Heavy mirror on plasterboard wall

[PG]

I have moved into a new build with dreaded plasterboard on all the walls.

I have put up curtain poles & bathroom fittings successfully by using the appropriate fittings to secure the items to the plasterboard.

Now I need to hang a 15 kg mirror on a wall that joins the neighbouring home.

I think the plasterboard is at least 18mm thick and it is stuck to a solid wall using big dabs of adhesive.

Would I be able to hang the mirror straight onto the plasterboard using expanding plugs (or metal ones with arms that spread outwards behind the board

OR

should I drill through to the solid wall & secure the hooks/screws that will hold the mirror into the concrete blocks?

Sound advice is greatly appreciated, I really don't want 7 years of bad luck!

 

[Belle427]

i would drill into the wall behind,its much stronger than any plasterboard fixing, especially with that weight

 

[Nestor_Kelebay]

You said: "I think the plasterboard is at least 18mm thick and it is stuck to a solid wall using big dabs of adhesive."

Do you know what that solid wall is? Is it masonary wall or plaster applied directly over masonary or is that completely unknown?

If you suspect it's masonary, then phone around to see if anyone in your are sells something called a "Tapcon" screw. Tapcon screws are screws meant to be driven directly into masonary after drilling a pilot hole. Otherwise, putting any sort of anchor in the masonary is gonna require drilling a bigger hole in the plasterboard.

I agree it would be better to hang the mirror from something more solid than plasterboard, but what's behind that plasterboard will determine how you hang it.

 

[PG]

Thanks for replying guys.

I agree. Fixing to the solid wall would be more reassuring although not as tidy. But who cares it will be covered by the mirror.

The solid wall is made of large grey building blocks. Not the lightweight insulating type that are filled with air bubbles.

Having said that these blocks are incredibly easy to drill into - like drilling into cheese.

I guess they don't make 'em like they used to.

OK, I'll fix the mirror to the solid wall behind the plasterboard.


Thanks again for the advice.
PG

 

[Belle427]

if the material is a little suspect i always use the next drill size down then the one requied for the rawl plugs in case the hole wanders a little

 

[DannyT]

in our old house we put up a cupboard to house all our crockery and glasses we got given when we got married. This was put into plasterboard.

We used wall plugs but the big plasterboard Anchors - metal ones. They really did the job well.

Hope that helps.

 

[HandyJon]

Now I need to hang a 15 kg mirror on a wall that joins the neighbouring home.
....
Would I be able to hang the mirror straight onto the plasterboard using expanding plugs (or metal ones with arms that spread outwards behind the board

OR

should I drill through to the solid wall & secure the hooks/screws that will hold the mirror into the concrete blocks?

The anchor plugs probably won't work since they need some space behind the plasterboard to open out. You can get self tapping plasterboard plugs which screw into the plasterboard into which you then place a screw. Either way you will need 2-3 screws. The screw in fixings take about 6kg in 12.5mm plasterboard, so you'd need 3 to spread the load of the mirror. Best to drill into the wall behind and use long screws.

I think the plasterboard is at least 18mm thick and it is stuck to a solid wall using big dabs of adhesive.

Just a point of information, plasterboard comes in 9.5mm, 12.5mm and occasionally 15mm and 19mm thicknesses.