What to do when you can't get a fixing

[tombrooker84]

Hello Guys,

Recently completed the first fix on a small 2 bed house, as soon as you drilled to get a raw plug in, the brick just crumbled away (thats without using hammer setting and using a slightly smaller drill bit). What do you guys do, I've tried cutting bits of wood, but that is quite time consuming when you have a few to do. I was thinking perhaps quick setting concrete, bonding them in, or perhaps drywall adhesive. Any ideas?

Cheers

Tom

 

[Megavolt]

What are you securing to the wall

 

[Thefailsafe2012]

I assume its back boxes your struggling with. Slap some bonding in there, should go off pretty quick too, and will be nice and solid. Once it's fully dried you could probably drill, plug and screw it if you want as a bit of extra strength, especially for sockets

 

[itselectric]

Set the box in cement and when its hardened drill through and fix.

 

[snowhead]

If it's for boxes, the quickest way is to keep drilling till you find a good spot(s) then drill a new hole(s) in the box to match.

Next best, keep an assortment of pre-cut wedges of wood handy.(various shapes and sizes)

 

[tombrooker84]

Yeh its just back boxes, I cut pieces of wood in the end and used them as raw plugs but it took quite a while, just wondered if it would be worth bonding them instead of drilling them as a matter of course on rewires now, as it seems the areas I work in, I have this problem quite a lot

 

[snowhead]

It's usually sods' that if you get one really good fixing the other will absolutely sh$t..

 

[itselectric]

To be right you should still drill and fix if you're going down the cement route.

 

[telectrix]

stick 'em in with dry wall adhesive, or a good alternative is the one-coat plaster. next day drill and plug.

 

[LlandrilloSpark]

If your using dry wall adhesive or bonding you want to PVA the area first mate

 

[tombrooker84]

cheers for the help guys. Any of you guys used the quick set concrete, I was thinking it might be a bit stronger than bonding and quicker. Also one of the mates I was working with a while ago said soem of the sparks he knows use expanding foam?

 

[kingeri]

I wouldn't use expanding foam, besides being horrible stuff, it won't fix anything reliably for any length of time.

 

[itselectric]

No don't use expanding foam I don't think it likes the pvc insulation on the cable if it comes in contact while setting.
If you use quick setting concrete be prepared to spend a little extra money as it can be dearer plus you'll have to gauge how much you are using as it will probably be set by the time you get to the 3rd box.
The other thing about expanding foam you won't be able to get a decent fixing with th screws when it's set.

 

[imago]

Dry wall/platerboard bonding will do a good job in most circumstances. However, from what you say about your area get some of this Rawl R-KF2 Masonry Resin

 

[telectrix]

surprised nobody's mentioned blu-tac.