How to attach ANYTHING to a Dot & Dab wall

[@kitwarren2493]

Man I wish I'd found this a few months ago - mostly figured this out myself but took a while! Nice to have everything gone over by someone who clearly knows what they're doing, cheers!

[@ruthc2789]

I didn't even know dot and dab was a thing until we messed up putting up some shelves (that I'd always been fine with before). This is super useful, thank you.

[@tasty_fish]

I sit and weep every time I put fixings in the wall as they always seem to be the wrong ones. Now subscribed. No more tears™ (which is probably also a good name for a DIY product range for novices).

[@garystory5706]

What a fantastic video! As a complete amateur DIY dad, who enjoys watching and learning, I think my confidence in putting up shelves off has grown exponentially. Thanks.🤓

[@FlashlightAbercrombi]

I’m a Canadian visiting my sister in England. I was completely baffled at how to attach, well anything, to dot and dab (dab and dot?) walls. This guys videos are amazing. Well done! And also very funny.

[@hippopotamus86]

Just spent £40 on fixings thanks to your video. Subscribed.

[@allanshorter1563]

Thank you so much for this video. Sick to death of everything I ever attach to the wall being a piggin' nightmare. I will be duo-powering from here on. Legend.

[@tlangdon12]

Great video! I'd love to see a companion video on how to fix about ANYTHING to Lath & Plaster walls. :-)

[@jonsumisu9016]

Thanks for the great info, I wish I had seen this sooner. I have been dithering for weeks on which fixings to get for my dot and dab walls. I see now those duopower plugs will do just what I need. You've got a new subscriber!

[@lalkurti]

Thanks buddy, i think that i have just done a PhD in fixings now after seeing this video. What would be great is if you add approximate weight range for each of these fixings. Saved it in my favourites for future reference. Great work.

[@briannewton3535]

Ive only recently come across fixing to dot and dab, some success, some less so. I think I can handle most situations now. Many thanks for this info.

[@lesjames5191]

Really useful video, looking forward to seeing the next one when you get out of hospital.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Thoughts appreciated. 😀👍

[@jerryminus7252]

Very informative, clearly explained. I would add the Rigifix M6 and M8 anchors. Rigifix M8 x 4 pcs holds my Sony 75" TV securely. Just in case of the tectonic shift... Sony recommends for wall mountings to bear 2.5 times of the weight of the TV. Only Rigifix anchors answer this requirement.

[@yoyoyokt17]

Rigifix seem to also have a pan head / washer type head which is ideal for metal brackets instead of countersunk screw head. I've just bought some for fixing a heavy Ikea Godmorgon bathroom cabinet.

[@jamesmitchell2041]

The corefix were great for me. Really useful video Andy, thanks. I have also ditched all my rawlplugs and replaced them with duoplugs, I use them so infrequently anyway I may as well have one plug that can do anything

[@marksmith8562]

Videos are first rate,very informative and practical for DIYers, many thanks

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers Mark!

[@Ssssshhhhh1885]

Another belter. Have these walls on new house. Given me some great pointers. Lobe the fact you did this to your own walls....🤣🤣🤣

[@GosforthHandyman]

Needs must! 😂👍

[@peterwilks1959]

I agree with almost everything you have except you need to use either a blow tool pump or a vacuum depending on weather the hole is solid or a cavity to stop the mechanical fastener slipping on the dust in the walls of the hole. FYI I have been proffeshionally trained to test fixings for the last 20 years.

[@NikNakGB]

You can use a wall bolt to hang something on if you get a longer bolt for it & run a nut up the thread, use the nut to tighten the fixing in the wall & the adjust how much you want the bolt to protrude.

[@Showuk]

That's really informative, thank you! I'm trying to figure out the best fixing to get a fire extinguisher on a dot-dabbed wall. It's 2kg so not a lot of weight, but the mount doesn't look like it'll take a very wide screw.

[@taylo256]

Is next video how to patch 6 random holes in dot and dab wall ?

[@GosforthHandyman]

Very possibly 😂

[@superiorbeing95]

I was thinking that lol

[@Gandellion]

Jokes but honestly the amount of random holes in my walls from trying and failing to attach stuff to them I’d concerning.. so a video dedicated to patching up holes effectively, especially when there are several dud holes close together

[@pcno2832]

I've never seen dot&dab walls here in the USA, but I'm sure somebody here has done it. It seems like an ingenious way to get a flat surface on walls (especially poured concrete) that are a little irregular. My outside walls have the drywall nailed to wood strips, which are nailed to the blockwork, so anchoring into them is very similar. My neighbor had a kitchen cabinet that didn't go up to the ceiling, so the wall anchors were the only thing holding it and it started separating at the top. I took a look at it and drilled a 5/8" or maybe 3/4" hole all the way into the block, which was hollow, so I used one of those toggle-bolt anchors with flip-out tabs and that has held the cabinet for about 15 years. The only disadvantage I see with them is that the flip-out section will fall into the wall and have to be replaced if anyone wants to remove and replace the cabinet.

[@Dr_JK]

Such a helpful video! Brought me to conclude that the core fix screws will be what I need to mount my tv (25kg) to my dot and dab wall. Question: now you've done to that the wall to help us all learn, what do you do to patch it up?

[@davidn3971]

Fantastic video. I've been DIYing for years and this has taught me such a lot. The kind of stuff every house owner needs to know. You've got another subscriber 👍

[@ThatOdooGuy]

Great video! Explanation of wall construction in the start helped a lot.

[@viniengel]

Great video, I have been trying to find ways to fix things on my dry lined walls and since this is my first time with such walls there is a lot to learn. The issue now is that that core fix product doesnt seem to exist here in Australia.

[@fotogfitzfoto412]

I use Rigifix to hang very heavy items on D&D walls, and Gripit (all 4 sizes) for lighter items and from ceiling plasterboard. They work great.

[@user-tk5dh2cr5c]

Hi I really enjoyed your video. I want to embark on my first ever diy project by fixing timber slats to my dot and dab wall. I have thinking I could nail it in but I would be interested in what you would do.

[@a.j.8004]

Excellent sir...thank you for explaining the fittings for dot & dab!!! Wow. You just proved a point. Great stuff. New sub.

[@stevebosun7410]

Hi again Andy, for really heavy items, have a look at "Rigifix" wall anchors. They're like a heavy duty version of the Corefix anchors you mentioned. Much better than Rawlbolts for Dot & dab.

[@fotogfitzfoto412]

I've used Rigifix to hang heavy (and heavily filled) kitchen wall cabinets ... no issues at all. Great product.

[@SheyCrompton]

I wish I'd known these tips ~10 years ago. I used to struggle so much with fastening onto (what now know was dot & dab) walls!

[@tomfenwick-brown7895]

Not just very helpful and full of killer tips, but humerus (ish) also. Great stuff.

[@Crushwokery]

Andy, I have a spare room if you need it👍 Gonna get ❄️❄️❄️ when the boss 👀👀 what some blokes done to her wall. 😉

[@GosforthHandyman]

Thank you - appreciated. 😂

[@amritsandhu522]

Brilliant video. Just a quick question, should you need to remove the corefix fitting, how would you do it as it has the metal sleeve? Would you screw the screw back in a few turns and lever it out?

[@stevebosun7410]

Hi Andy, surely, the thickness of what you are attaching to the wall needs to be taken into account when deciding the screw length?

[@neilcaldwell870]

Learned something today - Back to Back Duofix, cheers mate, much obliged.

[@pauladams9477]

I use to install plasma tv's around 10 years ago and some were really heavy, I used the 8mm anchor shield bolts (around 15:35 in your vid) with 10mm nuts as the spacer, as a test I would hang off the bracket!

[@Lee-73]

Need to put some lightweight shelving up, would the Duo Power back to back in the hollow section give enough support? I'm a little wary in case the plasterboard bows when tightened. Don't think the Corefix is required for my particular circumstances, so trying to find a middle ground.

[@Stephen60-y2m]

Great video. Thanks for the info that will help with fixing items to th3 walls of my daughters new house 👍

[@solsbarbers]

Great video. I'm currently thinking wether to secure a pull up bar in my shed wall (dot and dab) or outside onto solid brick wall, I would prefer it in the shed but I'm not sure which fixing to use. Any advice appreciated

[@Monty92-gb9eo]

Really helpful video! I am trying to fix a bike mount to a dot and dab wall and was planning to use the corefix fitting but I cannot drill deep enough into the wall behind the plasterboard. Any advice? I was thinking of putting in a few screws into a dab of adhesive but not sure whether that will be strong enough for holding a bike.

[@leelipinski4667]

Great tips as usual. Regarding the big boy rawl bolts for picture hanging. I imagine you could just cut the spacer another 10mm longer so the bolt head and washer protrude the finished wall. Then it can be cranked up tight. Just a thought. Thanks for sharing.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Yup - or also use the threaded rod type and put a nut on the end. 👍

[@darrolhargreaves6828]

Hi Andy. Firstly -I've watched a lot of your videos over the past few years as I have been doing an extension and various other DIY. Thanks for all the information. I need to check out your drumming channel at some point too as I am also a keen drummer :) One of the last parts of my extension is to put up shelves and a bannister. There are two types of wall, dot and dab (where I intend to use corefix) and a stud/Plasterboard. There isn't stud in the right places to fix my bannisters and the void is quite large so I am thinking of using your double plug method. The gap is gap between the wall (stone) and plasterboard is ~50mm. So if I use a 100 or 120mm screw that should do the trick? I was going to use a brown plug fall thenwall and then a duo plug for the plaster. My concern is that inner duo plug will start to open up once the screw has gone through it and then start to spin, is that not an issue with your method? Cheers

[@yoyoyokt17]

Very clear and detailed. Thank you. I want to attach a 20kg Ikea Godmorgon bathroom cabinet to a dot and dab wall with brick behind it. It seems like the corefix fixings would be easiest but Ikea specify using a pan head screw instead of countersunk so that there is a good connection between the screw and the metal wallmount / bracket for the cabinet. I've searched but I can't find any pan head / washer head type screw that Corefix sell. Can @GosforthHandyman give any recommendations?

[@Gurminder_S]

Which of these fixings would you recommend for medium/heavy curtains?

[@alicrill6664]

What about just using one 6x50mm duopower? I find a few disadvantages to using the two 30mm plugs. Need to use 70mm screw which means a lot of drilling into the concrete, the first plug doesn't always fit through the plasterboard due to the end bit, and the first plug could get pushed too far into the hole, meaning a gap between the two. The 50mm plug still gives about 30mm in the concrete. Have I got something wrong though? (Excellent video though, I learned a lot thank you).

[@haiperera3899]

Hi , thanks for your movie , I have a question , why you need to use a spacer for the wall bolt and not a longer one?

[@markelliot6710]

Useful info, but did you ever do one on the thermalite / aircrete blocks by any chance?

[@ponymoore6140]

Your tutorials are brilliant, my friend. Thank you

[@regiondeltas]

Good vid as always - one of the huge plus points that you missed is that dot and dab can look fantastic on even the worst of walls. We renovated an old house and have a mixture of Dot and Dab and solid walls. Yes, the solid walls are great for fixing big heavy stuff onto very quickly and easily, but the dot and dab walls look SO much better. If I did it again, I'd dab the lot.

[@RaulTorresMorfin]

It works great with large format tile

[@Cloppa2000]

Great man... What would you use to fix a 40kg punch bag to dot and dab over brickwork? Thanks.

[@Islamic7882]

Great content! Can I secure wooden battens on to dot and dob walls with this fixing?

[@slicklace]

Great video!! Came to find information and I found it here. Top stuff!!

[@dfgdfg_]

The explanation of each exactly fits how my brain works 👍

[@silentassassin9572]

Thank you for this video, it's taught me about dot nd dab, I am a single woman and can't afford a handyman, I'm trying to hang a tv with and arm mechanism to a dot and dab wall, with the anchor plugs shown at the end of the video, where do you suggest I drill INTO? Also can these anchor plugs be used in solid walls? Thank you x

[@andrewallen9993]

Rawl bolts. They make them big enough to mount heavy machinery as long as they are mounted into masonry :) They are ideal for solid walls. Use a masonry/concrete drill bit and use the hammer setting on your drill.

[@gpcrawford8353]

I always use dryline plugs they're quite expensive and similar to the corefix but instead of a metal insert they have a rigid body which stops the plaster board from caving in as you finally tighten them also you screw them in like the helter skelter type after you hammer them in . The load they can take is terrific. Added bonus they come with drill bits included and screws.

[@satanismybrother]

And there was me thinking you would use those nice spiral fixings.... 😂

[@GosforthHandyman]

Ha ha! No. 😂

[@scottmclean4237]

I use them all the time hanging 32 inch tvs on dot an dab walls No problems

[@satanismybrother]

@@scottmclean4237 I use them to hang joists off render when building houses - no complaints yet!

[@Fishingwiththefishers]

Came to this video after a massive fail with those spiral things.... 🙈

[@markjlewis]

Great video, very helpful. I have been looking for your Thermalite brick dot and dab video that you mentioned that you were planning. If you did produce it please can you post a link to it. Cheers.

[@geminismusings]

Great video! Do you have another on using chemical resin to support shelving on a dot and dab wall?

[@UKJaiO]

I've used corefix before for my TV and a few mirrors, however I'm about to put up a curtain pole and I'm unsure what will be above our window? It's a 6 year old barrat home, could be dot and dab could be a lintel? Should I just drill a 5.5mm hole 1st to see? Then go bigger if needed

[@danielhumphry4536]

This is a fantastic video. We have one dot and dab wall in our kitchen with an inch or so cavity to square the room. I’d like to hang a breakfast bar on brackets against the wall - is this possible? If so, from your video I see that perhaps a core fixing or wall bolt would be best - would you possibly suggest the ideal fixing length to go into the block work behind? Thank you!

[@lynnteasdale1207]

Wonderful instructions, thanks so much from a complete novice.

[@bgdcg5493]

Great videos,what fixings would you suggest to hang items on insulated plasterboard walls with concrete blocks behind.i have drilled and hammered in express nails and hammered in the normal 6 mm rawl plug into these to allow the screw to fix to these,I used the express nails to get the load through to the blockwork ,I guess this acts the same way as the core fix,any suggestions?

[@andrewallen9993]

The cavity is generally filled with insulation so any water penetrating the bricks can have an easy path to the porous blockwork to enable the water to penetrate through to cause damp on the inside walls. Water penetrating the bricks when insulation is not present just trickles down to the bottom of the outside wall and escape to the outside which is of course below the houses floor level because it was properly built and not slapped together the easy jerrybuilt way right?

[@adamsmart4540]

Did you ever do a video about light weight blocks

[@frankslittleworkshop]

Nicely done once again 👍. Good luck explaining to Mrs Mac.. how about hanging a really really big picture over all the holes... if only you had some wall plugs left 😂🤣😂. Keep up the awesome vids 👍.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers Frank! 😂👍

[@Graham_Langley]

Good video. May I add another way to fix heavy stuff like radiators, boilers and Spur-type shelving to dot and dab? It's not fast and a bit messy, but what I do is put a dab where I want the fixing to be by injecting PB adhesive via a used sealant gun cartridge through the fixing hole - one full cartridge is usually enough - and leave the hole not quite filled. Now comes to the downside of this technique. You have to wait for the whole thing to dry out, which can be a week or so - don't try to rush it. Then re-drill the hole and use a normal plastic plug as you would for a solid wall.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Yup - good tip! Also sometimes just replacing a section of the plasterboard with wood can work depending on what's going on the wall.👍

[@Graham_Langley]

@@GosforthHandyman Never been tempted to do that here. But I've become rather good at letting in PB patches.

[@stephenwilliams1286]

Which one would be best for fixing the top of a wardrobe to dot and dab wall since the force to prevent topple is axial pull force?

[@72speedster]

This has helped me unbelievably! Thanks very much!

[@iwantagoodnameplease]

I drilled into the wall of my new house expecting it to be like my old one, and oops, it's clearly dot and dab with all of the voids I encountered. I did a terrible job. I found it hard to drill straight because as soon as the masonary bit got into the blockwork it skipped around a bit and widened the hole in the plastboard. It meant by smaller duopower plug just kept spinning. I might have to give it a go with the next size up and hope for a deeper fix.

[@Gandellion]

Dude this is SO USEFUL! I am occasionally having an issue where I try screwing something into the wall but instead of tightening to the wall, the screw starts pullin* the plasterboard out, do you know why that’s happening?

[@Gandellion]

Oh wait it the screw bottoming out?

[@yourwholeexistenceisalie1274]

Great video, the only video you should watch on the topic.

[@alexcazan4592]

Thanks a lot for the video. I’m just about to hang a 65 inch TV on a dab and dot plasterboard wall and the information in this video was great. Do you think there is a large enough gap on a dab and dot wall to run the TV cable behind it? What fixing would you use for a job like this. Many thanks!

[@danlewer4523]

The Corefix info sheet says the maximum distance between the plasterboard wall surface and the solid wall is 45mm. Mine is 50mm - do you know how I can create a strong fixing? (Without going to the bolt)

[@moeenahmed6853]

Hi matey. What the best product to attach coat rack,? Would you recommend the geefix fixing or the corefix????

[@littlecente1133]

T Bolt fixings are fantastic for dot and dab

[@cwuzii]

Would you use corefix even with gaps of 30mm between the plasterboard and bricks? Need to fit a tv bracket for a 55inch tv but the gap is a bit big!

[@freakstate]

What about double plasterboard with steel behind it. Would the ones at the beginning work?

[@malmcnaught6116]

Hi Andy Great video Thanks. Just a question on the core fix type. Forgive me if this is a stupid question but how do you know if the metal spacer is the correct length as you wouldn't know the distance between wall and back of plasterboard??

[@malmcnaught6116]

Should have watched video fully as I can see you have used a depth stop🙄 Thanks again for a great video...

[@duncanvincent9106]

Excellent comprehensive video. Thanks

[@DjGiluk]

Really helpful video thanks. Been watching your videos today and they are great. You’ve got yourself a new subscriber! Keep up the great content

[@joebennett5427]

Will these wall bolts work for a TV bracket holding a 75 inch TV (36kg) being fixed directly onto breeze block wall? My ‘professional installer’ used standard plugs and 60mm screws and now my brand new TV is broken as it came off the wall. Spent the weekend trying to find the correct fixings to use and this is as close as I’ve come to an answer.

[@WildGoose7]

I tried putting up radiator brackets today and used corefix and made a mess and now I’m panicking. I used 10mm drill but didn’t use a masonry bit, now the holes seem too wide? Is that because I didn’t use the correct drill bit or can this happen anyway? I’m a complete novice

[@spursn17uk]

What would you use to attach stud work to dot and dab wall for false chimney wall?

[@SlipVisuals]

Cheers mate... these ruddy walls have been driving me mad! The back to back duo plug method is amazingly strong, just what I was looking for!!

[@stuelmore]

What fixings do you recommend for fitting wooden blinds in a recess? It’s a new build so likely dot and dab.

[@rodgerq]

Would these be any good for going through external wall insulation? The corefix I mean.

[@HomeHax]

Would you class a mirror weighing 10.5kg as light or medium load? Also would you recommend 8mm or 6mm Fischer Duopower wallplugs? Wanting to hang it on chimney wall which appears to be a dot dab wall. Much appreciate any help

[@danedwards3738]

Would the duopowers work in 27mm insulated plasterboard? Seems the insulation might prevent it from opening the wings.

[@StamosTee]

Great video as always ! Lots of useful details, tips and tricks! 👍👍

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers bud - no worries! 👍👍

[@tombarrett1487]

Is there not an issue running the duopowers back to back given they're rimmed, albeit small. Do you just force it through the hole with the screw?

[@garethsutcliffe5680]

Fantastic video. Really useful 😊 Currently renovating my house, how do you fix into lathe & plaster walls?

[@keithhuckfield7783]

Great help, quick question, with running two duo powers back to back, do you need fully threaded screws? In your test Tuesday for them you use the fully threaded as the manufacturer recommends them but it doesn’t look like you are using them here. Thanks!

[@terrabyte-techy]

Thanks so much for the upload. I am gradually becoming a DIY professional. How would I have known my wall is a Dot & Dab type if it were not for your video? Thanks again mate.

[@lolmus3400]

I suppose you could knock on the wall and see if some parts are hollow or not

[@Organise_Space]

nice work the Core fix product is new to me

[@Organise_Space]

Did your video discus option if you have concrete behind not thermalit? Its use a "gripit" in that situation

[@user-hm9ue3ci5w]

Hi guys im putting up some oak shelves in my kitchen, to fit the floating bracket to the wall would the 8mm fischer DuoPower do the trick?

[@steveprice9462]

Hi, really appreciate the video. I have a question: based on your info. the Corefix anchors seem suitable to support some new kitchen cupboards (Ikea). My wall is plasterboard, dot and dab, however I have a long section of the support rail without any dabs to screw into/through nor above or below the actual fixing to add support and I'm afraid the plaster board might start to deflect around the anchors. Do you think the rigidity of the rail will prevent this or should I use a different type of anchor at these points bearing in mind I only have a 20mm cavity. Thanks.

[@Jimmywilliams_]

I’ve tried this in the exact same circumstances, into a dot and dab wall, then into breeze block, the problem i have is the screw doesn’t tighten and just turns.. any help would be great

[@Marcus_PG]

Good video. Just a question on if you're needing to fit a heavier item to the dot and dab wall. Would a RigiFix fitting also be equivalent to the two fixings on the right of the 4 you showed in the demonstration?

[@goodbyetothepeople92]

I just got a wall bracket to mount my TV(30kg) and the fixings that came with it are Fischer UX8. The wall construction is dotted and dabbed plasterboard on a block wall. Are the UX8 fixings okay to use on dot and dabbed walls?