Hi I'm trying to fit some cupboards in the utility room of a new build house. The utility wall is about 170cm wide, with the garage behind it, and I've got a 600mm and a 300mm unit to match the floor level ones pre-installed. The problem is I can't find any studs of any description. I've been along the wall horizontally and vertically behind the unit position, knocking a nail in at 2cm intervals, and hit nothing. There seems to be some soft insulation behind, then something solid (probably the same blocks that I can see inside the garage) about 10cm below the surface. So how do I hang the cupboards? I've got some M6x52 intersets, and was going to fix a baton below the units as well, but hanging heavy cupboards just on plasterboard is mostly not recommended. So can I - Use long bolts to fix to the wall behind? - 10cm seems like a big gap to bridge. - Fix some plywood to the outer wall to strengthen it? - Keep looking for studs - since they must be there? Any suggestions? Thanks!
Cut a hole in the plasterboard along the line of the cabinet fixings and screw a suitable packer to fill the gap. Once the cabinets are fitted you won't see it.
In this instance a packer is indeed a piece of wood, this packer need to be the same thickness as the depth between the outer edge of the plasterboard and the wall behind it, fix the packer firmly to the wall, this then means you can fix you cupboards firmly to the packer.
As the other side is a garage, is there a chance that they could increase the risk of spread of fire by removing sections of plasterboard/ If the walls 170cm long there must be some supports?
Try these fixings: http://www.screwfix.com/p/fischer-bp-hm-metal-plasterboard-anchors-5-x-37mm-pack-of-20/33559 You could buy a length of bracket, and then use more fixing points, you will need to notch the inner sides of both wall units to accept this length. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cabinet-H...-Cupboard-Bracket-Hanger-2032mm-/390522858190
Yeah like jitender said id try using a strong magnet to try and find the screws before you go cutting into the plasterboard
If it's a block wall behind the plasterboard, there will not be any studs, so in turn no screws, it will all most certainly be dot and dab.
Bazril, I had the same problem, the wall will be dot and dab. I did as Phil said with the packer, if you are worried about fire penetration and I would not be, then put the packer to the back of the plasterboard refit the piece of plasterboard you take out and make good. All t you need to do then is fit the fixers through the replaced plasterboard and into the wooden packer. Good luck.
Op said its a blockwork wall on the inside of garage, could be 150mm thick blocks then a layer of plasterboard dabbed on.
The wall is probably low density aerated block with plasterboard fixed on dot & dab. The block will be so soft that when drilling into it it will feel as though it's just a slightly gritty insulation material. No need for masonry drills, just a standard woodworking bit. My method for hanging on this is to use continuous hanging bracket (so it spreads the load and fixings can be well spread apart.) I fix this to the wall using Rigifix fasteners that are especially designed for this. They carry the load through to the block but have a rigid shell that avoids crushing the plasterboard when the screw is tightened. The block is so soft that I drill the hole 1mm less than the fixing requires and tap it in with a hammer so it is really snug. With continuous rail you will need to notch the cabinet backs to go over the rail. Make sure you keep the rail lenght short enough that you don't need to notch the one at the end of a run if it is visible.
it is insulated plasterboard - cut out a section where you need to fix the units and fix a timber packer to the wall
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