Which wall fastenings for twin slot shelving?

[PhilipL]

I am putting up uprights for twin slot shelving. These have a space at the rear of the (they are long U shaped metal pieces) and the fixings I bought to put into the brick wall are being pulled out by the screw going in (at the bottom of the U). I have used this shelving system before and never had a problem - but can't remember which wall inserts I used. Current ones are Fischer UX. Now that I look at the box I can see that there has to be something holding the fixing in place before inserting the screw (e.g panel or batten).

Can someone tell me which wall inserts will work?

 

[TheTiddles]

Sounds like the hole in the brick is too large.

Ideally tap the screw into the plug into the wall before tightening it, by which point it should be biting in ok

 

[PhilipL]

It's a 10mm hole and the fixings are for 10mm. The design of the fixing doesn't seem to be ideal for stopping it being pulled out:

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I suspect you are using fixings far too big. A red plug is large enough, if you go any larger the heads of the screws will be too large for the uprights - they can get in the way of the brackets. If you've aready drilled the holes you could try sticking the plugs in with a cartridge adhesive - that works quite well for crumbly walls. Just leave it long enough to set.

 

[recipio]

Matching the screw to the rawlplug can be a real faff. I've gone over to using concrete screws. Just drill a 6 mm hole and the screw drives in directly. I'm using old Spax screws which means the upright holes need a little enlarging and countersinking with a metal bit. It's still worth it for a secure job.

 

[Richard_C]

10m sounds a bit big.

What I normally do is put plug in hole, put screw through fitting and into plug then hammer it straight in until the last few mm. Final few turns to tighten with screwdriver. The hammering in expands the plug so it doesn't twist out and makes sure it is well seated in the brick/block not just holding in the plaster.

A bodge for hole too big or crumbly is to hammer a small wall plug down the middle of the big one then do as above.

 

[PhilipL]

The screws are 6mm and the plugs are supposed to be ideal with those. I contacted Fischer who said I should put something between the upright and the wall. I pointed out that it would be just as much work to forget the plastic plugs and use wood for plugging the hole.

I think these "high performance" plugs are not up to the job. I'll just try some basic plugs - they look less likely to turn/pull out. If not, then a bit of adhesive, put in plug and leave overnight.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

If the screws are 6mm, check them in the holes of the uprights first, you may find they interfere with the brackets.

 

[recipio]

I always find the one piece rawlplugs too thin.

If the screws are 6mm, check them in the holes of the uprights first, you may find they interfere with the brackets.

I agree. 6 mm seems very large for the uprights although you can enlarge the countersink as I mentioned above using a bit designed for metal. I never found the single piece rawlplugs satisfactory - they are too thin. The long straw - like rawlplugs that can be cut to size are thicker and seem to get a better grip.

 

[Richard_C]

Are you sure its 6mm, not #6? 6mm is roughly equivalent to a #12 whuch might have too big a head to sit nicely in the recesses in the brackets. If its #6, thats similar to a 3.5mm in newspeak.

Most that I have fitted I used #6 or #8, 3.5mm or 4.0mm depending on bracket recess size.

 

[HappyHacker]

I have used thousands of the fischer plugs in all sorts of walls and have never had a problem, despite the cost I find them very cost effective. I have had problems with cheaper plugs when the hole is not into a solid brick, which is quite often, which then causes more problems trying to fix it. If putting plugs through plaster I usually knock them in through the plaster so any expansion is not in the plaster. I also think that 10mm is too big, I use fischer 6 mm plugs for the shelving strips and have never had one come loose.

 

[PhilipL]

Are you sure its 6mm, not #6? 6mm is roughly equivalent to a #12 whuch might have too big a head to sit nicely in the recesses in the brackets. If its #6, thats similar to a 3.5mm in newspeak.

Most that I have fitted I used #6 or #8, 3.5mm or 4.0mm depending on bracket recess size.

The screw hole in the upright is 7mm. I am wanting to hang many books on this shelving so I think 6mm is an appropriate size. That is not the problem, anyway. The problem is finding a plug which will not pull out, not the screw head (which is fine).

 

[PhilipL]

Ah! Found pics: TwinSlot Light-Duty Custom-Build Wall Mounted Shelving System - White

Just normal plugs are advised with No 10 screws (for light duty). I have just gone up one size and found no problem with that size in the past.

 

[Doug71]

I use the Fischer duo power plugs for most things because they seem to work well.

I guess something with big fins like below will help stop the plug spinning until the screw gets some bite.

https://www.zoro.co.uk/shop/fastene...aJh9aysy-uTsviCFdsXIpCEk2JpgtsjcaAupwEALw_wcB

 

[Spectric]

Fisher do two types of nylon plug, with and without a rim. Without a rim allows you to get the plug deeper into the wall and then with right screw / plug combination the plug expands which prevents it pulling out. But hole enlarged whilst drilling, screw without enough taper to expand plug or just screw to small for plug will all cause problems.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The screw hole in the upright is 7mm. I am wanting to hang many books on this shelving so I think 6mm is an appropriate size. That is not the problem, anyway. The problem is finding a plug which will not pull out, not the screw head (which is fine).

Yes, but there's no point in using a good plug that's too big for the biggest screw you can use. It's not the size of the hole that matters so much as the indent around it - if the screw head is too large it will interfere with the brackets, limiting their positioning. I've a couple of hundred kilos of books on shelves fixed with 4.5mm screws.

 

[Keith Cocker]

I’ve always used these for brick and have been very happy with the results.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/fischer-...q2eBw1v9Hx704437VFRoCvZoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[PhilipL]

Yes, but there's no point in using a good plug that's too big for the biggest screw you can use. It's not the size of the hole that matters so much as the indent around it - if the screw head is too large it will interfere with the brackets, limiting their positioning. I've a couple of hundred kilos of books on shelves fixed with 4.5mm screws.

But I'm not. The problem is that the plug is turning and screwing itself out. I think you may have misread my posts, or I haven't been explaining myself properly. I'll get other plugs with wings to stop that revolving.

 

[Sideways]

When I put this sort of thing up inside the house (decades ago), I used standard grey fisher wallplugs (just like a brown rawlplug but a little more substantial) straight into the wall and countersunk woodscrews.
I like the same for putting up radiator brackets but use hex headed screws with those. The drill bit is usually around 8mm.
Your wall plugs look like a multi purpose thing designed to twist and expand behind plasterboard. To me they look fussy and weak. Suggest sticking to something more straightforward like the good duopower plugs above.
I rely on 3 sticks of twin slot to hold the shelves with my boxes of fixings in the garage. A substantial weight, but these are screwed into wooden battens that were part of a previous wood rack. I like fischer hammer through fixings for putting up timber battens.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

But I'm not. The problem is that the plug is turning and screwing itself out. I think you may have misread my posts, or I haven't been explaining myself properly. I'll get other plugs with wings to stop that revolving.

I'm not so much querying the plug and the size of the screw, but a smaller screw obviously wouldn't fit that plug.
You do not need 6mm screws. I'll give up now.