How to remove stud wall fixings for toilet cistern

[wanleg]

Hi,

These fixings are used to secure my toilet cistern to an internal stud wall....they use a thinnish bolt with a screw head. I've installed new flooring now and need to relocate the fixings for the cistern a bit higher....I've never seen these before, does anyone know how to remove them? I want to cause as little damage to the plasterboard wall as possible.

Cheers
George

Untitled

• wanleg
• 22 Oct 2012
• 1

 

[gas_man_gaz]

if its the fitting i am thinking of, the back collapses to form 3 or 4 strips to provide a kinda sandwich of the plasterboard. prob easiest to drill the end and push it into the wall.
if its just to refit the cistern higher would this not cover the holes? couldn't they be left in and new fixtures fitted?

http://www.screwfix.com/c/screws-nails-fixings/cavity-fixings/cat4450012

 

[CBF]

you won't get them out the wall & even if you did they aren't reuseable, just leave them there & use a couple of new plasterboard fixings

 

[wanleg]

Hi,

I'm afraid I can't leave them in as the cistern hasn't moved up that much.....they are half visible with the cistern holes but not enough to screw into. I'm not bothered about using them again I just wanted to know how to remove as they stop me installing new fixings.

Cheers George

 

[Burnerman]

Carefully drill the heads off (hoping they won't start spinning) and push the remainder of the fixing into the wall - as per G_M_G's advice.
John

 

[Charnwood]

They're called tee nuts and can be used a thousand and one times.
Put a bolt or some threaded rod of the right size in and waggle it about.

 

[CBF]

They're called tee nuts and can be used a thousand and one times.
Put a bolt or some threaded rod of the right size in and waggle it about.

no it's not, you can't use tee nuts in that application or in plasterboard, this is what they are (below) & as gas_man_gaz has said the back collapses & once used they cant be reused unless you can get your hand on the back to put it back onto the bolt.


http://postimage.org/

 

[wanleg]

Hi,

Sounds like these could be a nightmare to sort. Rather than drill the heads is it possible to bend the lugs with pliers and push into the wall that way or is drilling the only real option?

Cheers
George

 

[Burnerman]

The barbs on these things dig into the plasterboard, and stop them spinning when the cavity fixing is tightened up. Therefore to press these through the wall, expect a hole the same diameter as the face you're looking at.
The good news is that these things are soft metal - they have to be to allow them to collapse. Drilling the head away leaves you with a hole say 8mm diameter and a 2mm mark of say 12mm diameter.
You can try.....screwing the original screw back in, and then tapping it lightly so that it reforms the original shape to some extent, enabling it to be withdrawn. There is a risk to the plasterboard though, so if thats an issue, try with the drill.
John

 

[TicklyT]

It may be easier to cut out a square of plasterboard around the fittings, and replace it with a new piece. After all, it will be out of sight behind the cistern.

If you do, fit a decent sized noggin between the uprights to screw the cistern to as well as support the edges of the plasterboard.

 

[rjm2k]

Screw a bolt part way in, push or hammer it to strighten the bent nut at back, pull out until it stops and remove bolt. You should now have room to crush the head and snap off with pliers. Push remains into wall.

 

[Burnerman]

Well by now we've comprehensively trashed your wall.....
I'm curious though....as the loo has been lifted a bit, courtesy of your new floor - how come these old fixings will be visible?
John

 

[CBF]

if it's a close coupled cistern two blobs of mastic (sealant) behind the back of the cistern at the top leave over night job done, some cisterns don't even have holes in them to fix to the wall.

 

[hansthebear]

Whats this drilling all about

Get a big screwdriver and smack the thing in your picture with it and a hammer, apply a 1mm skim of polyfiller to hide it, purchase new plasterboard toggles or drivas and refix in new place

 

[Terry7556]

those are called hollow wall anchors