Screwing into party wall

[Deleted member 174758]

We have a few clients who build apartment blocks in timber frame, no MF to be seen there.

Lucky you. Every one I've visited im Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds in the last 10 years has been MF. Lighter and faster to install, also supposedly better in fires - very important in 30 storey plus bulidings after Grenfell wouldn"t you say. Timber frame stuff I've seen rarely exceeds 6 storeys whether conventional or CLT
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[freddiemercurystwin]

For sure, timber frame is only so strong as you say so limits how many storeys you can go up.

 

[opps]

Why not just use interset fittings if it is a plasterboard wall?

They are metal fixings that have "arms" that splay out against the back of the plasterboard as the screw is tightened.



Before discovering them, via this forum, I used to use the expensive GripIT fixings.

A 50" LED telly is often 10-15kg., 6 of these will suffice. No need to try to find joists.

M5 x 52 Interset Cavity Fixing Rawl P/No. R-SM-05052 - Orbital Fasteners

Orbital Fasteners is a leading distributor of fixings, fasteners, tools & power tools specialising in next day delivery to construction sites and factories in and around London via our own van fleet and nationally via carrier.

www.orbitalfasteners.co.uk

And yes, you can order a total of 6 from Orbital Fasteners, but you only get free delivery at £25. I would recommend buying the setting tool as well but that is £10.

Interset Cavity Fixing, Setting Tool Rawl P/No. 41-545 | Plasterboard Fixing | Fixings - Orbital Fasteners

Buy Interset Cavity Fixing, Setting Tool Rawl P/No. 41-545 direct from Orbital Fasteners. Orbital Fasteners stock a wide range of plasterboard fixings with next day delivery.

www.orbitalfasteners.co.uk

 

[Deleted member 174758]

For sure, timber frame is only so strong as you say so limits how many storeys you can go up.

I did some corrective work on a 6-storey CLT building in Manchester a couple of years ago. The main structure was CLT with timber frame internal stud partitions and double timber framed curtain walling. The CLT came in from Spain and the stud walls were timber framed because timber studwork was reckoned to be a better match to the CLT in terms of movement through the seasons. As a firm we also made timber frame kits, so timber stud again.

But on the big 20- to 60-storey appartment blocks we now see in city centres it's all MF (as in the photo above). Cheaper, faster, less labour content (and lower oaid/lower skilled), lower fire risk, etc. - but mainly because it is cheaper Imaging trying to take 12 appartments worth (per floor) of timber studwork up the building in a hoist as loose timber. It doesn't bear thinking about.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Why not just use interset fittings if it is a plasterboard wall?

They are metal fixings that have "arms" that splay out against the back of the plasterboard as the screw is tightened.

View attachment 285610

Before discovering them, via this forum, I used to use the expensive GripIT fixings.

Those are what we nickname "umbrella fixings". Available from Screwfix and Toolstation, but stick to the better brands like Rawl and Fischer as opposed to unbrandeds. If you do many of them the setting tool at about a tenner is well worth the extra. On double thickness PB I've installed Spur shelving uprights in shops on them on the odd occasion and I have some at home on book shel es (again Spur uprights)

 

[opps]

Those are what we nickname "umbrella fixings". Available from Screwfix and Toolstation, but stick to the better brands like Rawl and Fischer as opposed to unbrandeds. If you do many of them the setting tool at about a tenner is well worth the extra. On double thickness PB I've installed Spur shelving uprights in shops on them on the odd occasion and I have some at home on book shel es (again Spur uprights)

Yeah, when using them, use the ones designed for double thickness plasterboard.

SM Interset - Rawlplug United Kingdom

Interset fixing for permanent anchorages in cavity walls. Zinc-plated metal fixing with metric screw.

www.rawlplug.co.uk

I must admit that the 4mm screw Rawlplug ones can be very hit and miss. I have had a few that failed at the point of using the Rawl tool to splay the arms back. It literally stripped the thread. I had to hammer a slightly bigger machine screw in to "unsplay" it and then remove it and fit a new one. Never had a problem with the 5mm ones though.

 

[conny]

Our college is steel girder framework for the bulk of the structure then MF throughout for all the internal walls.
Pain in the backside when you are fitting noticeboards to mark the position, drill pilot holes to mark them, then when you go to drill the rawplug holes you hit an upright or a cross brace.
I put one up in one room and missed the MF completely. Went next door to fit another one back to back. Measured precisely from the first one and drilled the pilot holes. All seemed good so drilled for the plugs. Hit MF on three of the holes. Double checked my measurements from the first board and the second board seemed to be precisely behind the first but obviously I must have been a mil or two out.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Probably a double sided wall like the pic I posted above, but the dry liners either hadn't lined up the metal studs or they had been kicked out of alignment by someone - they no longer crimp the studs to the tracks or fix them with wafer head screws, so they can end up anywhere. A lot of work I see is incredibly sloppy and not at all solid or robust

That's what happens when you let half a trade think.it's a full trade