Old apartment with brick walls that have been plastered. If I go drilling a hole in the wall to hang paintings and clocks and stockings and stuff what might go wrong? I'm paranoid about a large chunk of plaster falling off.
Or, what is the correct way to do it. I know nothing about handyman stuff. I own one screwdriver, a shifter and a hammer.
You need a massonary drill bit. Go easy use wall plugs. Don't drill above a power plus or light switch. You can also use plugs that simply hammer into the plaster that are good for light stuff. Hit the hardware store and ask one of the old guys. Good luck.
I usually go to youtube when doing DIY stuff that I'm not sure about. Usually there are a few videos there to help.
You can buy a corded drill for about $10 from K Mart or twice that for a cordless. I bought a corded one about 7 years ago and its good for all these sorts of small jobs. You will need a masonry drill bit. Are you sure its plaster covering the brick walls? Usually in older places the brick walls are rendered in cement and then painted. That's what its like at our apartment and I can drill into the walls without any cracking or splitting of the render. Green plugs are your friend.
Not much
, use a hammer drill , good quality masonary bit, dont drill directly above a power point (the wiring usually runs vertically from the point to the ceiling) . Only drill slightly deeper than the depth required (put some tape on the drill bit to the required depth as a gauge) , unless you have 2 twenty yr old lesbians living next door , who need to be observed
See flysrfer for some mind numbing, don't care if I f@ck this up medicine
, and drill away
If you're only hanging pictures and clocks, go buy some picture hooks. They are held in by a nail which you have the correct tool for.
Hey mate don't bother drilling holes in the walls or hammering picture nails in either, go to bunnings and get the Velcro stick on picture hooks system. Made by 3M and can hold up to 5kg. All the pics in my house are held up by them, it's the way of the future!!!
Golden rule when drilling holes into walls. Be aware of where water pipes, gas pipes and electrical cables lay hidden. Although I have never done it, I know of two mates who have put nice neat holes straight through hidden pipes beneath plaster.
Also find when drilling holes through plaster and into brick, it tends to make less mess and cracking of plaster if you drill the first 5mm without the hammer on. Then click it into gear and punch into the brick.
Good luck.
Select to expand quoteorynoco said..
Hey mate don't bother drilling holes in the walls or hammering picture nails in either, go to bunnings and get the Velcro stick on picture hooks system. Made by 3M and can hold up to 5kg. All the pics in my house are held up by them, it's the way of the future!!!
Be careful though as only as good as the paint that they're stuck to.
I think you can get things that detect wiring or pipes beneath the render. Not much use for plastic pipe, but if its an older unit, it will probably be copper or iron.
If you are renting- I wouldnt be in a hurry to drill holes in the walls!
No.1 reason for losing your bond.
Get approval [in writing] from the owners first.
stephen
Select to expand quoteFormulaNova said..
I think you can get things that detect wiring or pipes beneath the render. Not much use for plastic pipe, but if its an older unit, it will probably be copper or iron.
Yeah, it's called a drill 
Select to expand quotePaul Kelf said..FormulaNova said..
I think you can get things that detect wiring or pipes beneath the render. Not much use for plastic pipe, but if its an older unit, it will probably be copper or iron.
Yeah, it's called a drill
....and yet drills are hopeless for finding a timber stud you so desperately need to fix the screw.
Select to expand quoteorynoco said..
Hey mate don't bother drilling holes in the walls or hammering picture nails in either, go to bunnings and get the Velcro stick on picture hooks system. Made by 3M and can hold up to 5kg. All the pics in my house are held up by them, it's the way of the future!!!
+ 1 for the range of 3M self-adhesive Command hooks and picture hanging kits, especially for the lightweight stuff. But the trick, and it's not really a trick 'cos it tells you do it on the packet, is to clean the surface with isopropyl alcohol before applying the adhesive pad. It's about $5 a small squirt bottle, it lasts forever and it's buried away in the paint section at the hardware store. Plus the little bottle comes in handy for cleaning sunnies, helmet visors and glass.
Select to expand quoteFormulaNova said..
I think you can get things that detect wiring or pipes beneath the render. Not much use for plastic pipe, but if its an older unit, it will probably be copper or iron.
I think you mean a stud finder.
I used to have one but it kept going off when I walked past 
Select to expand quoteMark _australia said..FormulaNova said..
I think you can get things that detect wiring or pipes beneath the render. Not much use for plastic pipe, but if its an older unit, it will probably be copper or iron.
I think you mean a stud finder.
I used to have one but it kept going off when I walked past
Yeah yeah, I think there was something on TV recently where someone asked why all Aussie men come up with that same joke.
Anyway, no, the stud finder I've got won't pick up pipes or cable. Maybe I'm holding it too close and desensitising it 
Select to expand quoteMobydisc said..
I usually go to youtube when doing DIY stuff that I'm not sure about. Usually there are a few videos there to help.
Me too.
Panda, if you make a mistake you could use this vid.
drill verrrry slowly. know the colour of the brick and if its a cement colour dust coming out behind the render stop. drill 45 degrees over from that spot and at least 100mm across as well.
im one of those emergency guys that goes out and fixes what ever gets hit. repairs are never cheap. especially after the 6mm hole you have drilled turns into a 500mm / 100mm canyon.
also try and drill a half mm below the size to be required. you can always go bigger but never smaller.
Select to expand quoteevlPanda said..
Old apartment with brick walls that have been plastered. If I go drilling a hole in the wall to hang paintings and clocks and stockings and stuff what might go wrong? I'm paranoid about a large chunk of plaster falling off.
Or, what is the correct way to do it. I know nothing about handyman stuff. I own one screwdriver, a shifter and a hammer.
Rip all the plaster board off, render the walls and drill away to your hearts's content except above power points.
Select to expand quoteevlPanda said..I own one screwdriver, a shifter and a hammer.
You've got all the tools you need right there. Place the end of the screw driver on the spot you want to hang the clock, and then use your hammer to bash the screwdriver on the handle until you make a hole about 3 inches deep. Then go and buy a 3/8" x 3" coach screw and drive it into the hole with the shifter.
I wouldn't be too worried about some plaster coming off, the clock will cover that up.
As far as paintings are concerned, save yourself the trouble of making a hole, and just paint directly on the wall.
Apply a piece of masking tape to the wall where you want to drill and drill through the tape. Stops most plaster chipping. Drill slowly as some else has said.
Panda, remember that a poor workman blames his tools. To prevent this eventuality, buy yourself a Hilti SDS+ drill and the corresponding bits :-)
Select to expand quoteNowindSurfer said..
Make sure its not inline with a tap or gaz lines or power point. drill away !@
bit of false hope in my experience. be it a sparky, handy man, other plumber or anyone, if its in a wall it can be anywhere im afraid.itd be nice if there was some kind of standard to follow.
Select to expand quotesaltiest1 said..
bit of false hope in my experience. be it a sparky, handy man, other plumber or anyone, if its in a wall it can be anywhere im afraid.itd be nice if there was some kind of standard to follow.
Isn't the location of cables and pipes defined by Murphy's Law?
