Suggestions/experiences of fixings for old stone houses?

[inwood]

I'm getting close to my second fix stage. Having some (varied) experience of fixing into stone walls I'd like to garner a cross section of peoples experience of various methods of fixings and types of fixings for use in old houses.

My experience of fixing something to stone walls appears to follow a similar pattern:
1. Drill 10-15 holes until you can find a solid fixing.
2. Put in chosen fixing (plasplug, masonry screw, etc.)
3. Repeat steps 1,2 for all required holes.
3. Screw required component to wall.
4. Find out that three out of the four fixings are loose and unlikely to hold a gnats chuff to anything.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 for two days.

The traditional method appears to have been chip out a bit of plaster, knock in a bit of carefully hand crafted timber into a joint between the stones before nailing the skirting, architrave, toilet, sink, etc. to the timber.

I'm hoping that things have progressed somewhat and you all have favourite, easy to use modern fixings (or horror of horrors gripfill/glues!) that are reliable in stone walls or for that matter any other wall surfaces!

:idea: So any suggestions, favourites, recommendations? :idea:

 

[Gervase]

If I can see the stone, it's a masonry drill and a red plastic plug. If I'm drilling blind through plaster it's a small (3mm) masonry drill and fingers crossed. If I hit solid stone, I switch to the 6mm and put a red plug in the hole; if I'm churning around in loose stuff, it's the 10mm drill to a depth of at least 50mm and a piece of tapered softwood dowel knocked tight into the hole, into which the fitting is screwed.
It doesn't always work, but it's the best method I've come across and doesn't leave your wall looking like a Swiss cheese.

 

[Mark]

If *really* desperate, petzl goujons or anchors - check out their range of batinox and collinox resins.

may not be quite what you want though...

 

[NT]

Resin gives the best strength of all drilled fixings.


NT

 

[Penners]

When I lived in a Hornton stone house in Oxfordshire, my approach was similar to Gervase's. Assuming you couldn't see the stone (ie: you're drilling through plaster):

1. Drill hole with a masonry drill of correct size for your plastic plug.
2. If the hole is good, just carry on with the plug.
3. If you've drilled into dross, enlarge the hole somewhat, and hammer in a wedge of softwood, sufficiently oversized to give a good, tight fit. Use a drift to get the wood slightly below the surface of the plaster.
4. After you've driven in the screw to secure the gnat's chuff to the wall, make good any remaining visible hole with filler, and touch up paint.

 

[chuckey]

I employ the "enlarge the hole till it hits some thing hard" method, but I have not yet sorted out what to do when I hit the side of a large pebble and either the drill gets deflected by 2" or you have to re-drill the hole so the drill is at right angles to the hidden curved surface, putting the hole out 2" in the other direction. Any suggestions?
frank

 

[Penners]

Re-plan your interior decor.

 

[Andrew Bodenham]

Dealing with my old limestone & weak mortar / soil walls I've always been on the lookout for products which do the job better.

First on my list are the new non-percussive masonry drills from the likes of Bosch and Irwin. Great for drilling gently-gently into walls without the destructive vibration of an SDS drill. Also means I can use my lightweight cordless drill.

Second - universal wall plugs by Fischer. Sold by Screwfix, these work well with single thread screws and expand in 3 directions to grip the hole. If it's a flaky hole they then spread out like a toggle anchor into the substrate. They are so good.

Third - Multi-monti screws, also a Screwfix special. Screw straight into stone / brick / concrete etc. only requiring a 5mm hole. Torx drive, so no slipping. A really bombproof fixing for structural applications, hanging cupboards etc. Also brilliant for heavy woodwork - I used them on a green oak staircase I built recently.

Sometimes though it's all useless, as the philosoper said. Putting in a kitchen worktop for a client I wanted to fix a batten to the wall. Drilled 24 holes, of which 3 would take a fixing. Not a good day.

 

[Penners]

Drilled 24 holes, of which 3 would take a fixing. Not a good day.

Don't be so negative. A bad day is when you don't get any good ones at all! :wink:

Good fixings advice, Andrew. Many thanks.