Coat Hook Fixing Suggestions Required

[Old_Geezer]

Just getting so fed up with the coat hooks in the hall. When I bought my house it had been extended in places, including a porch area at the front, although it is designed to be part of the hall (original front door removed) rather than a separate area. Unfortunately it was built of these useless, awful thermal block things, which one could easily jam a pencil in, and which won't hold anything.

One of the first things I did was put up a set of coat hooks there as the previous owners used the under stairs area for coat hooks; which was an awful option as one had to carry the coats through the hall, through the living room, into the dining area to get to the cupboard.

I've tried the special thermal block fittings/plugs that won't screw in properly as they should, get distorted and broken as you use a screwdriver to force them in, so stick out, and still eventually fall out of the wall (or maybe the screws fall out of them; too long ago to recall the main issue). I've tried normal wall plugs. In desperation I drilled out a larger circle where I wanted the screws and filled it in with filler. None of this works for more than for a while.

I've just had another hook fall out and I'm down to two hooks still in place now.

I'm running out of ideas. Apart from smashing a great big hole in the wall and filling it up with PROPER bricks & mortar, I'm at a loss what to do next. I can't keep on and on doing the same sort of repair and have it fail again.

Does anyone have a practical legitimate alternative fix I might consider ?

Cheers.

[snags]

''I've tried the special thermal block fittings/plugs''

Like these?

https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/DIY-superstore/fixings-hardware-security/fixings/aercrete-fixings/plasplugs-scp-120-thermal-block-fixings-10.html

[TWR]

OG, Screw a length of 2x2 into the wall first, add some "Gorilla Glue" to the rear of the wood, counter sink the screws, Job Done.

[-Talbot-]

Resin rawplug

[Old_Geezer]

Yes those. Tommy Walsh used to have his picture on the front. They were a nightmare to screw in and still eventually failed. Can't recall how as they were the first thing I tried, years ago. Anyway now the screw area is filler so I doubt they can be tried again. But for reasons I don't really understand the filler finally distorts and/or breaks and the plugs fall out.

[sunny-dave]

I've used these things - they work a treat on my "solid as cardboard" walls - but may be what you've tried already

Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[-Talbot-]

Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[Old_Geezer]

Less keen on mounting them on wood, not visually what I was hoping for, but I see the benefit of glueing the whole back, so I'll keep that in reserve.

Resin eh ? I'll have to look that up.

Thanks all.

[Old_Geezer]

Seems I'm getting suggestions thick & fast. Cheers. Anyone have a recommended rock hard filler to repair the existing holes ?

[Ryzen]

OG..if the wall is dabbed and boarded then do as TWR suggests and also go a step further ...use a piece of timber suitable for your hooks ..draw a line around it and cut out the plasterboard.the timber can be fixed with screws and a decent solvent adhesive.Because its recessed any weight will be supported by the plasterboard.

[Old_Geezer]

It's not plasterboard as far as I can tell. It's these thermal breezeblocks, maybe with a skim of plaster, hard to tell under the wallpaper, but probably as the surface is smooth.

[Ryzen]

If thats the case cut through the plaster into the blocks and you can paint it the same as the wall....put the hooks on and bingo.

[TWR]

Do you own a Stud / Wood / Meta detector OG, I would think if it's an internal new wall it will be plasterboard with battern's, the detector will give you an Idea where they are placed & if there's any Live wires around.

[Old_Geezer]

There are definitely no battens. When one drills it is into nominally "solid", or as near as thermal block gets, wall. It internalish, but only in as much as it divides the added stuck out the front porch and the added stuck on the side garage.

Got lots to think about now.

[-Talbot-]

You could of course use the traditional method of knocking a piece of wood into the breeze (maybe coated in no nails)

[Ryzen]

If the hook position backs onto the garage you could use a couple of lengths of all-thread and countersink some nuts into the wood and fill them flush.Put some decent washers and nuts on the garage side and its going nowhere.

[Old_Geezer]

True, true.

[The Builder]

Fixing to thermal blocks isn't usually a problem, OG. The trick is to go for depth. I use rawlplugs and 3" screws. That's Ok for a single fixing, but your problem is that coat hooks are usually 2 or 3 holes quite close together. Then, you have the problem of the masonry crumbling as the holes join up.

I must admit the I would always go for a timber screwed to the wall, then the hooks can easily be fitted to that.

Even with brick or concrete blocks, there is always that problem of crumbling because the holes are too close together.

[Old_Geezer]

Thanks all. Got a lot of options now and I just have to get the enthusiasm to get on with it. One might think being down to two hooks would be enough, but we'll see.