other holes I only saw plaster like dust.
9. Ramming a piece of coat hanger into the leftmost holes I hit firm resistance.
10. Ramming a piece of coat hanger into the center top hole I hit resistance but I could force the coat hanger through it. I never felt the coat hanger "pop through"
11. Ramming a piece of coat hanger into the right top hole I hit solid resistance about 2 inches in.
12. Tapping the wall by the leftmost holes gives the "deadest" sound. The other holes have a slightly hollow sound. (But nothing like the sound of normal plasterboard).
13. There is a vent in the skirting board directly beneath where I have been drilling. I opened it up and could part of the old fireplace through it.

So.. what do you guys reckon? I think I may have access to brick on the left of the bracket but what the hell is going on for the other holes? How could there just be inches and inches of plaster?

Any help will be gratefully received.

[flying haggis]

when drilling the the last four holes you may have been unlucky and drilled into the mortar between the bricks. the mortar in old houses can be very soft so you may have been able to push through it with the coat hanger in the middle two holes and as for the last two holes it could be just thick plaster covering uneven brickwork. I would be tempted to use resin anchors or try a few more holes if poss, red dust is good cause it tends to suggest brick

[louishm]

I agree with Flying Haggis it sound like you have hit the mortar a couple of times, If the house is Victorian then it will definately be brick but the mortar will be soft, My house is victorian and when i hung my plasma i had to move my fixings over a couple of times to make sure i hit brick

[Engram]

Hmmm.. interesting. Ok, I will try drilling a hole next to one of the non-red ones.

I'm also going to try a longer drill on the rightmost hole to see if the solid material is brick.

I have to be a bit careful how I do this because I'm renting my place!!

[Engram]

I've drilled some more holes and I don't think this plan is a goer.

I can't seem to find brick in any hole except the leftmost ones. I've gone pretty deep with the other ones.

As I said, it's a rented flat so I can't just rip the plaster off and take a look. So sadly I will have to put my £75 wall bracket in the cupboard until I have my own place!