Radiator on studs on top of bricks

[phloaw]

I need to hang a radiator (160cm wide, 50cm high, total weight around 35kg) via two brackets to a plasterboard wall.
The wall is external, so that it has studs (about 12mm deep and 50mm wide) behind the plasterboard and then bricks behind the studs.
I am lucky enough to have studs in correspondence of my brackets.

However, I was wondering whether the 12mm depth of the studs would be enough for the screws to bite, or if I should reach to the bricks behind the studs and fix the brackets to them.

If I can use the studs, how do I make sure that the screws go through the whole 12mm, given that this will be prevented by them hitting the bricks?

Thanks.

 

[Cabinetman]

Debatable but I think if you use as many holes as you can in the brackets it will work ok to just to go into the timber rather than straight through into the brick, the plasterboard is probably 12 mil (well it should be on a wall) plus the 12mm timber and probably a millimetre for the bracket so 1” screws should be fine. Ian

 

[Doug B]

Personally I'd have gone through the timber & fixed into the brick, 12mm isn't enough in my book plus the unknown of how well the studs are fixed to the bricks & I'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

[phloaw]

Personally I'd have gone through the timber & fixed into the brick, 12mm isn't enough in my book plus the unknown of how well the studs are fixed to the bricks & I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Thanks. I've no experience with brick walls. One problem is that, due to plasterboard, I cannot see whether I drill through bricks or mortar. Would that matter?

 

[Doug B]

That would depend on the state of the mortar, but there are usually a few slots & holes in rad brackets so if you hit a soft horizontal mortar joint use another hole

 

[phloaw]

That would depend on the state of the mortar, but there are usually a few slots & holes in rad brackets so if you hit a soft horizontal mortar joint use another hole

How do I know whether I hit the mortar?

 

[Doug B]

The dust is a lighter colour plus if you hit it & it's hard you're fine getting a fixing in it

 

[Misterdog]

How do I know whether I hit the mortar?

The screw will deform the bracket if the fixing is strong enough.
Using the correct size screw/wall plug and drill even the mortar should hold though I would fit 3 screws in each bracket anyway.
Use the slots first, hang the rad and level it by tapping the bracket, remove rad then add more fixings in the fixed holes.

7mm masonary drill brown plugs and 60/70mm screws, dome head preferably, or washers to spread the load on the bracket.

How much does the rad weigh when full of water

 

[phloaw]

The dust is a lighter colour plus if you hit it & it's hard you're fine getting a fixing in it

Thank you! Can I ask a final question, please?
If I fix to the bricks, should I avoid the battens and screw directly into bricks? I can do that by slightly shifting the radiator horizontally, which would be ok.

 

[phloaw]

The screw will deform the bracket if the fixing is strong enough.
Using the correct size screw/wall plug and drill even the mortar should hold though I would fit 3 screws in each bracket anyway.
Use the slots first, hang the rad and level it by tapping the bracket, remove rad then add more fixings in the fixed holes.

7mm masonary drill brown plugs and 60/70mm screws, dome head preferably, or washers to spread the load on the bracket.

How much does the rad weigh when full of water

Very useful, thanks! If you could also answer the question I asked Doug above, that'd be grand.
I'd say not more than 40kg including the water weight

 

[Misterdog]

Not necessary though you may need to use a HSS drill first before the masonary drill, I would just turn off the SDS on my drill until I hit the brick.

 

[Misterdog]

The good news is with a plasterboard cavity you shouldnt get horrible red brick dust staining all the decorating and carpet.

 

[phloaw]

Thanks everyone. I think I'll shift the radiator a bit to avoid studs (that will even look better, more symmetric with the window above) and fix to bricks using your advice. Will let you know. Please feel free to give further advice, if there's any.

 

[Misterdog]

If you avoid the timbers don't 'bend' the plasterboard........

You could always fill the void behind the brackets with some expanding foam, if you wanted to stiffen it up.

 

[phloaw]

If you avoid the timbers don't 'bend' the plasterboard........

Which amounts to not tightening the screws too much, right?

 

[J-G]

Thank you! Can I ask a final question, please?
If I fix to the bricks, should I avoid the battens and screw directly into bricks? I can do that by slightly shifting the radiator horizontally, which would be ok.

If it were my job I'd make sure that I didn't 'avoid the battens' ! Worst acceptable position (for me) would be that the screws just missed the battens.

As has been mentioned, screwing between the battens leaves you wide open to deforming the plasterboard and not having a firm/solid fixing.

 

[phloaw]

If it were my job I'd make sure that I didn't 'avoid the battens' ! Worst acceptable position (for me) would be that the screws just missed the battens.

As has been mentioned, screwing between the battens leaves you wide open to deforming the plasterboard and not having a firm/solid fixing.

Sorry, I'm confused: are you suggesting to screw to the battens only or to the battens AND the (plugged) bricks?

 

[Misterdog]

Some plumbers would only use heavy duty plasterboard fixings.

Easyfix Hollow Wall Anchors 8-16mm M5 x 52mm 10 Pack

Though you need the spreader tool and would still have to drill the brick for the fixing length.

 

[Sachakins]

Try aiming for fixing to go through batten and into the brick also.

 

[J-G]

Sorry, I'm confused: are you suggesting to screw to the battens only or to the battens AND the (plugged) bricks?

No - screw through the battens into the brick - I've drawn a guess as to what I would do given the brief information available. :--

Although I've drawn Round Head Screws you may be using C/Snk and I've no idea how thick the brackets are nor how wide or what the spacing of the battens is but I hope the method I propose is clear.