What type of screws do I need with masonry wall plugs for roller blind installation?

[goteDeath]

Hi

I need to install roller blinds into brick walls.

I understand I need wall plugs such as these: https://www.bunnings.com.au/ramset-7-x-50mm-green-wall-plugs-25-pack_p2260646

But what type of screws do I need to get with them? It seems like a very basic question but I can't seem to find an answer anywhere!

Thanks.

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @goteDeath. It's marvellous to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about fixing into masonry.

The type of screw needed for the blinds will heavily depend on the size hole it needs to go through on the frame. 

Personally, I can never remember off the top of my head which size screw goes with which coloured plug. These STAHL masonry kits are wonderful as they conveniently come with the corresponding drillbit, plug and screw. There's no longer any need to work it out yourself. From these kits, we can tell that it's an 8G screw that goes with the green plugs. Though you do have some leeway and you could use up to12G. I'd recommend you step up to a blue plug and 10G screw for roller blinds. This STAHL Masonry Kit 8mm should work well with your blinds. Just make sure the screw head is large enough to not pass through any mounting holes on the blind frame. A small washer can be used to increase the size of the head if this is an issue.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell
 

[Noyade]

Hi Gote.

Unless Ramset have changed the packaging - on the outer cellophane wrapping you will find the screw size and dill size (recommended) on the top right of the label.

Years ago, I think they used to have these details on the plastic band that held them together?

[MitchellMc · Accepted solution]

Hi again, @goteDeath. I just realised you might have been more interested in an actual screw recommendation and not just the correct gauge. These 10G x 50mm Zinc plated timber screws will do fine.

Hope that assists.

Mitchell

[goteDeath]

Thanks @MitchellMc, yes this is what I was after, thank you! I can read the size recommendation on the packaging, but I couldn't find anything that told me what type of screw to use, i.e. timber, metal, plasterboard, general purpose, etc. And timber screws in masonry certainly isn't intuitive!

The STAHL masonry kits are great for an initial purchase but I need more than 10 plugs/screws so unless a masonry drill bit is only expected to last about 10 holes, I need to buy some plugs and screws separately.

Rgarding the plugs that come with the STAHL masonry kits, I notice the size recommendations are different to the ones for the Ramset plugs of the same colour. E.g., the green STAHL plugs says 8g screws but the green Ramset plugs say 10-12g. Is the colour-coding not standard across brands?

Are the green ramset plugs roughly equivalent to the blue STAHL plugs?

[MitchellMc]

I can understand the confusion as there are no plastic screws, which is what you're screwing into. A timber or general-purpose screw is fine for wall plugs. You just need something with a somewhat coarse thread. Avoid fine thread metal screws as they don't cut in well to the plastic and can pull out.

To the best of my knowledge, I believe the colours are standardised, but after @Noyade's comment, it's got me thinking. The colour denotes the drill size, which is the same between both brands. Green plug = 7mm drill bit. What I think is happening here is that STAHL is making their plugs to suit smaller sized screws, and the wall thickness of the plug determines this.

Mitchell