Need to remove a rad and brackets for some plastering that’s being done.
Removing it is simple enough, and then will put something in the holes so they’re not plastered over.

In reality though, once I’ve removed the radiator brackets, are the rawl plugs left in place going to be too mangled to re-use? Is it an idea to whip them out and put new ones in before the replastering?

Never had a problem using existing ones. Just pop screws back in the ‘plugs after the brackets are off. Assuming you want same rad to go back in same place with same pipes replacing the plugs could become a bit of an incident pit.

If they’re solid then leave them the **** alone! It should just be a case of unscrewing them then putting them back on when the work is done. I just use the screws the brackets were held on with, sticking out obviously, to plug the hole. That way you know where they are and don’t lose the screws. I replaced all mine with shield anchors when I did the rads but only because my walls were utter buggers and I hadn’t discovered decent masonry bits (I now use Bosch multi material bits). Fischer UX are now my plugs of choice, brilliant and grippy in all my crap walls. SX work if you have decent walls that don’t flake.

Should be fine to leave them in situ an just screw into them again. I remove the brackets for wallpapering and have never considered renewing the plugs. Taking the plugs out just risks damaging the hole.

You are over thinking this. A plasterer will just skim over them expecting a plumber to just drill new holes for the brackets. Trying to preserve the original screw holes is not worth the time and effort. It would take 2mins to just realign and re-drill.

First thing the plasterer and then if he doesn’t the painter will do is remove the screws.

Nothing like a rogue screw in a wall to slow you down when your on a price job

So 3 saying re-use rawl plugs etc and two saying the plasterer will ignore that and plaster/paint over it!

If I’m rehanging the rad in exactly the same place then skimming over the holes and having to drill new ones seems a bit of a silly thing for a plasterer to do – you’d then be trying to drill new holes exactly where the old holes and plugs are buried, which is going to turn ugly and mean then drilling new holes, in new locations and throw out all the pipework.

I’d be pretty p1ssed off if they ignored screws to save a few minutes.

I can possibly understand how this might mildly inconvenience a plasterer. But I’m intrigued as to how 4 screws sticking out of a wall is going to slow down a man painting the wall.

personally I think the use of rawl plugs for rads is a heath Robinson job at best and just done by builders to cut corners. You can pull a rad affixed with just rawl plugs off the wall very easily. Doesn’t happen often obviously but my daughter ripped a rad off a wall no issue.

I’d use this as an opportunity to put something more permanent in like a proper anchor bolt into block or brick. I did this recently after my daughter ripped the rad off the wall. It pulled out a big chunk of plasterboard with it so no hope of just putting back on with rawl plug so patched up the plaster board and went in with decent anchor bolts. Proper job done.

I’d be pretty p1ssed off if they ignored screws to save a few minutes.

I am no Plasterer but have plastered and every light switch, corner, feature, and yes screw is more work, awkward and slower / more fiddle.

plasterboard is very different from a solid wall.

Rawlplugs are the correct thing to use on a solid wall. Stud walls should have battens to hang radiators on – not relying on plasterboard fixings

If your plasterer is OK with screws left in place he’ll be OK with the brackets left in place too.

I guess that very much depends on what plugs and screws you use. I’ve got a drawer full of plugs and screws that various household objects, furniture, etc. have come supplied with, that I have discarded as clearly not up to the job.

From memory I think I’ve seen rad brackets supplied with red plugs in the past. I would not ever contemplate using them. Grey plugs with 5-6mm x 50mm screws should be more than adequate.

plaster board with block and brick behind – dot and dab. Rawl plug only went into the block work behind a quarter of an inch if that and was providing zero utility. Pretty standard with modern homes these days. The anchor bolt I put in went all the way into the block. Over engineered of course, but better that than the usual way. Just as easy to drill a hole and install an anchor bolt than drill a hole and install a rawl plug. The difference is you’ll only do one of those once.

Mark the floor/skirting in line with the holes and make a note of the exact distance up uwith a spirit level, or make a template with a large piece of card to re locate the existing holes. Test it before plastering. Or just tell the plasterer to put the screws back in/leave them in.

I’ve had several rooms in this house re-plastered & have always just taken the rads/brackets off & put the screws back into the rawlplugs. Obviously screw them in far enough that they won’t fall out, but not all the way in.
The plasterer has never mentioned it being an issue & it’s then a dead quick job to re-fit the radiator.

I can possibly understand how this might mildly inconvenience a plasterer. But I’m intrigued as to how 4 screws sticking out of a wall is going to slow down a man painting the wall.

Time making good round some screws Vs rollering a flat wall.

Just leave the brackets in place, this will ensure that your rad is back in exactly the same spot.

Fischer UX are now my plugs of choice, brilliant and grippy in all my crap walls. SX work if you have decent walls that don’t flake.

Using fischer plugs is followed shortly by an “my rawl plug back catalogue is going in the bin”

Your painter will ask you what’s happening with the screws, keep or remove and fill. If not he’s a bodger like trail rat!

The old rawlplug holes will probably still be visible as the plaster dries (it will dry faster / slower over the plugs). You can drill through the new plaster to the old plug at that stage before painting.

If not he’s a bodger like trail rat!

Quite. Exactly what’s being bodged here ?

The old rawlplug holes will probably still be visible as the plaster dries (it will dry faster / slower over the plugs). You can drill through the new plaster to the old plug at that stage before painting.

You’ve done this before haven’t you ? 😉 I did it only a couple weeks back having had pros in to make good after flooding and honestly if you can’t get the rad holes back in the same place within about 30 seconds with a drill you need to get to spec savers.

My plasterers won’t have nails/screws left in the wall – it slows them down and makes it harder to get the finish they want.

personally I think the use of rawl plugs for rads is a heath Robinson job at best and just done by builders to cut corners. You can pull a rad affixed with just rawl plugs off the wall very easily.

Either you’re using crap plugs or the wrong plugs.

The old rawlplug holes will probably still be visible as the plaster dries (it will dry faster / slower over the plugs). You can drill through the new plaster to the old plug at that stage before painting.

Depends on if your plaster is completely blown. My last “skim” was half an inch thick in places because the original plaster was just falling off the wall. Good luck finding your screw hole under that.

Time making good round some screws Vs rollering a flat wall.

Why would you need to make good the few mm around a screw where a bracket is obviously going?

Why would you need to make good the few mm around a screw where a bracket is obviously going?

The difference between a professional doing a good job and someone doing their own home cutting corners.

Brackets are not perminant fixtures. I’d rather have a small screw hole to fill than an area behind a removed bracket to make good.

A professional doing the job (and any competent DIYer) would go around the screws with a brush while they’re doing the cutting in.

Bet they don’t remove the switch and plug fascias either. Just cut in round them in situ.

We just wind some small screws into the rawl plugs and find them with a magnet after plastering.

I’ve plastered lots of walls with radiators on so I’ll chuck my two pence in for what it’s worth, definitely remove the brackets they’re a pain in the bum to work around. I then put the screws back in the holes and screw them right back into the wall so the heads protrude a few mm, ie the depth of the new skim. Then skim right over the screws, once you have finished your lovely flat wall the screw heads will be easily identifiable so just take them back out before the plaster starts to dry leaving your holes ready to go. Job done.