Fitting to plasterboard - help please

[Calza]

Hi All,

I'm looking to fix a pull up bar type thing to my wall (actually it's a finger board but same concept - that is to say it needs to handle up to ~120kg of static load). Plan is to fix a 20mm piece of ply to the space, and then screw on to that.

Living in a new flat, my walls are of course plasterboard fixed on to some kind of metal frame (there are no wooden studs). I've identified where the frame sits above the door, and there are 4 strips:



The problem being I don't fully know how strong the metal really is?

I spoke to a site manager and he mostly seemed to think it would be okay if I used as many plugs as possible, but he also suggested covering the back of the ply in no more nails to help add strength and spread the load?

These are the plugs I was planning on using: https://www.toolstation.com/fischer-hm-s-metal-cav... or https://www.fischer.co.uk/en-gb/products/cavity-fi... .

This was what I had came up with, 16 plugs in total:

(5cm gap from the edge, then a 10cm gap between each plug)


Any advice welcome please!

Edited by Calza on Tuesday 26th November 10:32

Edited by Calza on Tuesday 26th November 10:35

[Womble8]

You need some GripIt fixings.



https://www.screwfix.com/p/gripit-plasterboard-fix...

[TooLateForAName]

I'd stick with those fischer fixings. too many stories of gripits breaking/falling apart and a fingerboard will get plenty of impact loading.

The other option would be to put something on the other side of the wall and fix right through.

[Calza]

TooLateForAName said:

I'd stick with those fischer fixings. too many stories of gripits breaking/falling apart and a fingerboard will get plenty of impact loading.

The other option would be to put something on the other side of the wall and fix right through.

That side is in my living room, so no can do!

[Outbound]

Beast maker?

If it was me I’d be using self tapping screws into the metal frame.
Cut and scribe the plywood to a tight fit in the space, that will help prevent any movement working loose/ weakening anything.

[Halmyre]

If you're using the metal Fischer fittings, get the setting tool. You can fit them without it but chances are you'll chew up the surface of the plasterboard before you get them tight enough.

[p4cks]

Womble8 said:

You need some GripIt fixings.

I recommend these too, I'd be lost without them. I've got a new build with the same paper walls and I have TVs and all sorts attached to the walls using these and thus far had no issues.

The company has recently gone tits up though, so don't know if there's going to be more put into the market so get them while you can

[allegro]

Outbound said:

Beast maker?

If it was me I’d be using self tapping screws into the metal frame.
Cut and scribe the plywood to a tight fit in the space, that will help prevent any movement working loose/ weakening anything.

^^^^^ This ^^^

Any fix into just plasterboard is essentially relying on the plasterboard being fixed well to the studs. I would imaging areas such as that have minimal fixes as its unlikely to take any loads or be interfered with.
The doorframe will give you some load bearing capability so cut the ply snug and self tap into steel studwork would be my suggestion

[Calza]

Yep - probably a Beastmaker 1000

Noted that if I go for the metal fixings I'll buy the setting tool too.

With regards to screwing in to the steel - is it regarded that the steel will be strong enough then? My only concern with screwing directly is that it will only be one thread per screw holding in place since the steel will be thin. I wouldn't have thought that would be enough?

[Murph7355]

p4cks said:

Womble8 said:

You need some GripIt fixings.

I recommend these too, I'd be lost without them. I've got a new build with the same paper walls and I have TVs and all sorts attached to the walls using these and thus far had no issues.

The company has recently gone tits up though, so don't know if there's going to be more put into the market so get them while you can

Didn't know they'd gone TU. But I'd recommend them too (probably the brown ones in this instance). Haven't had the issues noted above.

Alternatively, when I was looking around these came up:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/GeeFix-Plasterboard-Cavit...

There are videos on line about them. Definitely worth considering.

[allegro]

Calza said:

Yep - probably a Beastmaker 1000

Noted that if I go for the metal fixings I'll buy the setting tool too.

With regards to screwing in to the steel - is it regarded that the steel will be strong enough then? My only concern with screwing directly is that it will only be one thread per screw holding in place since the steel will be thin. I wouldn't have thought that would be enough?

The plasterboard will be fixed to those steels with the same one thread as you put it and you can put more fixes in than are most likely there for the plasterboard.

[Flibble]

p4cks said:

Womble8 said:

You need some GripIt fixings.

I recommend these too, I'd be lost without them. I've got a new build with the same paper walls and I have TVs and all sorts attached to the walls using these and thus far had no issues.

The company has recently gone tits up though, so don't know if there's going to be more put into the market so get them while you can

All gripits have just 20kg of tension load specified as a maximum, which is basically bugger all, about the same as a small plastic plasterboard plug.

Also the cantilever load at 150mm is just 25 kg for the largest fixing. They really aren't that strong.

You only get the high load numbers on a pure shear load, which aren't that common - for any object with some element of height there will be mostly tension load on the top anchors as it effectively pivots around the bottom of the object.

Certainly for a fingerboard I'd not be risking it.

Numbers from here: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0012/9112/4791/f...

[joestifff]

Or get one of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ROMIX-Unisexs-Endurable-M...

It is what I use, works well. No drilling required.


............... Scrap that, seen you want a finger board!

[megaphone]

Screw directly into the metal frame (MF) make sure you don't over tighten and 'strip the thread', use lots of screws. If you really want to be 100% use the expanding fixings into the MF Don't fix to the plasterboard, don't use the gripit fixings. Don't bother with gripfill or no more nails as you'll be sticking it to the paint not the PB.

Edited by megaphone on Tuesday 26th November 16:59

[dhutch]

Outbound said:

If it was me I’d be using self tapping screws into the metal frame.

This.

I don't even know what a fingerboard is, google is showing me small skateboards, but if your hanging on it like a pull up bar even if you get good load distribution in the the plasterboard, or adding anything other then vertical loading, on that sort of area you risk just taking that square of pb off the wall! Its not designed to be structural only held on with a few screws its self.

So yeah, just use the same screws you would use for handing PB to metal studwork. They do screws long enough for double boarding.


Daniel

[anonymous-user]

I see there are walls on either side ,why not use them as well that will hugely increase the support of
the load.

[Calza]

FYI this is a fingerboard -designed to hang off and train finger strength (for climbing):

https://www.beastmaker.co.uk/collections/fingerboa...

allegro said:

The plasterboard will be fixed to those steels with the same one thread as you put it and you can put more fixes in than are most likely there for the plasterboard.

So, the thread will do. If I get something like this:

https://www.screwfix.com/p/easydrive-pan-head-self...

And aim to get 8-10 per section of metal (4 or 5 rows of two), that would be right?

joestifff said:

Or get one of these:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/ROMIX-Unisexs-Endurable-M...

I actually have this, and you can even make a mount so that the fingerboard hangs on it. The problem is I want to keep use of the door, but not have the hassle of putting it up every time I want to use it.

megaphone said:

Screw directly into the metal frame (MF) make sure you don't over tighten and 'strip the thread', use lots of screws. If you really want to be 100% use the expanding fixings into the MF Don't fix to the plasterboard, don't use the gripit fixings. Don't bother with gripfill or no more nails as you'll be sticking it to the paint not the PB.

Yes got it. My initial thought was anchors on the metal frame, surely even better than screws?

Alan535 said:

I see there are walls on either side ,why not use them as well that will hugely increase the support of
the load.

No reason other than I'm not sure how to!

Edited by Calza on Tuesday 26th November 22:02

[Cold]

[allegro]

The self tappers in your link would be fine if you are happy drilling a small pilot hole first. Alternatively you could use something along these lines
https://www.screwfix.com/p/easydrive-self-drilling...
Which drill a pilot hole for themselves.
make sure you're screws are plenty long enough. assuming 12mm plasterboard and 18m ply that's 30mm before you consider tolerances in the plasterboard levelness and flushness to the studs. I would be looking at 40-45mm as a minimum

[megaphone]

Use drywall screws which are designed to drill straight into the MF, they're what the PB is screwed on with.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/easydrive-black-phospha...

Only issue is they tend to come in boxes of 500 or 1000, maybe there are some 'on site' that you can borrow? Need to be long enough to get through the ply and the plasterboard.