Hello AT,
After trying to hang shelves into my one drywalled wall this weekend that was just not working my only other options are to consider the walls that are brick behind the plaster.
So how do I go about putting up sturdy shelves into an old buildings brick?
I'm sure this issue plagues more than just me but I can't seem to find an answer.
Thanks. Tennille
Dear Tenille, honestly, it is easier to put shelves into drywall and if you secure your anchors properly (and go into studs for really heavy weight), these walls should hold anything. Here are some rudimentary instructions.
Oh, dear. It was the frustration of trying to hang shelves in my terrible walls that got me started on an obsession with compression pole shelving that persists to this day. Use your floor and ceiling instead of your walls. Auto, Pogo, Rakks, and Vitsoe (via Moss) for high-end, eBay for mid-range mid-century, IKEA Stolmen for low-end. And if you stick with the wall method, good luck--my walls have no studs whatsoever, and the anchors never seem to reach bottom.
To make drilling into masonry easier, rent a hammer drill. They make a terrible noise, but they drill into brick and cement (assuming you use a masonry bit) like drilling into butter.
I have attached shelves to cement walls using the masonry screws and anchors and it works well.
ISS Designs is a fantastic resource for beautiful compression pole shelves.
If you go the compression pole route and are in NYC check out the Shelf Shop on the Eastside. It's listed in the AT Stores Guide.
OK, but my question is how does one mount a secure shelf onto an old plaster wall. I would like to put up one of those floating shelves in my prewar apt without being afraid it will tear out a lot of plaster. Do the studs there function the same as in drywall, and are stud finders useful for plaster?
When I tore out the old plaster behind my kitchen, there were studs behind my lathing, but I don't think they were at 16", which is the standard for modern houses. The plaster that was over my brick has nothing in between. Your house may vary. All houses have studs of some sort to hold the drywall in place. If you live in a newer place, you probably have have metal studs, which might be hard for your studfinder, since they aren't as dense.
jeffp,
You'd want to secure shelving to the studs.
I've had sporadic results using a decent studfinder on my plaster and lathe walls. I typically have to try it a various spots and heights on the wall. My studs are 15-17" O.C. The cheap studfinders are apparently designed for drywall only.
Use the alligator anchors for brick. Work great, small hole. Work better than masonry screws.
AHHH MASONRY WALLS!
Too many people when they drill into or want to secure things on brick walls want to drill into the brick itself and find that it is hard to drill into and doesn't hold- DONT DO IT! From now on try drilling into the grout line or the mortar between the bricks you will have success a lot more frequently if not all the time. The reason it works better to go into the grout line is because the mortar is softer than the brick and doesn't fracture or flake. You will also not ruin the brick. So when you think about mounting something to a brick or masonry wall next time try drilling into the mortar.
NO!!! Drill into the brick, not the mortar.
The mortar is soft and may crumble and eventually water can get in and ruin it. Drill directly into the bricks. If done correctly, they will hold forever. If you drill into the mortar, you are just asking to repair it in the next 5-10 years
I have a retail store in a building that was built in 1890. All the walls are old brick. I keep trying to hang clothing racks and they keep falling out of the wall. I have drilled into the brick and the morter. I use brick anchors...nothing seems to work....HELP!
I'm afraid I'm going to kill a customer!
Sandy
I'd like to hang shelves on my apartment wall, but I just realized there is brick behind whatever the wall is. I think it's plaster right on top of the brick but I'm not sure how to distinguish between plaster and dry wall. How should I go about mounting these shelves? What are brick anchors? Do I need a masonry drill, or just masonry bits and screws? Thanks for your help.
I have poured cement walls that I want to put shelves up, but am unable to drill into the walls.....any answer???
Unfortunately this thread has opened up a lot more questions than answers. Perhaps there are other resources out there. The shelf shop seems like a good place...
part of my kitchen walls are brick and i would like to have dry wall over it. How do I Put dry wall over the brick? thanks
Frame out the wall with 2x4's. then hang the drywall (aka sheetrock). you are basicly puting a new wall over old wall. you may need to call up a contractor.