Drywall/plaster, cavity, then stone - how to mount on this?

Hello,

I just moved into a new apartment and want to install bike mounts on the living room wall. First I tried a drywall anchor, but after screwing it about 3/8" into the wall with just my hand, it wouldn't go in any further. I drilled a pilot hole to help, and saw that the anchor had been hitting wood - there were wood pieces on my drill bit and wood dust came out of the hole. This made me think I hit a stud, but it's also only about 3/8" thick - then I reached a cavity. So does this mean the wall is plaster and lathe? It's 3/4" thick before I reach the cavity.

I figured I couldn't use a drywall anchor here, so I thought I'd try a toggle bolt. I made the pilot hole 1/2" in diameter to fit the metal bracket of the toggle bolt through, and I stuck the toggle bolt in the hole and reached the cavity, but then I realized that the cavity is only about 7/8" deep before I hit brick. The living room wall has the entry staircase for the apartment building on the other side of it, and this stairwell has brick walls. The metal bracket on the toggle bolt is 2" long, and the cavity is only 7/8" deep, so it doesn't have enough space to turn to be parallel to the wall on the inside of the cavity. So I guess this won't work either.

Now I'm thinking I could install masonry screws on the brick that lies underneath my living room wall, but the screws would have to go through the 7/8" cavity and the 3/4" living room wall before they got to the inside of my living room to receive the bike mount. I'm wondering if this will compromise the strength of the screws, because it's increasing the length of the lever arm that would be pulling the screw down and out of the brick.

Do you have any suggestions as to how I can install bike mounts on the wall, or what material you think my living room wall is (i.e. is it plaster and lathe?)? We hope to install 3 bike mounts on this wall, on top of each other, staggered to the left and right, like a zig zag going up the wall. Thank you for any thoughts you have.

Do you have the approval of the complex for this installation?

I have the approval of my landlord for general wall installations in my apartment. Do you think I need special approval for this? My only relationship in the building is with the owner. It's a 7 flat building in Chicago.

Another thing - I hung a mirror in our bedroom with two picture hangers. When I hammered the nails for the picture hanger into the wall, I heard what sounded like some of the inside of the wall crumbling and falling to the floor inside the wall. I see nothing on the inside of the room, outside the wall. Does anyone know what this could be?

I would obtain specific written approval.

Find another wall or buy a kick stand.

1st, I'd buy a stud finder and start from any recepticle on that wall.

If the studs don't conform to the OP's "expectations" for the racks he can mount a 1X and work from there.

Aesthetics will be far less important than the owner not refunding their deposit, for damages.

I would go with this instead. You can take it with you when you move out and no damage to the walls or ceiling. I made something like this when I lived in a townhouse so I could hang my bikes in the front entry way and not have to drag them down into the basement every day. I rented the basement out and didn't want to disturb my tenant.

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product2_10052_10551_1023855_-1

There are other types available at the link as well.

This one might be better, read all the reviews before buying.

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product2_10052_10551_1191708_-1

Thank you all for your thoughts! I am going to find studs and mount 1x's to install the bike mounts on. I used a stud finder to search for studs, and this was hard. I realized through my brain and through research that it can be hard to use a stud finder on plaster/lath walls, so I'm going to get a strong magnet and use it to find the nails that connect the laths to the studs, and in so doing I'll find studs to mount my 1x on. I'll let you guys know how it turns out.

Thanks! - BenG

If there is a recepticle on the wall, there will be a stud within 3/4", one side or the other.