Screwing things to UPVC soffits

[Browser]

Due to building an extension on the back of our house the garden floodlighting is being revised. I need to fit a light to illuminate a small are in front of the shed, and the most convenient place to fix to would be the UPVC soffit board as most of the wall is taken up by the study window. My question is, is it OK to do this or are they not strong enough? If I need to use inserts of some sort I will as I wouldn't be daft enough to just mash in a couple of 11/4 No.8's and expect that to do the job.

 

[123hotchef]

is the upvc soffit boards screwed to rafters or joists? it must be id locate these look for the caped screews they are fixed with and fix the light here to the joist

 

[Shedendman]

use a longer screw,the soffits has to be fixed to something itself ie timber etc, other than that use toggle fixings

 

[Robotstar5]

Also check the instructions that came with the light for minimum mounting distances and position.

 

[Ton-up]

Depends on what type of board and what type of light.
If it is the hollow type of board then a light with a small sideways U shaped bracket, but heavy fittting, (like a 500w halogen), will tend to collapse the board over time and you will struggle to get the screws to hold in the board as its so thin. A less heavier, flatter lamp like a square bulkhead, would be more successful as you can put more screws in and even use a adhesive on the back.
The more expensive thick solid foam cored board is far more easier to fix into and I have even dug out the foam and used resinfix to make a solid base for fixing a telephone wire ring plate.

 

[Kent]

Depends it's most likely hollow not celuka ( the hard faced solid foamed stuff)

Waterproof super glues will however attach a suitable plate to either - then just pop a few stainless self tappers through and secure to the plate

 

[Barlidge]

If the fixture is not too heavy Rubber Well Nuts should give you a good fixing.

 

[Parm]

If the fixture is not too heavy Rubber Well Nuts should give you a good fixing.

I've never seen these before, what are they typically used for

 

[Woody.v8]

I've never seen these before, what are they typically used for

I've used them to fix wind deflector kits onto fibreglass wagon cabs.

 

[MattF]

I've never seen these before, what are they typically used for

They can be used where you're fixing into a softish or crappy strength material, and are also good, (primarily used?), for thin material. As you tighten the bolt, the plug compresses, hence expanding the rubber to provide a secure grip. We used to carry some for fixing bracketry to rendered new builds, for example. (Saying that, I had a handful on the van for ages and never used them, but that's why the boss told me they were there ). The likes of Rawlplugs or Fischer plugs would just drop out of that breeze blockwork they use behind the rendering occasionally, (it has no great strength for holding standard fixings), but those expanding fixings allow you to get some decent grip in a pinch. Their one drawback is the oversize hole you have to drill relative to other fixing means.

 

[normspanners]

My lights are just screwed into the fascia and have been ok

 

[Robotstar5]

I've never seen these before, what are they typically used for

They hold the screen to the fairing on my bike

 

[Barlidge]

I've never seen these before, what are they typically used for

They also hold the lights onto the fibreglass on the back of my caravan

 

[Browser]

I hadn't thought if picking up the end of the rafter 123hotchef, thanks for giving me the idea though As far as I remember Ton-up it's the solid stuff, it's only just been fitted as the builder who is doing our extension had to replace it when we had the old boiler flue/chimney taken out which left a gap in the facia, and having been up near it looking for a place to fit said light I was leaning my hand on it and it didn't have the horrid hollow-and-boingy feel of the cellular stuff. I'll certainly take a look at the Rubber Well Nuts Barlidge, they look like they'll more than do the job for me if I need them.
Thanks for all the replies chaps, the it I'm not looking forward to is fishing the bloody supply cable through the loft and into the facia space as we've a 25 degree pitch on our roof and we're up to the current minimum standard for loft insulations in good old-fashioned itchy fibreglass/rockwool Ah well, it's only a brief bit of itching

 

[Robotstar5]

I'm not looking forward to is fishing the bloody supply cable through the loft and into the facia space as we've a 25 degree pitch on our roof and we're up to the current minimum standard for loft insulations in good old-fashioned itchy fibreglass/rockwool Ah well, it's only a brief bit of itching

You need a cable access kit - link

 

[Parm]

They also hold the lights onto the fibreglass on the back of my caravan

There you go, every day is a school day on this forum, these well nuts look quite handy for problem jobs

 

[ford34/2]

used to be Rawlnuts--older than me, and i`m 20+20+20=10!!

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=r...-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=9Fz9VqrdMoTNaKHavcgO

 

[Woody.v8]

used to be Rawlnuts--older than me, and i`m 20+20+20=10!!

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=r...-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=9Fz9VqrdMoTNaKHavcgO

I've always know them as Rawlnuts too! I've even got a bag of m5 of that brand

 

[Browser]

You need a cable access kit - link

Oh I've got a metal fishing tape that I use, I just bloody hate fossicking about in rockwool with no sodding room to manoeuvre properly 'cos I'm 6ft 5in tall and not built for loft crawling!