Fixing radiator to stud wall.

[TonyRPH]

I need to fix a vertical radiator 1.6M high x 400mm wide to a stud wall.

The radiator weighs 18kg and has 4x brackets (pictured).

Do I need to provide some additional bracing in the form of a piece of 2x1 or similar - or is there some special wall plug I can use for this?

[Demelitia]

TonyRPH said:

I need to fix a vertical radiator 1.6M high x 400mm wide to a stud wall.

The radiator weighs 18kg and has 4x brackets (pictured).

Do I need to provide some additional bracing in the form of a piece of 2x1 or similar - or is there some special wall plug I can use for this?

I imagine it weighs 18kg when empty but considerably more when filled.

Are you able To find the studs?

If it’s 400mm wide you’re unlikely to be able to brace across two studs on the front of the plasterboard without the bracing showing.
If you can manage to hit one of the studs, 18mm ply would be an option as long as the radiator would hide it.
Sticks like sh*t on the back of the ply and some basic fixings dotted around would help spread the load evenly.

Gripits or spring toggle fixings are a viable option if the board is 12.5mm.

Belt and braces would be to chop the plasterboard, put some noggins in the right places and fix directly to them once the board has been replaced.

Factor in whether it’s in a high traffic area and likely to get clattered in to by something when making the decision how far you’re going to go.

[mgtony]

If you can line up on one vertical stud, then the top and bottom bracket fixed securely to that on one side and the other side fixed with hollow wall anchors (set with a gun) will do the job.
They're a bit of a stupid design bracket with the holes being so close together, they should have been much longer. You don't really want to be making holes in the plasterboard that close to each other.

[TonyRPH]

It's an oil filled radiator, so I think that 18kg is the filled weight (that's what is stated on the packaging).

One thought I had was to fix a couple of pieces of 1.5" x 3/4" battens to the wall from top to bottom (the height of the radiator) and then attach the radiator to those.

That would spread the load adequately I would have thought?

I note that a large radiator we have in the lounge was attached by removing a bit of the plasterboard and then bracing behind it.

[Demelitia]

TonyRPH said:

It's an oil filled radiator, so I think that 18kg is the filled weight (that's what is stated on the packaging).

One thought I had was to fix a couple of pieces of 1.5" x 3/4" battens to the wall from top to bottom (the height of the radiator) and then attach the radiator to those.

That would spread the load adequately I would have thought?

I note that a large radiator we have in the lounge was attached by removing a bit of the plasterboard and then bracing behind it.

Ah, that gives a little bit more breathing room.
The battens would work. I’d still be inclined to use plasterboard specific fixings and some adhesive to spread the load along the batten rather than relying on just fasteners.

[miroku1]

Find the vertical studs , work out bracket positions and mark on wall , with a multi tool , cut through the plasterboard insert 3x2 between studs , screw the removed pieces of plasterboard to the 3x2 and fill the cuts and screw heads .
I wouldn’t trust any plasterboard fixes for something that big

[Mr Pointy]

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

18kg across four brackets is 4.5kg each - that's nothing.

[Granadier]

18kg? I've just fitted a double-radiator that will weigh 44kg when full to a stud wall! When planning the project I hadn't thought about how heavy these things are. I don't like hanging heavy weights off plasterboard, so I aligned one of the vertical brackets with a stud, and to support the other bracket, I cut open the plasterboard and fixed in an additional partial-height stud. Needs more making good but feels like a more proper solution to me.

[paulrockliffe]

Granadier said:

18kg? I've just fitted a double-radiator that will weigh 44kg when full to a stud wall! When planning the project I hadn't thought about how heavy these things are. I don't like hanging heavy weights off plasterboard, so I aligned one of the vertical brackets with a stud, and to support the other bracket, I cut open the plasterboard and fixed in an additional partial-height stud. Needs more making good but feels like a more proper solution to me.

Amateur! I have a 56kg radiator hung off four plasterboard fixings, it's been there 10 years. I didn't do any of that faffing about because the fixings are adamant that you could hang the radiator off one screw with a massive margin of safety.

I wouldn't hang it off the ceiling that way, but loading a plasterboard correctly in shear it is more than strong enough for a piddly little radiator.

There's some brackets that I've used - I think they're called G Fix or something - more recently to hang a big TV with and those are awesome. I would just use those if I was hanging a big radiator, let alone the OP's tiny little one.

[Sheepshanks]

paulrockliffe said:

Amateur! I have a 56kg radiator hung off four plasterboard fixings, it's been there 10 years. I didn't do any of that faffing about because the fixings are adamant that you could hang the radiator off one screw with a massive margin of safety.

Never having used them before I just bought a hollow wall anchor kit and used them to secure a couple of hooks for a hefty mirror in our hall.

Specs are a bit vague, saying it's largely down to the wall itself, but where I've seen figures for this type of fixing they talk about 20-35kg, so even one should be fine for an 18kg radiator. They certainly seem very secure

[TonyRPH]

After viewing several videos, I have ordered some of the Geefix mountings mentioned in a post above.

I will report back if (or when!) the radiator falls off the wall.

[paulrockliffe]

TonyRPH said:

After viewing several videos, I have ordered some of the Geefix mountings mentioned in a post above.

I will report back if (or when!) the radiator falls off the wall.

They're very good, my only comment is they rely a bit on a decent interface between the round thing and the board. You want to drill that hole so you breakthrough carefully and avoid blowing any of the board off the back and it doesn't hurt to seal them in with pink grip too so the loads transfer all around the hole a bit better.

[megaphone]

The Geefix need quite a large hole drilled to fit them, you may find your bracket won't cover them.

I would use spring toggles or hollow wall anchors. The latter can be used without the tool, but better with.

https://www.screwfix.com/c/screws-nails-fixings/ho...

[OutInTheShed]

It's not hard to remove a bit of plaster board and put a bit on wood between the studs.
If your 'making good' isn't perfect it s handily behind a radiator.

[mgtony]

OutInTheShed said:

It's not hard to remove a bit of plaster board and put a bit on wood between the studs.
If your 'making good' isn't perfect it s handily behind a radiator.

The rad is only 400mm wide. Even if happened to be exactly between 2 studs, it wouldn't cover the cut out piece.
Then there is the mess, hassle, redecoration presuming you've got some spare left-over paint which will still end up looking a different shade!

As for the Geefix and the likes of the Gripit fixings, I don't want to be making 25mm holes.

[OutInTheShed]

Top tip, put the fixings in for the rad before prepping and painting the wall...

It's not just the weight of the rad and the water in it, it's the fact that somebody might lean on the damned thing.


I'm not the best or neatest craftsman, but when I fix things to walls, they are staying fixed to the walls!

[Skyedriver]

TonyRPH said:

It's an oil filled radiator, so I think that 18kg is the filled weight (that's what is stated on the packaging).

One thought I had was to fix a couple of pieces of 1.5" x 3/4" battens to the wall from top to bottom (the height of the radiator) and then attach the radiator to those.

That would spread the load adequately I would have thought?

I note that a large radiator we have in the lounge was attached by removing a bit of the plasterboard and then bracing behind it.

That's what a professional did in our bungalow. 4 years later they haven't fallen off yet.

[_Neal_]

megaphone said:

The Geefix need quite a large hole drilled to fit them, you may find your bracket won't cover them.

I would use spring toggles or hollow wall anchors. The latter can be used without the tool, but better with.

https://www.screwfix.com/c/screws-nails-fixings/ho...

Agreed - hollow wall anchors and setting tool would get my vote - very impressed when I used them recently and you don't need to drill a big hole like for a Geefix.

And you get to buy a new tool

[TonyRPH]

Reporting back.

Radiator #1;

Drilled a whole in the plasterboard, only to find that it's dot'ndab.... Mission aborted, will purchase some concrete fixing screws for this.

Radiator #2;

I lost a Geefix backing piece when the nylon cord snapped (it got trapped in the screw as the whole thing spun around) - I was mm away from retrieving when it slipped...

I had ordered a pack of 8, so I was able to mount one of the radiators at least.

Early indications are that it's quite strong, but of course I've not tried swinging from it Tarzan style <beats chest and emits howl>.

I was able to get two screws into each bracket, although one of the plastic fittings had spun a bit too far off the vertical, so I used a Fischer wall plug for the 2nd hole.

Roll on tomorrow or Sunday when I get the concrete screws for round 2.

[pghstochaj]

For a dot and dab wall, have a look at corefix