Plaster on brick fixing

[edthegr8]

Hi,

Over the past few years, I've become quite confident in fixing things to the walls, having been a complete DIY novice. I've got used to all the different type of cavity fixings, anchors etc.

However, I've hit a brick wall (well sort of!). I've come to fix a bannister to my stair wall where there was no bannister before. I thought that it would be a cavity wall, but alas it appears not.

Drilling a hole, I didn't hit a cavity whatsoever. Just went through plaster for about 12cm and then hit the brick. (The wall is an outside wall). Without a cavity, obviously anchors etc won't work.

The house was build in the 80's and I'm not sure why there is no cavity. Any ideas on how to fix anything to the wall?

Thanks

 

[Blagard]

You need to get a masonry drill of the right size to suit a wall plug. You just drill the hole a little deeper than the wall plug, push the plug into the hole until it is flush with the plaster and then use a screw for your fixing.

Most masonry drill bits work best with a hammer action drill, but unless the brick is very hard you should be able to use an ordinary electric drill.

Average wall plugs tend to use a 5.5mm or 6mm wall plug. I would suggest you get a 6mm drill and 6mm wall plugs They can take a range of screw sizes. See the video! How to use Wall Plugs

 

[edthegr8]

Blagard, but then the plug would only be in the plaster, not the brick and surely would never hold and just pull out...........I have drilled through the plaster until I hit brick and the plaster is about 12cm (not 12mm) deep until you hit the brick.

 

[TwoTrowels]

Have you only drilled the one hole? sounds like you may have possibly just hit a joint.

 

[edthegr8]

Drilled random holes in different places. All the same, 12cm plaster and then into brick. I even drilled a big hole to double check. Same result.

 

[KenGMac]

edthegr8, hi.

Several "musings"

Given the age of the Property could it be that you are in a "timber framed home?" have you ever drilled into external walls previously?

Could be that a previous owner has strapped and lined the external wall using "say" 100. MM. thick studs and then fixes plasterboard to the studs.

With the above you "should" have encountered plywood at the 120.MM depth to which you drilled.

It could be possible to "locate" the "Studs" to which the plasterboard is fixed, there are "stud locators on the market that can "locate electric wiring, provided there is power flowing in the wires. or these things can locate studs.

Another way of locating the studding is to use a strong light, Flashlight where you place the torch against the wall [switched on] when I type placing the torch against the wall that is so the beam of the torch shines along the surface of the wall [with me so far?]

No matter how good the Plasterer was there will be "visual indentations" where the plasterboard "joints" are places. with any luck some filled screw holes will become visible under the strong light.

Once you have located the first vertical stud the next "should be" 1200.MM distant. you can then use the vertical Studs to fix your Handrail to

Hope the above makes sense?

ken

 

[Blagard]

Blagard, but then the plug would only be in the plaster, not the brick and surely would never hold and just pull out...........I have drilled through the plaster until I hit brick and the plaster is about 12cm (not 12mm) deep until you hit the brick.

Wow you are right that I thought you were talking about 12mm plaster on brick.

120mm plaster I have never come across. Can you tell the difference between plaster, sand and cement and lightweight blocks? - Also other materials like breeze block (which has a bluish tinge to the colour drilled out. Many lightweight blocks are as easy to drill as plaster. and difficult to get sound fixings

You need to get the fixing in the "plaster" but the trick is to use the right plugs! Something like the ones in the link below (Can get them from Toolstation) You should go for the long version. Also consider a masonry screw that screws into the "plaster" - bottom link below



I use an undersize drill on breeze blocks and find I can tap a plug home into it for a more secure job

http://www.fischer.co.uk/Home/Spart...iversal-plug-UX.aspx/usetemplate-detailprint/

https://www.macbuildingproducts.com...cts_id=13494&gclid=CJP6pI3KjbsCFabLtAodpCkAvg

 

[edthegr8]

Right. Now I feel stupid. We've got a loose bit of skirting on a wall in the kitchen. I pulled it off and saw you were right. The outer wall goes plaster (cm or 2) directly onto breeze block, cavity with insulation, brick.

I just never realized how soft breeze blocks are. I'm guessing that's why drilling was so easy.