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Hi All,

This is my maiden post here on the forums. I decided to post in disasters though I would greatly appreciate advice on how I should hang the picture in question.

The house is a rental, standard two up two down, mid terrace in the Twickenham area of London. I am not entirely sure of the construction.

I bought a set of picture hangers from Amazon. "
IDEALHOUSE 42pcs Non-Trace Picture Hook for Hard Wall, Picture Hanging Kit for Picture Frame Fixing, Assorted Picture Hanger Set for Hardwall Drywall
" It said on the listing.

I used one of the fixings to attach a 5' x 4' Picture to the external wall of the bedroom a few days ago. The picture stayed up without problem and this gave me the confidence for the misadventure I experienced earlier today. I took another of the fixings and measured the middle of the adjacent wall to the next house. A bit of banging and the four pins went in and the hanger was "secured" to the wall.

Picking up the picture I climbed onto the bed pushed up against that wall and positioned the picture on the fixture moving it to a central position... When I stopped supporting it, it dropped immediately and I heard the loud crack of it splitting the double socket switched wall powerpoint on that wall's skirting.

I have looked at the screwfix site and can see a "Trade Rated" inexpensive double switched socket. You tube has an idiots guide to wiring in the sockets. One of my questions on this forum is: the Screwfix Description states "Requires 25mm Back Box"

Is the existing socket likely to be the 25 mm Back Box required by the face plate and how can I check?

My other question is that, given than my fixings already failed once.
Is there a better alternative to my must buying a masonry nail and hanging the picture with that. I do expect that there *will* be a better option.

Sincerer apologies if this is incorrectly located or I am breaking forum rules. I did read the forum rules and am not aware of any problems with what I have posted.

BP

bobpace wrote: ↑Sun Jun 16, 2024 8:04 pmand how can I check?

The same way I would, switch the mains off, remove the socket and (look) measure the depth of the back box. Sorry, there is no "secret way" of finding out.

Generally twin socket back boxes that a are sunk into the wall (not a patress box which fixes to the face of the wall and protrues out) are a minimum of 25mm deep and go upto 35 and 47mm deep.

Your existing backbox is 90% likely to be a minimum of 25mm deep.

The socket you've seen will fit any backbox that is between 25-47mm in depth.

If and when you change the socket, the 1st thing to do is turn the main switch off on the fuse board / consumer unit, then test that there is no power at the socket before you start to open it up.

When you unscrew the socket take a couple of photos showing what wires went into which connectors so you can be sure to put the same wires back into the correct connectors of the new socket (the position of those connectors may be in a slightly different place to the original)