Fixing into brick: plug, bit and screw
fischer rates its DuoPower and SX Plus plugs in solid brick. The table below gives each plug's drill bit, screw and recommended load, from fischer's own pages.
Solid brick: what fischer rates
| Fixing | Drill bit | Screw | Recommended load per fixing |
|---|---|---|---|
| fischer DuoPower 5 x 25 | 5 mm, at least 35 mm deep | 4.0 mm wood screw | 0.30 kN (fischer shows this as 30 kg) solid brick 0.13 kN (fischer shows this as 13 kg) vertically perforated brick |
| fischer DuoPower 6 x 30 | 6 mm, at least 40 mm deep | 5.0 mm wood screw | 0.50 kN (fischer shows this as 50 kg) solid brick 0.15 kN (fischer shows this as 15 kg) vertically perforated brick |
| fischer DuoPower 6 x 50 | 6 mm, at least 60 mm deep | 5.0 mm wood screw | 0.55 kN (fischer shows this as 55 kg) solid brick 0.17 kN (fischer shows this as 17 kg) vertically perforated brick |
| fischer DuoPower 8 x 40 | 8 mm, at least 50 mm deep | 6.0 mm wood screw | 0.62 kN (fischer shows this as 62 kg) solid brick 0.25 kN (fischer shows this as 25 kg) vertically perforated brick |
| fischer DuoPower 8 x 65 | 8 mm, at least 75 mm deep | 6.0 mm wood screw | 0.69 kN (fischer shows this as 69 kg) solid brick 0.40 kN (fischer shows this as 40 kg) vertically perforated brick |
| fischer DuoPower 10 x 50 | 10 mm, at least 60 mm deep | 8.0 mm wood screw | 1.20 kN (fischer shows this as 120 kg) solid brick 0.25 kN (fischer shows this as 25 kg) vertically perforated brick |
| fischer SX Plus 4 x 20 | 4 mm, at least 30 mm deep | 3.0 mm wood screw | 0.15 kN (fischer does not give this in kg) solid brick 0.13 kN (fischer does not give this in kg) vertically perforated brick |
| fischer SX Plus 5 x 25 | 5 mm, at least 35 mm deep | 4.0 mm wood screw | 0.27 kN (fischer does not give this in kg) solid brick 0.13 kN (fischer does not give this in kg) vertically perforated brick |
| fischer SX Plus 6 x 30 | 6 mm, at least 40 mm deep | 5.0 mm wood screw | 0.35 kN (fischer does not give this in kg) solid brick 0.15 kN (fischer does not give this in kg) vertically perforated brick |
| fischer SX Plus 6 x 50 | 6 mm, at least 60 mm deep | 5.0 mm wood screw | 0.50 kN (fischer does not give this in kg) solid brick 0.17 kN (fischer does not give this in kg) vertically perforated brick |
| fischer SX Plus 8 x 40 | 8 mm, at least 50 mm deep | 6.0 mm wood screw | 0.60 kN (fischer does not give this in kg) solid brick 0.25 kN (fischer does not give this in kg) vertically perforated brick |
| fischer SX Plus 8 x 65 | 8 mm, at least 75 mm deep | 6.0 mm wood screw | 0.80 kN (fischer does not give this in kg) solid brick 0.40 kN (fischer does not give this in kg) vertically perforated brick |
| fischer SX Plus 10 x 50 | 10 mm, at least 70 mm deep | 8.0 mm wood screw | 1.00 kN (fischer does not give this in kg) solid brick 0.25 kN (fischer does not give this in kg) vertically perforated brick |
| fischer SX Plus 12 x 60 | 12 mm, at least 80 mm deep | 10.0 mm wood screw | 1.25 kN (fischer does not give this in kg) solid brick 0.35 kN (fischer does not give this in kg) vertically perforated brick |
Sources: fischer, Loads, DuoPower, recommended loads for a single anchor. Checked ; fischer, fischer DuoPower product page. Checked ; fischer, Loads, Expansion plug SX Plus, recommended loads for a single anchor. Checked ; fischer, fischer Expansion plug SX Plus product page. Checked .
fischer's table rates solid brick of class Mz 12 or stronger. We cannot tell your brick's class from the wall, or solid brick from perforated brick, so we compare with the lower of fischer's two brick figures and show both.
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It never changes the answer above.
- fischer SX Plus 4 x 20fischer's recommended load in Solid brick ≥ Mz 12: 0.15 kN (fischer does not give this in kg); in Vertically perforated brick ≥ HLz 12: 0.13 kN (fischer does not give this in kg).
- fischer DuoPower 5 x 25fischer's recommended load in Solid brick ≥ Mz 12: 0.30 kN (fischer shows this as 30 kg); in Vertically perforated brick ≥ HLz 12: 0.13 kN (fischer shows this as 13 kg). We compare with the lower figure, 13 kg for vertically perforated brick.
- fischer SX Plus 5 x 25fischer's recommended load in Solid brick ≥ Mz 12: 0.27 kN (fischer does not give this in kg); in Vertically perforated brick ≥ HLz 12: 0.13 kN (fischer does not give this in kg).
- fischer DuoPower 6 x 30fischer's recommended load in Solid brick ≥ Mz 12: 0.50 kN (fischer shows this as 50 kg); in Vertically perforated brick ≥ HLz 12: 0.15 kN (fischer shows this as 15 kg). We compare with the lower figure, 15 kg for vertically perforated brick.
- fischer DuoPower 6 x 50fischer's recommended load in Solid brick ≥ Mz 12: 0.55 kN (fischer shows this as 55 kg); in Vertically perforated brick ≥ HLz 12: 0.17 kN (fischer shows this as 17 kg). We compare with the lower figure, 17 kg for vertically perforated brick.
Sources: fischer, Loads, Expansion plug SX Plus, recommended loads for a single anchor. Checked ; fischer, Loads, DuoPower, recommended loads for a single anchor. Checked ; fischer, fischer DuoPower product page. Checked .
How much weight can a brick wall hold?
Per fixing, no more than fischer's recommended load in the table above. fischer's UK pages give it as Max. load in solid brick 50 kg
for a DuoPower 6 x 30, and its table rates solid brick of class Mz 12 or stronger. We cannot tell your brick's class from the wall, or solid brick from perforated brick, so we compare with the lower of fischer's solid and vertically perforated brick figures and show both, in kilonewtons (kN) as fischer prints them, with fischer's kg beside them where fischer gives one. fischer's tables say of their figures: “Required safety factors are considered”. The DuoPower table adds “Valid for tensile load, shear load and oblique load under any angle”, and the SX Plus table “Valid for tension, shear and combined tension and shear load”.
What's my wall? compares your weight with these figures exactly, with no margin of our own, and shows first the plug with the smallest hole that covers it. For a shelf on brackets, or anything else that sticks out from the wall, the bracket maker's own rating is a limit too, and the lower of the two applies. B&Q's own advice on plugs: A variety of different sizes are available, so always check the maximum load to ensure your wall plugs will support whatever you want to hang from the wall.
Sources: fischer, fischer DuoPower product page. Checked ; fischer, Loads, DuoPower, recommended loads for a single anchor. Checked ; fischer, Loads, Expansion plug SX Plus, recommended loads for a single anchor. Checked ; B&Q, How to fit wall plugs. Checked .
What colour wall plug do I need for brick?
Any of the three: Plasplugs lists its yellow, red and brown solid wall plugs all for Concrete & Brick, so pick the colour that matches your screw. The colour is Plasplugs' own size code, and we use it only for Plasplugs plugs. Its product pages give:
- Yellow:
Regular Duty 5mm No.4-8 (3-4.5mm) Concrete & Brick
- Red:
Regular Duty 6mm No.6-12 (3.5-5.5mm) Concrete & Brick
- Brown:
Heavy Duty 7mm No.8-14 (4.5-7mm) Concrete & Brick
Sources: Plasplugs, 100 x Regular Duty Yellow Supergrips Clip Pack. Checked ; Plasplugs, 100 x Regular Duty Red Supergrips Clip Pack. Checked ; Plasplugs, 100 x Heavy Duty Brown Supergrips Clip Pack. Checked .
Plasplugs adds: Yellow and red are for regular duty, while the brown fixing is for heavy duty.
Its 2024/5 brochure gives different screw diameters for two of them: 3 - 4mm for yellow and 4 - 7mm for brown.
We have no load figure from Plasplugs for these plugs, so the load comparison in our checker uses fischer's table.
Sources: Plasplugs, 100 x Regular Duty Yellow Supergrips Clip Pack. Checked ; Plasplugs, 100 x Regular Duty Red Supergrips Clip Pack. Checked ; Plasplugs, 100 x Heavy Duty Brown Supergrips Clip Pack. Checked ; Plasplugs, Plasplugs Wall Fixings brochure, 2024/5 edition. Checked .
How do I know if my wall is brick?
By the feel when you knock, and by the dust from a test hole. Wickes: If you knock on it and get a very solid and inflexible feeling that doesn't sound hollow, it will most likely be a brick or concrete masonry wall.
Plasplugs: Solid wall may be built of brick, dense block or thermal (lightweight) block
A test hole is drilling, so it comes after the checks on Before you drill. Plasplugs: Identify which type you have by drilling a test hole and examining the drill dust
Reddish or yellowish dust shows you have brick walls
Sandy dust means you have hit a mortar joint. Drill a second hole about 50mm away from the first and 45º above it to confirm the wall type
Sources: Wickes, Where do I start putting up a shelf?. Checked ; Plasplugs, Plasplugs Wall Fixings brochure, 2024/5 edition. Checked to .
How do you drill into brick and fit a plug?
After the checks on Before you drill, B&Q's steps in plain words, with its depth step in its own words, and the drill bit and hole depth from fischer's table:
- Put a strip of tape on the drill bit as a guide to how deep to drill.
You'll need to drill into the wall slightly deeper than the length of the plug, so hold the wall plug up to your drill bit and mark its length with the tape.
- For a brick wall, set the drill to its hammer setting. If you have not drilled much before, B&Q suggests starting the hole with the hammer action off, for a neater hole.
- Drill the hole with the right bit, to the depth the tape shows, keeping the drill square to the wall and steady.
- Clean the dust out of the hole before the plug goes in.
- Push the plug in with your fingers: it should be a tight fit. Tap it lightly with a hammer if it needs levelling with the wall.
- Drive the screw into the plug with the drill.
Sources: B&Q, How to fit wall plugs. Checked ; Bosch DIY, Drill bits and wall anchors guide. Checked .
The cleaning step is Bosch's; the rest are B&Q's. B&Q adds: If you're using the wall plug to hang an item such as a clock or picture frame, remember not to drive the screw in all the way.
What screw goes in a brick plug?
The screw diameter fischer gives for each plug, in the table above. For the length of a DuoPower screw, fischer's rule is The required screw length is given by the plug length + fixture thickness + 1x the screw diameter.
fischer describes how each plug works. The DuoPower: The fischer DuoPower adjusts itself automatically to the building material and transfers the highest loads through the three product functions of folding, expanding and knotting.
The SX Plus: Due to the noticeable tightening torque, the user automatically recognizes when the screw is properly installed and thus prevents overtightening of the screw.
Sources: fischer, fischer DuoPower product page. Checked to ; fischer, fischer Expansion plug SX Plus product page. Checked .
Questions
What drill bit do I need for brick?
A masonry bit, says B&Q: If you're drilling into a plasterboard wall, a multi-surface drill bit is recommended. For brick walls, always use a masonry drill bit.
For the size, Wickes says Once you've picked out your wall plug, you'll need a drill bit that matches its size. To do this, you need to hold the fixing next to your drill bits and choose the one that matches its diameter.
Can you reuse wall plugs?
B&Q advises against it: It’s generally not recommended to reuse wall plugs. Once they’ve been used, they may not hold as securely when removed and reinserted.
Is my wall brick or concrete block?
Plasplugs tells them apart by the dust: Dark grey dust (and slow drill progress) shows you have concrete block walls
, and Light grey dust (and easy drill progress) shows you have thermal block walls
. Plugs and figures for those walls are on Fixing into concrete and block.
Sources: B&Q, How to fit wall plugs. Checked to ; Wickes, What do I need to put up shelves?. Checked ; Plasplugs, Plasplugs Wall Fixings brochure, 2024/5 edition. Checked .