I am planning on mounting some flourescent lights and outlet strips and such on the walls and ceiling of my garage. The previous owner had hung stuff on the walls with just nails but i would like to have an option of unscrewing screws than having to rip out nails. My walls are plaster and i was wondering what would be the best way to mount stuff on plaster. I know weight might be an issue with certain things and how they are mounted but i would like to get a general idea. i dont want to damage my walls and ceiling anymore than they are already. Any ideas ?
Plaster wall mounting
- Thread starter ryzart
- Start date
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
I would run a strip of wood, say like maybe Poplar, etc.....something that would look nice, fasten it to the studs, then mount the light to it. Reason being that most of the lights I have seen have ******* hole spacing. A 4' piece of wood would span four studs @ 16" OC stud spacing.
67pete300
Well-known member
My old house was all plaster, even in the garage. It doesn't matter what you put in it, nails or screws or anchors, whenever it comes out it will bring a big chunk of plaster with it.
I second the idea of using wood strips or sheets. In my old garage I mounted one and a half sheets of 3/4 plywood along one whole side of the garage, gave it a custom paint job, and hung stuff all over it. Got the idea from a Family Handyman article.
I second the idea of using wood strips or sheets. In my old garage I mounted one and a half sheets of 3/4 plywood along one whole side of the garage, gave it a custom paint job, and hung stuff all over it. Got the idea from a Family Handyman article.
Ok cool. Yeah there are certain spots in my garage, like in corners and such, where the plaster is just falling apart. I dont have the $$$ now to re-sheetrock my whole garage but i would rather do that. The wood idea is a good one though. I am afraid to take out any of the old nails, screws, in the walls now for the very same reason 67pete mentioned. Thanx for the tips so far.
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
Toggle bolts can do damage to plaster especially if it is the older plaster and lath.
Ryzart......are you absolutely sure it is plaster? And if so, do you know how it is put on? That would make a huge difference on how anything gets mounted. If it is the old plaster and lath, then you DO NOT want to run any anchors between the studs. That would be a guarantee for damage, as the old P&L weakened over the years and chances are that the plaster "keys" have already broken off in places. If this is what your type is, I would run a wood strip from stud to stud where you want to mount. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lath_and_plaster
If you have drywall, which some may call plasterboard, then there is a variety of anchors that can be used. DO NOT drive them in with a hammer. They make a few types that you drive almost all of the way through with a hammer, then finish them up bt screwing them with a screwdriver. Driving them with a hammer, risk the chance of blowing the drywall out on the backside and you will lose probably 3/4's of your holding power. Drill your hole through first at the proper size, then final torque them appropriately.
They also have a blueboard / plasterboard, that had like a fine mesh chicken wire over it, then a plaster skim coat over that. That style was popular in the late '50's early '60's.
Then they also have a plasterboard that the skimcoat of plaster goes directly over that. No chicken wire in it.
So knowing what type of plaster you actually have would make a difference as to how you mount items.