Hanging things on interior walls

[Leedawg84]

hey guys so i wanted to put up a medicine cabinet in the bathroom and there are no wall studs, i received the construction diagram from jayco and the spot i wanted to put it is just foam. its light weight so i was thinking some kind of screw with 20lbs double sided tape. do you guys have any better suggestions? also my wife wants me to put up a few other things like a spice rack above the kitchen counter ill probably be screwing into foam again. Thanks

[buddybar]

A lot of people will not screw anything to the walls, especially exterior walls.

Combination of heavy duty velcro and comman hooks are the norm, but if you search through the "Mod's" threads, you can probably find several other solutions.

[sully585]

i've been using this method. works great as long as it will be permanently affixed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3dym_w27W8

[Leedawg84]

Originally Posted by sully585

i've been using this method. works great as long as it will be permanently affixed.

what have you hung with the pop rivets? i was thinking about molly bolts that use the rivet tool to clamp to wall

[Lady Fitzgerald]

The rivet method, as shown, will not be all that strong since the end doesn't expand all that much; it wouldn't be difficult to pull it out through thin wood paneling. There is a similar type of pop rivet (technically, Pop is a brand name used generically; the correct generic term is blind rivet), called a split or exploding rivet, that, when set, expands with little wings sticking out that do a much better job of holding in soft materials, such as thin wood paneling. They are used exactly as the conventional blind rivets shown in the video. An example that shows the rivets before and after expanding can be seen in this link.

Personally, I would prefer "Molly Bolts" (again a brand name used generically, the correct generic term being expanding hollow wall anchor) since they allow the object being anchor to be easily removed and replaced. The only downsides are that they require a larger hole in the wall than exploding rivets and the anchor are hard to remove (they are removable but it's a bear to get them out without further damage to the wall). Molly bolts can be set by either driving in the screw they come with or by using a tool similar to a rivet gun to pull against the screw.

[Clayton4971]

Oscar rivets is what I use dometic uses them on their awning installation you can also find them on Amazon

[oldmanAZ]

Originally Posted by Clayton4971

Oscar rivets is what I use dometic uses them on their awning installation you can also find them on Amazon

I had never heard the name 'oscar' rivet before. I've always called them 'Pop' rivet (a brand name). Live and learn.

In Amazon, I see that Oscar rivets are more expensive than 'Pop' rivets or blind rivets. Are Oscar rivets 'special?'

[Leedawg84]

Oscar rivets spread out a lot more inside wall giving them a stronger hold

[namusmc65]

I have used the pop rivets to hang towel racks etc. Obviously they don't handle much weight. Never had a problem so far. So on trailer life tv they installed a wall vacuum unit on the wall with them using regular pop rivets. I will also have to look into oscar rivets. Had a problem with the screws coming out of the straps that hold the propane tanks in my 5th wheeler. Pop riveted those suckers back in place and they have not budged!

[gypsmjim]

The wall material is way too soft and thin to use a molly bolt. What is needed is a toggle bolt with a wide toggle. Use one that requires about a 3/8" hole.

As a matter of fact I just completed that kind of job, fastening a shelf in the bathroom. Its rock solid.

[Clayton4971]

What is nice about the Oscar rivet is the back opens up like a toggle bolt 3/4 to 1" and you only have to drill a small 3/16 hole in the wall . If you have to move or replace what you are hanging the 3/16 rivet can be drilled out and the hole is small and easy to hide

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by Leedawg84

Oscar rivets spread out a lot more inside wall giving them a stronger hold

They are also known as split and exploding rivets.

[Leedawg84]

Nice I just ordered a set of 6