How can I hang shelves, frames & mirrors safely on concrete walls?

[Criss]

Hello,

I’ve moved into a newly built apartment which has concrete walls. I want to start hanging mirrors, ikea shelving and some heavy frames. I’m having trouble wrapping my head around the best & safest way to drill into concrete and I was hoping I could get some tips & guidance. I have purchased a hammer drill so far. 

My main concerns are:
- how to I safely drill into the wall without hitting things like wires & pipes? 

- I’m looking to hang a Lego wall art, and the design of the back mounts require a screw that sticks out around 20mm (image attached for reference). Is this a case of buying a longer than needed screw, and screwing it into a  regular wall plug.

- if anyone could recommend wall plugs & screws that would suit what I need to do, that would be helpful as well

Thank you!

[EricL]

Hello @Criss 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's marvellous to have you join us, and thank you for sharing your question about hanging shelves, frames and mirrors safely on concrete walls.

I suggest having a look at this guide - How to hang just about anything by @Adam_W. The guide recommends using wall plugs when hanging items onto masonry. They come in different sizes and I recommend using the larger ones when hanging heavy items.

There are a few other types of masonry screws such as the STAHL Masonry Kit 7mm Drill With 50mm Green Wall Plugs, Ramset 14g x 55mm Black Ankascrew and the Ramset 8 x 50mm Universal Anchor. 

One way to find out if there are water pipes and electrical conduit inside the wall is to use a stud finder. However, I suggest making sure that the stud finder is rated to detect both water and electrical fittings through masonry. A good example is the Bosch Universal Detect Wall Scanner. It detects timber stud, metals and live wires up 10 cm depth in plasterboard, brick and concrete.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[Criss]

Hi @EricL ,

Thank you for all the helpful information. I didn’t even know there were stud finders that could go through concrete, I’ll definitely be investing in one of these. 

Since I’ll be drilling into concrete, I’m assuming I don’t need to find studs and drill into those like in regular plaster walls, and I’ll be able to drill in anywhere as long as it’s not near a pipe or wire? 

Thanks. 

[EricL]

Hello @Criss 

That's correct there are no studs in a concrete wall. You can drill into it like a regular plaster wall as long as there are no water or electrical conduits. My number one tip is to invest in the best masonry drill bit your budget will allow.

Please remember to wear personal protection such as gloves, goggles and a dust mask when drilling into the concrete wall.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric