Drilling and Wall plugs

Shooter1

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I'm after some basic advice as I'm fed up of asking the in laws for help! (I've had a quick google, but couldn't get a definitive answer)

I need to drill some holes into a wall (plasterboard then concrete) to put up some new speakers I've bought.

The speakers came with the screws which are 5cm in length and the head is 8mm in diameter.

Can anyone let me know the following:

1. What size wall plugs do I need?
2. What size masonry bit should I use?
3. What depth should I drill to?

Thanks in advance for all replies.
 
What size are the speakers and what weight ?

Im assuming the plasterboard is dot and dabbed onto the brick walls. I generally find that the supplied plugs and screws are not adequate so I always go to a my van or builders merchant as im in the trade and pick up some spax screws and brown rawl plugs.

You want to use a 7mm or 8mm bit and drill in using hammer action on drill, around 8 cm if using a 5cm screw. If the walls are dot and dabbed I would be using a long screw as to get a better fixing in the wall. maybe 7cm screw.
Put the rawl plug into the hole and put the screw in after. Lightly hammer this into the hole and when it stops going in, tighten the screw into place.

Good luck today. Im a Newcastle fan.
 
Thanks for the help, it's appreciated.

Hi they're 3.5kg each. Yes, the wall is dot and dab.

It looks like I'm off to B&Q for some rawl plugs. Are all brown Rawl plugs the same length (sorry for the stupid question).

Looking forward to the footy, and hopefully a good game to round off what has been an outstanding season for us, don't know what's happened to you guys in the last few months.
 
Everyone is calling for pardews neck but Mike Ashley is the problem. He wont invest and he sells. When you don't replace the hub of your team things will fall apart. Pardew can only give excuse after excuse. If he turns around and says yes its Mikes fault...its not going to go down well.Hopefully one day soon he will sell and we will get our club back.

ps yes they are all the same length. what did they supply you with ? red or clear ?
 
Feel your pain, it was awful when Hicks & Gillet nearly ruined our club forever, we were really on the brink.

They didn't come with any, just the screws. I bought them off these forums, so I presume the originals are still in the wall.
 
You fought back and forced them out. Mike Ashley does not come out and speak. He hides away. Its horrible for us as he is simply piggy backing that shit sports company of his on our beloved football club. I cant see it ending anytime soon.

What width are the screws. you may just need red plugs. Buy yourself a multipack as they are always good to have in the man drawer should you feel the need to hang something else up !!!

You could always buy some plaster board fixings. they require no drilling just screwing into the boards and these are used to hang radiators so they will take the weight.
 
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I always throw away the supplied screws and plugs and use my own. Generally I use 8x40mm or 10x40mm as a minimum. Anything with a bit of weight then I'll look at going to 10x100mm screws. Rawl plugs to match.
 
Nigel's method:

1: Use standard brown plastic Rawlplugs. This brand appears to work well so I avoid others and lookalikes.
2: (Mainly because I have more of these than anything else) I use 2 inch no 8 screws (so, 8 x 50).
3: Drill the wall using a bit size just SMALLER - say 0.5mm - than recommended. (You can always drill it out larger if necessary, but you can't reduce a hole that's too large/loose)
4: Drill to screw depth plus a bit more, minus the thickness of the bracket (etc) you are fixing. Doesn't really matter if the hole is too deep, as long as you don't come out the other side.
5: Place plug into hole and tap in with a hammer till it's flush to the surface. At this point you'll know if the hole is too small as the plug will prefer to break rather than travel.
6: Screw a screw into the plug by a few (3 or 4) turns (leaving your speaker, etc aside for the moment) so it bites without expanding the plug, and then tap the screwhead with the hammer to sink the plug somewhat further into the wall.
7: Remove the screw, position the speaker and reinsert the screw and tighten.
 
When I fix anything to dot and dab I inject some 'no nails' into the drilled hole to fill that part of the cavity before putting the plug in.

I hung a 40" LCD that way recently.
 
I cant see the no nails doing any good! the cavity if dotndab or stud will be vast ! Using the correct screws and plugs is how to do it !
 
I cant see the no nails doing any good! the cavity if dotndab or stud will be vast ! Using the correct screws and plugs is how to do it !
Good grief I'm not trying to fill the entire cavity! There was a 15mm gap between the plasterboard and the brick.

A blob of no nails maintains that gap and stops the plasterboard ever crushing into that gap.
 
I've started using wall anchors and setting tool for hanging anything to plasterboard, far better than rawlplugs etc IMHO

Aldi may still have some in stock -
ALDI - Wall Anchor and Tool Set
 
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The only trouble with the fast brolly type is that you sometimes don't get enough of a gap between back of board and block to crush the brolly down.

In all honesty, it really depends what I'm hanging, not just weight, it depends on the leverage that the item might give.
 
I've started using wall anchors and setting tool for hanging anything to plasterboard, far better than rawlplugs etc IMHO

Aldi may still have some in stock -
ALDI - Wall Anchor and Tool Set

Started using these too after trying various types of plasterboard fixings with little luck.
These wall anchors are amazing and have hung a load of shelves and several guitars up with them. They're a great find :)
 
Hey Shooter

I have long since struggled with DIY and always wish I paid more attention to what my old man was doing when I was younger, he has always been decent at it without going daft with it, at least it would have been a start.

I have learnt loads in the last 10-12 yrs and I am always learning, especially when builders come round so I always watch what they are doing and ask questions so I can learn.

What I learned with the last set of builders was hammer fixings. These are full sleeved rawlplugs and a screw that you drill a hole, push the plug in and then hammer the screw in, when you want to remove it just unscrew it.

The fixing they give in a brick wall is amazing and will easily hold up your speaker/bracket.

I agree with LV, when drilling a pilot hole always go 0.5 or 1.0 drill bit size smaller than what is recommended on the package.

B&Q have the hammer fixings in many different sizes and lengths.

Never be ashamed to ask for help, many on here will testify I am not shy in my stupidity when it comes to DIY. We all have to learn at some point and when you do it is great to know you can do it again in the future.
 
PS: When I say wall, I mean brick/breeze. Plasterboard obviously needs plugs of the type Lancia posted.
 
I often use the Fischer plasterboard plugs. They hold a phenomenal amount of weight, require no setting tool and are relatively inexpensive. I'll have to post a link when I can be bothered. They are on the Screwfix site. Fischer are market leaders in fixings so I trust whatever they produce.
 
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Amazing what you can pick up nowadays.

Some people on here will remember how rawl plugs used to be hand made out of wood.
 
These have astounded me for plasterboard or similar cavity wall. Have never tried myself but heard amazing things about them

Snaptoggle - Toggler
 

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