Structural Stud - Hanging Shelves

[Tjtrev]

Hi folks,

I'm looking to hang heavy shelves on an internal stud wall, with overall weight being around 15kg.

The wall in question is a structural stud, composed of 9mm ply, 12.5mm plasterboard and then a few mm of skim on top.

Has anyone hung anything fairly heavy on this type of wall? If so, what type of fixing did you employ? I'm aware that the cavity behind is fairly narrow and as wiring/piping is possible, I'm keen on short/shallow solutions as well. Also, as is always the case, the studs don't line up with where we'd like the shelves to be, plus the ply element means a stud finder buzzes all over the entire wall, on either the wood or metal setting.

Thanks very much in advance for any help!

Trevor

 

[Deleted member 174758]

If you want to hang anything heavy off a timber stud wall you generally have to opt to fix into the studs, but 15kg isn't that heavy, and you say that the studwork has been sheathed with 3/8in plywood, so with sufficient fixings (5 or 6) you should be able to carry 15kg off the plywood alone, providing the item doesn't project too far (what is it?). Go for a decent quality chipboard screw - something like 4.5 or 5.0mm screws. The length should be the thickness of the item you are fixing + 12mm for the PB + 10mm for the plywood + maybe another 5mm. If you can't get 5 or 6 screws through the item consider making up a flat pattress from sheet material (e.g. 18mm MDF with maybe a chamfered or rounded over edge) and fixing that to the wall with multiple screws (28 + 12 + 10 + 5 = 55mm long) then attaching your object to that

Another alternative is to drill larger holes and use toggle fixings of the sort designed for use on plasterboard

But are you sure that the wall is structural? Normally structural stud walls are characterised by doubled-up sole plates and headers, and upright studs which are closer together or heavier section. They don't necessarilly have ply sheathing. And are you certain that the sheathing runs floor to ceiling and isn't just a narrower pattress which has been installed to carry say, radiators? That is a lot more common, simply because plywood is expensive

 

[Tjtrev]

Hi, thanks very much for your reply.

I was speaking with the site foreman and he confirmed the composition of the stud wall. Plus I'm fortunate to have photos of inside the house during construction and the plywood is visible in those. I was surprised too as plywood is an expensive option, however I'm certainly not knowledgeable on the building reqs.

The item is a 20cm deep shelf that will hold books and light plants etc.

Just to confirm, you recommend a decent chipboard screw straight into the wall with no plug? Just as this approach was suggested on another forum.

Thanks again!

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Plugs are designed for use in masonry, not timber. They will be a less secure fixing than screws alone into timber or ply, but you still need to use the maximum number of screws possible to secure your shelf brackets, and if your brackets only permit two screws each I'd seriously consider drilling through the wall surface and using toggle fastenings instead of the uppermost screws as toggles will carry a lot more weight than screws alone (meaning that you can overload the shelves - a pair of toggles should be able to carry 30kg+ with a plywood pattress, although it may be necessary to replace the machine screws with countersunk head equivalents - these are normally something like M4 threads)

I queried the construction methodology of the wall as it is rather unusual to come across that in a domestic setting - more what I associate with bathroom walls in hotels - but nevertheless a very sound approach if you think the wall will ever have to take shelving, etc in the future

 

[Justin Passing]

Everyone should have a stud finder! Magic things, can save you a walletful of grief. Stanley do one for about £23 which should do the job, though more expensive ones will detect deeper. I've had about 3 over the years. They're all fine, I just lose them..

Depends on your support...

You're looking to detect the screws which hold the plasterboard or plywood in your case, then you can find a couple of studs, measure for the next one etc.. They have 2 modes, one of which will detect wood differences but your plywood will mask it some.

If you have vertical supports then yes, a load of screws into the ply is all you need.
If you need a hollow wall achor these

Easyfix Hollow Wall Anchors 16-32mm M5 x 72mm 10 Pack - Screwfix

Order online at Screwfix.com. Provides permanent threaded anchor in cavity walls. For use with setting tool. FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 1 minute.

www.screwfix.com

are fine.
Note the picture is WRONG - the description tells you the "plain" thickness. You have 9mm + glue? + 9-12 for pb so 6-13mm won't do. They've used a file picture, the bit marked red will be longer for 16-32mm ones:

You don't need the inserting tool to "pull them up" if you use a leccy screwdriver.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

You don't need the inserting tool to "pull them up" if you use a leccy screwdriver.

I'd say that depends on how good your plasterboard is. There are a number of tales on this forum of "umbrella" fastenings spinning round and round and not biting. My next door neighbour even had it a couple of months back - until I loaned him my pull-up tool, then it was problem solved. I've had success most of the time in the past just using a screwdriver, but not always, so I just use the pull-up tool because it takes one of the potential "gotchas" out of the equation

 

[Justin Passing]

Hold the thing still - simples, piece of ....
Things called pliers!
Just make sure the thread's not tight first.
The little fork broke on mine & I haven't bothered to replace it.