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Just moved to an old house, and want to hang some pictures. External walls are brick, but the inside of the external walls sound hollow if you knock on them, although there are areas that sound very solid too.
Previously, I've just drilled into brick walls and raw plugged and screwed for pictures, but unsure what fixings to use here, don't want to mess up the walls. Pictures are fairly heavy, so it needs to be right. House was built around 1800.
Possibly dot and dabbed plasterboard or insulated plasterboard. If it is you can try long screws through to brick behind or plasterboard fixings just into the board (They can be pretty strong)
Edit: Ignore me, misread your post.
Sounds like mine.
Probably solid stone walls with no cavity with a drylined (plasterboard), modern wall on the inside. Those solid bits you find are probably timber batons that the plasterboard is attached to - or dot a dab adhesive where the plasterboard is glued right on to the stonework instead of using batons.
You will need plasterboard fixings to hang stuff - special plugs that expand once they are poked through the plasterboard. Loads of choice at B&Q. The plastic types will work just like a normal plug if you drill them into a 'dab' of glue. That's for hanging pictures. Anything more burly and you should look to make sure your fixings make it through the the stonework.
OP states he has brick outside
Sounds more like you've outer brick with cavity and inner block construction.
Thats then rendered (not plastered) over.
Central heating wrecks it and it "blows" as it drys out.
Thats the hollow noise you're hearing. Where the render has come away from the blockwork.
Best way is just ot find somewhere you don't mind a hole and drill it.
Keep an eye on what comes out of the hole.
dark grey and it'll be the cement block.
All white will be plaster/plasterboard.
Red/brown is brick.
Wood shavings - well you get the idea
When I say solid areas I mean 3ft square patches that are rock hard/solid and then big areas of hollow sounding wall.
The walls are a little undulating, so I suspect it's not modern plaster board.
Unfortunately it does sound like areas of blown render.
Had this with external render on our house, it sounded blown when tapping it but the render had been mixed so strong it was more like cast iron and would easily take a fixing.
House was built around 1800.
Not block or plasterboard in that age of house.
What you most likely have are internal brick walls which have been plastered.
Over time the plaster loses it's grip on the wall and becomes boss - comes away slightly leaving a hollow void between the plaster and the wall.
This is the hollow sound you're hearing and the cause of your undulating walls.
The solid areas are where the plaster has held.
The good news is that there's solid brick behind there.
The bad news is that when you take a drill to it, it might come away from the wall in huge sheets.
What'll come out when you drill it will be grey plaster most likely with hair through it followed by red / black dust from the brick
As per hammyuk find a secluded spot, drill a small hole and see what comes out. Sounds a bit weird having areas as large as 3ft square with different types of construction.
What you most likely have are internal brick walls which have been plastered.
Over time the plaster loses it's grip on the wall and becomes boss - comes away slightly leaving a hollow void between the plaster and the wall. . THis is the hollow sound you're hearing and the cause of your undulating walls.
The solid areas are where the plaster has held.
I think this is it. I'm going to have to be brave and drill a hole I think.
Drill a hole in one of the solid bits first. THis'll tell you what the construction is.
Then, you can get brave if you like.
do they all sound like that? Other option is lathe & plaster (get that in our house, around 1880 IIRC.
as per PP before, possibly lime plaster, hollow in places fairly normal, but lime is great, just test drill through and fix to masonry.
Old lime plaster likely to be lumpy and also may have horse hair within as binding matter. Lime also does a good job of moisture management, keep it if you can. Enjoy your character home:)
As said above - the "issue" with anything like this is our modern need for central heating.
The amount of moisture held in the walls originally was perfect to keep the construction good.
Add dry heat and you get exactly what you have now.
My other house the Ex&kids are in had this - every single room back to bare wall due to it drying out.
When you drill be ready for the masony or you'll end up with a hole in the wrong places as drill finds its centre of its own.
Ffs just drill a hole then make a judgement from there 😉
Or try peeling a bit of the wallpaper off.
When the whole bloody lot falls to the ground and you are left with a masonry wall just waiting for some old industrial lights and a 1960s coffee machine you know you've got blown plaster.
Look for hardwall picture hooks. We were recommended them by our picture framer.
Take a hammer hit to put up, just need to double up for really big heavy stuff.
This was in an old house with stone walls skimmed over/filled in with plaster that could be 2mm or 120mm with the occasional lathe and plaster dividing wall too.
Best of all, when we moved out, a quick wiggle and twist with some pliers and it looked as if there had just been drawing pins there.
A proper revelation after loads of potluck drilling.
[i]The good news is that there's solid brick behind there.[/i]
The [b]bad[/b] news is that you've no insulation...