Attack Of The Shelf

[jpjeffery]

Many years ago I put up three book shelves in our bedroom.

After a few years (literally years) one of them came down. So I put it back up.

I don't recall exactly what remedial actions I took but two nights ago the shelf came down again, scaring the c**p out of us as we were asleep. At least i think it was the same one, since the first shelf 'attack' was years ago (again, literally years).

The wall is a party wall, rather than a partition wall, so the holes were drilled in to masonry of some kind. I used rawlplugs.

I recall that the bricks themselves are quite a dark grey and are quite soft/powdery (at least going by the dust) so I suppose had I not been as steady as I should have been with the drill the holes might have been made bigger than required hence the relative lack of stability.

Anyway, the question is, what can I do to get the shelf back up more permanently? Additionally, is there some kind of glue-based filler that I can put in the holes that will allow me to re-insert the screws (with our without the rawlplugs) before it sets?

TIA

Jeff

 

[JohnD]

I think you mean plasplugs? In lightweight cement (thermal insulation) block wall? Hoover out all dust or loose material first, and verify that the holes are deep enough for a 2-inch steel screw.

Use some plugs which are as good a fit in the holes as you can find. They need to go at least an inch into the brick (disregard the plaster as it has no strength) and your screw will go the full depth. I usually use 30mm brown plugs, but you can get extra-size ones. http://www.screwfix.com/p/plasplugs-thermal-block-fixings-nylon-33mm-40-pack/7264k

Assuming they are still a bit loose, inject no-more-nails or own-brand equivalent into the holes (start at the back to avoid an air bubble) then press the plugs into it so they are slightly below the surface. You can put screws in by a turn or two as handles. Then smooth off any excess.

The next day when the adhesive has set, you can drive your screws to fix the shelves.

 

[jpjeffery]

No, I meant rawlplugs, but those plasplugs you're suggesting look an awful lot better!

Your advice looks excellent, thanks. I'll give it a go.

 

[ray.birch]

Depending on how the shelves are being mounted, you may wish to consider threaded rods and resin epoxy. I've recently had to use this myself on both crumbling brick walls and some lightweight blocks to hang some very heavy wrought iron, and it's not going anywhere now!

 

[jpjeffery]

Depending on how the shelves are being mounted, you may wish to consider threaded rods and resin epoxy.

IIRC, the screws go in to the wall but left with the head protruding a few millimetres, then the shelf 'hooks', or slides, on to those screws.

 

[foxhole]

The shelf fixing type you describe is very poor as it afford tremendous leverage to a screw head. Thermalise blocks don't hold conventional plugs and even resin based fixing can pull out as they don't adhere to powder finish on blocks. Fischer fixings for thermalite are the only fixing I have found that won't pull out.