Can I put a screw into a home duct?

[AKPilot]

Man, my wife game me a project and I'm stuck!

She wanted to hange a mirror and a shelf on a wall. So I pulled out my stud finder and found out that both areas were clear of studs. Also used a tiny drill bit first to ensure I was in the clear.

All's good on the mirror. Now for the shelf underneath.

First hole goes as planned. Hollow wall anchor goes in, followed by screw. Am doing fine. So I start the last hole with the small drill bit and hit the aluminium duct.

Wife's disappointed.

So the question is, can I drill through that, put the anchor and screw in, seal it with silicon (to prevent air leak) and call it good?

Thoughts?

 

[troj]

You can, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, especially if it's a return duct -- it's just a point for dust and other junk to collect on.

-Kevin

 

[Peartree]

Ducts are assembled with self starting sheet metal screws. All those sharp points are already on the inside of that duct. I wouldn't be too concerned about adding one more screw. I *would* be concerned with using that point to hold a shelf. It would *not* support a load.

 

[cornyl]

Yes, I have done it many times. Put a whole drop ceiling on the side of one of my ducts.

 

[billspad]

So I pulled out my stud finder and found out that both areas were clear of studs.

Wouldn't it have been a better idea to find the studs and put the screws into them?

So the question is, can I drill through that, put the anchor and screw in, seal it with silicon (to prevent air leak) and call it good?

Thoughts?

You're not going to hurt the duct and the anchor you put into the duct is going to be stronger than the one you put into just sheetrock.

Is the duct really aluminum? In New England we use galvanized steel.

 

[Pat_B]

There are going to be sheet metal screws in the duct work anyway. I'd be more concerned about hanging weight onto your ductwork where it could possibly pull a joint apart inside a wall which could be dangerous if it's a vent pipe rather than just a cold air return.

 

[AKPilot]

The wall studs were too far apart for the shelf. Besides they weren't where my wife wanted the shelf.

As far as the weight of it all, I'm using a hollow wall anchor anyhow. So it'll be both against the sheetrock and the ducting.

 

[CharlaineC]

You might need to use I think their called ancor bolts or screws. the heavy duty kind that spread the weight over a large area.

 

[Peartree]

There are a couple places in our house where something needed to be hung but the studs were not in the "right" place. In those cases, a longer piece of wood trim, perhaps 1 x 4, was used to span the studs and the thing to be hung (stair railing in one case) was hung from the solid piece of wood. This wood trim can be painted to match, painted in a contrasting color, trimmed with a router and varnished or whatever your imagination and style sense prefers.

 

[billspad]

There are going to be sheet metal screws in the duct work anyway. I'd be more concerned about hanging weight onto your ductwork where it could possibly pull a joint apart inside a wall which could be dangerous if it's a vent pipe rather than just a cold air return.

Trust me on this, I've put a bit of it together over the years. The screw isn't going to pull the duct apart and if it's a vent pipe and that close to the sheetrock the screw is going to be the least of his problems.

 

[Micromeister]

Putting a screw or a thousand screws in your duct won't hurt anything AK.

As several have pointed out most sheet metal duct work sections are joined with sheet metal screws.
I'd for go the plastic anchor and just use the sms directly into a 9/64th drill bit hole of your using #7 or #8 size screws.

Ps I've attached plenty of stuff into the ducting in my own home over the 30some years we've lived in it with 0 ill effects

Hope this helps.

 

[AKPilot]

Thanks gents. It's all good.

Micro even hit the exact screw size I'm using.