Screwing into plaster walls ... need advice

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Screwing into plaster walls ... need advice

Posted: 2/26/2006 5:11:38 PM EDT

OK

I need to hang something on the wall in my apartment.

I'm supposed to use 1 1/4" wood screws into studs according to the mounting instructions (it's a projector screen).

The walls in my apartment are plaster over lath as far as I know.

What are my options for hanging this bitch that won't have me knocking off giant chunks of plaster from the wall?

Posted: 2/26/2006 5:14:49 PM EDT

[#1]

The lathing is tacked to studs somewhere in there. If the wall is old enough to still be plaster, the wall should have some sturdy studs in there. Find them and anchor into them. Use a drill on the high speed setting to get a pilot hold in the plaster so you dont crack it with the screw. Good luck

Posted: 2/26/2006 5:16:56 PM EDT

[#2]

You're gonna have to dig in there and find the studs bro. Good opportunity to get your plastering merit badge.

Posted: 2/26/2006 5:20:16 PM EDT

[#3]

How much does the screen that you are hanging weigh? eh?

They make several types of plaster anchors. eh?

What I would do, is drill a small like 1/8" hole where I was going to put the hanger, and see what I hit. If you hit a wooden lath, then use a screw. If you hit nothing, then use one of the anchors for hollow wall. Probably one of the ones that uses a screw and expands as you turn the screw. eh?

I went to the UP and drove throgh WI. I heard a bunch of that eh? stuff on the way up there. I thought you would find it humorous.

Posted: 2/26/2006 5:21:31 PM EDT

[#4]

Find the stud. Trust me you don't want your TV falling to the floor. Get a stud finder from Lowe's or Home Depot.

Max

Posted: 2/26/2006 5:31:26 PM EDT

[#5]

I can borrow a stud finder next weekend ... will that work even with the lath in front of the studs?

Not worried about a TV falling, I'm hanging a screen for a projector.

I'd guess it weighs 10-15 lbs or so.

Posted: 2/26/2006 5:33:13 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
I can borrow a stud finder next weekend ... will that work even with the lath in front of the studs?

Not worried about a TV falling, I'm hanging a screen for a projector.

I'd guess it weighs 10-15 lbs or so.

drill a small hole if you hit a stud great, if not use toggle bolts. You will be fine.

Posted: 2/26/2006 5:33:46 PM EDT

[#7]

I've had difficulty getting a stud finder to work properly on plaster/lathe walls, although they seem to work fine on sheetrock walls. As always, YMMV.

Maybe I've been using cheap stud finders?

Posted: 2/26/2006 5:34:50 PM EDT

[#8]

studfinder will work thru plaster and lathe.

Posted: 2/26/2006 5:35:05 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
I can borrow a stud finder next weekend ... will that work even with the lath in front of the studs?

Not worried about a TV falling, I'm hanging a screen for a projector.

I'd guess it weighs 10-15 lbs or so.

Borrow? You have a man card, right?
BUY IT, it's a tool.

You need to get one of those high dollar high powered units, not the $12 Home Depot special.

Posted: 2/26/2006 5:38:42 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I can borrow a stud finder next weekend ... will that work even with the lath in front of the studs?

Not worried about a TV falling, I'm hanging a screen for a projector.

I'd guess it weighs 10-15 lbs or so.

Borrow? You have a man card, right?
BUY IT, it's a tool.
You need to get one of those high dollar high powered units, not the $12 Home Depot special.

I'm with this guy.

Posted: 2/26/2006 5:44:57 PM EDT

[#11]

I prefer Molly Bolts

Posted: 2/26/2006 5:46:27 PM EDT

[#12]

Be glad your place doesn't have full masonry walls even on the interior. Plaster over brick. Hanging things is fun at my house.

Posted: 2/26/2006 5:54:10 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I can borrow a stud finder next weekend ... will that work even with the lath in front of the studs?

Not worried about a TV falling, I'm hanging a screen for a projector.

I'd guess it weighs 10-15 lbs or so.

Borrow? You have a man card, right?
BUY IT, it's a tool.
You need to get one of those high dollar high powered units, not the $12 Home Depot special.

If I owned a place I'd be with you. But I don't and rarely hang anything on the walls in my rental place. So ... once I buy a house I'll pick up the super gasoline powered stud finder. Until then ... borrowing is fine.

Posted: 2/26/2006 5:56:04 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
Be glad your place doesn't have full masonry walls even on the interior. Plaster over brick. Hanging things is fun at my house.

HA! Try 14 inches of poured concrete for walls.

Posted: 2/26/2006 7:59:41 PM EDT

[#15]

If you use moly or toggle bolts you should get into and beyond the laths and/or into the studs. Some of that old plaster is very hard but doesn't have a lot of tension strength. Meaning it will not hold well by itself and pull out. Especially if you get cracks in it drilling the hole.

Posted: 2/26/2006 8:09:09 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
I've had difficulty getting a stud finder to work properly on plaster/lathe walls, although they seem to work fine on sheetrock walls. As always, YMMV.

Maybe I've been using cheap stud finders?

I hang cabinets to walls all the time, and here is what you want to do. Go to your local IFA and buy a cow magnet for maybe $3. It is a magnet that ranchers give to their cows to make the barbed wire that cows eat stick to the magnet or something like that. Tape your cow magnet to a string and move around on the wall. When it sticks to the wall, you have found a nail that is attaching the lathe to a stud. Viola, you know the stud location. Move across the wall 16", 32", 48" etc. and search for more nails until you have found the studs that you need.

You could also pony up $40 for a Zircon studfinder with a deepscanning feature, but I've found my rare earth magnet and cow magnet studfinders to be more reliable.

ETA: I would use at LEAST a 2" screw, 2 1/2" would be better. 1 1/4" is inadequate in my opinion.

ETA #2: Predrilling through the plaster with a 3/16" drill bit and predrilling into the wood with an 1/8" drill bit will make driving the screw easier and not crack your plaster.

Posted: 2/26/2006 8:14:23 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
I prefer Molly Bolts
www.factsfacts.com/MyHomeRepair/images/mollyboltuse.gif

Molly bolts suck.

Threaded drywall anchors are the shiznit.

Posted: 2/26/2006 8:15:23 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I prefer Molly Bolts
www.factsfacts.com/MyHomeRepair/images/mollyboltuse.gif

Molly bolts suck.

Threaded drywall anchors are the shiznit.
www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/inffastener/i/zipit1.jpg

Yes, molly bolts suck, but threaded drywall anchors won't work in a lathe/plaster application.

Posted: 2/26/2006 8:19:23 PM EDT

[#19]

If you can't hit studs, I highly recommend these:

www.toggler.com/products_hwh_installation.html

Posted: 2/26/2006 8:24:22 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I prefer Molly Bolts
www.factsfacts.com/MyHomeRepair/images/mollyboltuse.gif

Molly bolts suck.

Threaded drywall anchors are the shiznit.
www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/inffastener/i/zipit1.jpg

Yes, molly bolts suck, but threaded drywall anchors won't work in a lathe/plaster application.

DooH!!

Posted: 2/26/2006 8:28:04 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I prefer Molly Bolts
www.factsfacts.com/MyHomeRepair/images/mollyboltuse.gif

Molly bolts suck.

Threaded drywall anchors are the shiznit.
www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/inffastener/i/zipit1.jpg

Yes, molly bolts suck, but threaded drywall anchors won't work in a lathe/plaster application.

DooH!!

I only know this because I have tried it!

Posted: 2/26/2006 8:42:22 PM EDT

[#22]

I half expected this thread to be about something else.

Posted: 2/26/2006 9:31:14 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:

I hang cabinets to walls all the time, and here is what you want to do. Go to your local IFA and buy a cow magnet for maybe $3. It is a magnet that ranchers give to their cows to make the barbed wire that cows eat stick to the magnet or something like that. Tape your cow magnet to a string and move around on the wall. When it sticks to the wall, you have found a nail that is attaching the lathe to a stud. Viola, you know the stud location. Move across the wall 16", 32", 48" etc. and search for more nails until you have found the studs that you need.

You could also pony up $40 for a Zircon studfinder with a deepscanning feature, but I've found my rare earth magnet and cow magnet studfinders to be more reliable.

ETA: I would use at LEAST a 2" screw, 2 1/2" would be better. 1 1/4" is inadequate in my opinion.

ETA #2: Predrilling through the plaster with a 3/16" drill bit and predrilling into the wood with an 1/8" drill bit will make driving the screw easier and not crack your plaster.

This guy is 100% right. I have tried all those Zircon electronic stud finder things and they are all crap. The only device that works ALL the time is the cow magnet. It's the only thing I use now. BTW, I'm a licensed general contractor.