Sanity check heavy duty shelves for plastered brick wall

Discussion in 'Builders' Talk' started by Adrian1662, May 22, 2020.

  1. Adrian1662

    Adrian1662 Member

    Hi all just thought of running a sanity check first before I drill in.

    I want to fix 3 wooden shelves with metal up bracket in the kitchen. Total weight of one shelf with 2 brackets 2.7kg planning to use two per bracket: 6 or 8mm screws 70 or 80mm long with plastic plugs.

    Wall is external brick wall Victorian 1892 probably a brick thick with standard plaster no studs. Plaster and little gap is 20mm then the wall.

    is this the right approach? See photos many thanks
     

    Attached Files:

  2. FlyByNight

    FlyByNight Screwfix Select

    Sounds like lathe and plaster which may give an issue.

    What will be on the shelves? Light or Heavy as that needs to be considered too.

    If the plaster was solid to the wall your thoughts would be fine provided you use decent plugs. Resolve te gap first and then consider how to do it.

    With those brackets make sure you chose a Japanned (Black) Round Head which may only be in Imperial #12 x 3" - a countersink in zinc or yellow will look wrong.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 22, 2020
  3. Abrickie

    Abrickie Screwfix Select

    Er, if you have a little gap behind the plaster, either it’s really plasterboard or the plaster has blown and drilling could leave you with a mess to sort out, best to be sure before you start. Just saying ;)
     
    candoabitofmoststuff likes this.
  4. Adrian1662

    Adrian1662 Member

    Thanks Mike, shelves will hold some kitchen stuff, bread box (5kg), mixer (3.2kg) etc., is 10kg a heavy load? I will have 3 shelves on the same wall tough so adding all up comes to 8kg shelves and weight e.g. 20 - 25kg all in. I was worried for the bricks so did not want to drill long into them if I take 80mm then brick impact c 55mm.

    Re plugs: Neither screwfix or toolstation have those 65mm x8mm long duopower plugs. Amazon only. Is there anything equally decent in those shops?
    Re Japanned round head screws - thanks for the tip, these only come in max 2", cant see longer online. Not to fussed on the colour since it's an up bracket and so there will be something covering it and I will touch paint black if needed. Any other screws worth recommendation?
     
  5. Adrian1662

    Adrian1662 Member

    ha good point, what if the plater is glued onto the brick so it will have tiny gaps. If the plaster has blown a little then screwing it to the wall will help right?
     
  6. Abrickie

    Abrickie Screwfix Select

    Lol, if the plaster has blown and glued back, then when the brackets are screwed back, unless by divine intervention you’ve managed to position the brackets over the adhesive, you’re going to crack the plaster, if you don’t tighten the screws right up as soon as you put too much weight on, the bottom of the bracket is going to push in against the plaster and crack it. Best hope for plasterboard ;)
     
  7. Adrian1662

    Adrian1662 Member

    Lol I just wanted shelves in the kitchen so wify can have more space That simply run out with baby... what's the alternatives then, go ahead and if it cracks remove the plaster and fix a new one? See the destination wall is between structural middle (left) and stud construction right.
     

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  8. FlyByNight

    FlyByNight Screwfix Select

    SF stock 8mm UX plugs in 50mm which might do. Anything shorter could be a problem.

    The screws - make sure they are round or dome NOT countersunk and do not use cutter type (sharp threads) as they chew up the plugs.


    As above, make sure you know the construction of the wall and plaster.
     
  9. candoabitofmoststuff

    candoabitofmoststuff Screwfix Select

    Look like you've already bought the shelves so this may not work for you, but what I'd do in that space, especially given your concerns, is to have battens round the 3 sides for the shelves to sit on, rather than brackets.

    Worth considering I think.

    Cando
     
  10. Abrickie

    Abrickie Screwfix Select

    That back wall looks really flat, sure you don’t have board :) where you’re positioning them, a hybrid of cando and mike58 ? battens to the sides and the brackets to the rear ?;)
     
  11. Adrian1662

    Adrian1662 Member

    Thanks all that’s very helpful. The back wall is 100% old masonry. From end of plaster to masonry is 18-20mm In few places I’ve checked so 5-7mm gap which is right for glue right? Maybe I could a metal bracket in right top corner that would be screwed onto the stud on the right, nothing from the left as the shelf would be aligned to the right wall. Would this sort things out? Plus small metal brackets to to go onto plaster can paint them too.
     

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    Last edited: May 22, 2020
  12. FlyByNight

    FlyByNight Screwfix Select

    That sounds a better plan - have a look at the UX fixings from Fischer, I believe that with a small to medium load, they will crumple up in the gap and also grip the brick behind.
     
  13. G Roo

    G Roo Member

    Noticed the socket in your last picture. So ferkrisake turn the power off, unscrew it and take pic so we can see how the wall is structured/built up/layered etc...
     
  14. Adrian1662

    Adrian1662 Member

    No need for socket removal as I’ve got a full access to behind the stud wall as it’s a hidden wall for electrical switch board on both sides you have 85x40 studs facing the long way towards where I’d be drilling into. See photos
     

    Attached Files:

  15. Adrian1662

    Adrian1662 Member

    hi Mike

    came across these ones COREFIX UK, are they as good as it shows on the youtube? That would not even need the support to the side...

     
  16. Adrian1662

    Adrian1662 Member

    Job done, used only Corefix. Amazing gear! Each shelf can Now withstand 250kg according to the spec.
     

    Attached Files:

  17. WillyEckerslike

    WillyEckerslike Screwfix Select

    It looks great. Really!

    Just a word of caution though. I'd be surprised if the shelves could hold anything like that weight as the brackets would simply bend downwards. You could overcome that (if it became an issue) by having a rib welded into the bottom of the bracket (between the two uprights) so that the bottom of the bracket looked like an inverted T profile. This could then be concealed by routing a groove in the bottom of the shelf so the whole modification was invisible (save maybe for a bit of heat bloom on the face of the hook part).
     
  18. Adrian1662

    Adrian1662 Member

    Great thanks for this tip. I will observe but not planning to put more children on it ;-) the brackets are: Pair Handmade Heavy Duty Scaffold Board / Shelf Brackets made of steel. They look very sturdy
     
  19. FlyByNight

    FlyByNight Screwfix Select

    Missed your question however you have dealt with it.

    I occasionally deal with D&D walls by injecting a large lump of adhesive through the hole to reinforce behind is remove need for sleeves.

    Can I ask where the brackets are from? A friend has been looking for something similar for a while.
     
  20. WillyEckerslike

    WillyEckerslike Screwfix Select

    I looked them up Mike. There's loads on Amazon - I couldn't see any weight ratings though.
     

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