Fitting a baby belfast sink on brackets - what screws and general advice needed please.

[Krome10]

Hi all

Hope you don't mind, it's not woodwork, but I know most here are very DIY savvy and so thought I'd pick some brains for help...

I've got an old baby belfast sink I want to use and I'd like to mount it on old brackets... I've done a mock installation in another part of the house just to see how secure it feels on the brackets and I'm happy-ish with the result. If I put a lot of downward wait on the front lip of the sink, it doesn't budge. And that's using the only cr@p screws I could find in the house which were vaguely fit for purpose!

So when the time comes to fit it properly...

1. What screws would you recommend I use? Or is it simply the thicker and longer the better?

2. Is there any kind of adhesive or similar I could put between the bracket lugs and the underside of the sink? Because the sink bottom isn't totally flat, there are gaps. I thought some kind of adhesive would help fill these gaps for a better connection, whilst also giving belts and braces stability.

3. Something a plumber suggested was using sealant (something like CT1) between the side wall of the sink and the wall it will be pressed up against. Not sure how I feel about that idea though to be honest. What about you folk?

Ultimately, with decent screws and rawl plugs of the correct size and length, do you guys think these brackets would be man enough and safe for such a heavy sink? We will be using it for utility room type things, cleaning veg, etc. And I can only imagine the pain if that were to collapse onto my foot!

Cheers

 

[Spectric]

All depends on the wall you wish to attach it to but assuming brick I would be more tempted to use expansion fixings or if decent screws then use Fischer plugs.

 

[Krome10]

Oops, sorry I should have said... It's a solid wall. Cavity wall (external). Not sure if brick or block.

I'll look up expansion fixings and Fischer plugs as I'm not familiar with either.

Many thanks

 

[Jones]

There's two issues really, fixing the brackets to the wall and fixing the sink to the brackets. The bracket fixing will depend on the wall and what your happy with, I like concrete screws as they're easy and don't need a plug but some bricks are too hard for them so plugs and screws will be fine as well.
You can glue the sink to the brackets with any mastic, otherwise you're relying on the waste to hold it in place I would also seal the back to the wall with silicone as plumber suggested.

 

[owen]

CT1 would be perfect for fixing the sink to the wall and for fixing the sink to the brackets. I'd recommend the CT1 spray stuff to go with it to help you get a good finish on it too. As for screws you want brown plugs and some nice fat screws 5.0 or 6.0 probably 50-60mm in length. I wouldn't use concrete screws they'll spoil the look of the brackets.

 

[Krome10]

Many thanks for the advice. I'd never heard of concrete screws until the other day! Funny how you go through life using other things when all along something easier is right there but unknown. However, in this case i read that with the forward pull force concrete screws wouldn't be ideal and so think I'll stick with screws and plugs....

I've got some brown plugs but was going to use longer screws. Maybe 80mm or 100mm. Does it matter if the screws are that much longer than the plugs?

Cheers

 

[sometimewoodworker]

I've got some brown plugs but was going to use longer screws. Maybe 80mm or 100mm. Does it matter if the screws are that much longer than the plugs?

If your screws are longer than the plugs just use 2 or even 3 in the one hole. Easy?

But be careful that they are not too tight in the hole as it’s quite possible to break the head off even high quality ones. DAMHIKT

 

[Phil Pascoe]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Length-Cen...ocphy=1007013&hvtargid=pla-698066972840&psc=1
These are useful to have to hand. Some merchants sell them singly.

 

[Krome10]

If your screws are longer than the plugs just use 2 or even 3 in the one hole. Easy?

But be careful that they are not too tight in the hole as it’s quite possible to break the head off even high quality ones. DAMHIKT

Funny you should say that. I re-did my mock up / trial run (on a wall that will be knocked down next year). One screw head did indeed break off, and now that you mention it it was indeed in the hole that had two plugs I think.

More generally speaking, I'm treating this job as a reason to learn more about screws, wall plugs and best practice. In the past I've just done what seems or feels right, but through this I'm learning I don't always get it right and there are often much better ways to do things. Plenty to read about and learn. One question for now though. Aside from using two/three plugs, if just one is being used.... Some say to know the plug into the wall so that the head sits flush. Other says to use a screw to get the plug as deep into the hole as possible. Logic is suggesting a halfway compromise to me. Flush to the wall will mean if it is plastered then some of the plug is just sitting int he plaster, which isn't good. Ramming it right in though will mean there's no room for the screw to break through the end. What do you guys recommend is best practice for wall plug position in the hole?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Length-Cen...ocphy=1007013&hvtargid=pla-698066972840&psc=1
These are useful to have to hand. Some merchants sell them singly.

Thanks, not come across these so will add take a look and most likely add some to the tool box.

Thank you one and all

 

[Jones]

The screw is not designed to through the end of the plug, though I don't see any harm in it. I would tend to knock the plug in past the plaster or board and void if it is dot and dab so it's in solid masonry. Try not to drill the holes too deep , if you drill right through one leaf you can blow a cone of brick out of the back which may weaken the fixing. If you're worried about the holding of fixings, for example in a rubble wall, it can be best to fix pieces of hardwood to the wall with 6 to 8 fixings each. You can then screw the brackets to that with the 3 fixing holes. A 30 thick mm hardwood plank should give enough thickness to get a solid screw into.

 

[sometimewoodworker]

Funny you should say that. I re-did my mock up / trial run (on a wall that will be knocked down next year). One screw head did indeed break off, and now that you mention it it was indeed in the hole that had two plugs I think.

It’s not the 2 plugs that are the problem, it is getting the hole sized correctly, with 2 plugs you need the hole to be slightly larger in diameter, as the screw will be compressing two plugs so the torsion will be much higher if you use the standard hole diameter.

I have managed to shear the head of a couple of No. 12 screws going into a shark grip metal plug, though I do have to use an impact driver to put them in.

 

[flying haggis]

have you considered chemical anchors rather than screws and plugs