Maximum radiator size fixed to plasterboard.

[MickBrown]

A customer wants a radiator moving from one side of a partition wall to the other. Currently the radiator is a 600 x 400 single panel probably only fixed to plasterboard with no battens. The customer would like the new radiator to be bigger as the room it is going in to is cold as the radiator in there is too small. To fix battens would involve cutting large areas of plasterboard, so I would like to fit it to the plasterboard with good plasterboard fixings and 3 fixings per bracket. I am looking at a 600 x 500 double panel and I am assuming the plasterboard is worst case 9.5mm thick and not 12.5mm. Would this work?
The radiator in the room already is single panel and fixed to an outside wall, it may be a better option to upgrade this to a double panel to solve the problem. The room is quite large and moving the smaller radiator would put a radiator at both ends of the room.

The house is a one bedroom bungalow. The boiler is a Gloworm 24ci and I have calculated the current radiator set up demands about 15,000 BTU so any upgrades should be okay.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

if you can find where the timber framing is you will be able to fix into it making it nice and secure.

 

[Puddle]

As said best to find a stud and fit batten however a option also would be to double up on the wall brackets,if you get an extra set ,you should find you can fit them side by side and the holding bar on the rad should be wide enough for both to fit on,fit as you say with correct fittings,three on each,I prefer self screw type,also before fixing brackets to wall,apply silicon to all the backs of brackets,this helps bond brackets to wall but also stops any movement of the brackets thus keeping fixings tight
This will hold the rad no problem however you have the problem of people leaning on it,so always good to put a little higher out of inviting bum height

imho

 

[stevetheplumber]

i find when ever ive been asked to refix rads that have come adrift on plasterboard walls most have been fitted wrong from the start were all tempted to just knock a hole in the board with a screwdriver and ream it out a bit for the toggles but what is the right sized hole at the front is a crater on the back and realy weakens the fixxing
drilling the right sized hole for toggles is very important
as mentioned above a bit of silicon helps as well
and even if you can get one bracket on a stud its better than none