ᐅ How can BILLY shelves be securely mounted to the wall in older buildings?

Hello everyone, I have a question about securely mounting Billy shelves on walls in older buildings. Most walls here often consist of crumbling plaster and sometimes very old stone or brick structures. Which installation solutions are recommended for such substrates to ensure a strong and durable fixation? I want to avoid the shelves slipping over time due to the wrong anchors or screws. Which special anchors or mounting methods have worked well for you when dealing with uneven or porous walls in older buildings? Thanks for your tips and experiences!

If plaster is crumbling, it is best to remove the plaster at the fastening point until the solid masonry is visible. Then insert high-performance anchors or expansion anchors into the masonry. For brick walls, special cavity anchors or hammer anchors are recommended, depending on the wall's porosity.

Oh yes, old building walls are practically little surprise packages – you never know what you’ll find inside! 🙂 I’ve had good experiences with so-called “Fischer DuoPower” wall plugs, which adapt very well to different wall materials. Wooden or metal frames on the shelf with suitable screws – and boom, it holds firmly! Important: First, drill properly and then press the wall plug completely in, so nothing wobbles.

Hello Fuson, when dealing with old building structures, it is essential to carefully assess the load-bearing capacity. Crumbling plaster should be removed to expose the actual wall underneath. I recommend using larger anchors with a greater embedment depth, such as heavy-duty anchors, if the wall allows. It is equally important to blow out the drill holes with compressed air to remove any dust residue that could reduce the anchor’s grip. For brick walls, cavity anchors or toggle bolts work well, while solid masonry requires different types of expansion anchors. Important: distribute the shelf load across multiple fixing points.

botibo schrieb:
I have had good experiences with so-called “Fischer DuoPower” wall plugs, which adapt very well to different wall materials.

It’s good to hear that such versatile wall plugs exist. How about when the wall partly consists of very loose brick and crumbly plaster—can these DuoPower plugs still be used directly, or is preparatory work necessary there, such as clearing areas and possibly removing the plaster completely? Are there any alternatives that might be better suited for such problematic substrates?

It is crucial to remove any loose plaster and dust from the area where the fixture will be attached, ideally reaching down to solid, load-bearing masonry. Alternatively, a specialized injection mortar system can be used, which is applied into drilled holes and then securely anchors plugs and screws. This method is somewhat more complex but provides a very reliable hold on porous and crumbly substrates. It is important to distribute the load of the shelf evenly across multiple anchors to avoid localized overloading.