Clip loose pipes to the wall — HomeGraft

Work out what's behind the wall, then fix pipe clips into brick, stud or dot-and-dab with the right screw for each.

CP-01Plan the run and gather toolsWalk the pipe run and mark where each clip needs to sit. As a rough guide, support 15mm pipe every 1.2m running horizontally and every 1.8m running vertically; support 22mm pipe every 1.8m horizontal and 2.4m vertical. Buy enough clips for the run, plus spare screws in case any strip or snap.

6 each · Pipe clips (15mm or 22mm)

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1 each · Tape measure

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1 each · Pencil

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CP-02Work out what wall you're fixing intoTap the wall along the pipe run. Solid brick or block sounds dead and solid everywhere. Plasterboard on studs sounds hollow between fixings and solid roughly every 400-600mm - use a stud detector or a magnet tracking a line of screw heads to find the studs. Dot-and-dab plasterboard sounds hollow but has masonry only 10-50mm behind it; lath-and-plaster feels slightly springy and is common in houses built before the 1930s.

1 each · Stud detector

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CP-03Check for cables and pipes before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, not just where you'd expect. Use a detector, but still treat every spot as live until you've proved otherwise - detectors miss deep cables, cables in metal conduit, cables behind metal-backed plasterboard, and metal stud frames confuse cheap detectors further. Find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns before you start, and if you have any doubt at all, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit first.

CP-04Fix into solid brick or blockHold the clip in place and mark the screw hole. Drill a 6mm hole about 35mm deep for a standard No.8 screw, fit a matching plug, then drive the screw through the clip until snug.

6 each · Red/brown wall plugs

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6 each · No.8 screws, 40mm

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1 each · Masonry drill bit, 6mm

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CP-05Fix into dot-and-dab plasterboardDot-and-dab plasterboard sits on adhesive dabs, with gaps up to 50mm behind the board. Use a fixing long enough to pass through the board and at least 30mm into the solid masonry behind - a long frame fixing or masonry screw with a matching plug. Drill slowly and check the fixing draws up tight against solid masonry, not just a dab.

6 each · Frame fixings, 80mm

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CP-06Fix into plasterboard on timber studsConfirm timber by drilling a small pilot hole at the stud line - timber dust means you're in the right place. Drive a wood screw (around 4mm x 40mm) straight into the centre of the stud, no plug needed. If a clip has to sit between studs, use a lightweight hollow-wall fixing rated for the pipe's weight rather than screwing into bare plasterboard.

6 each · Wood screws, 4mm x 40mm

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2 each · Lightweight hollow-wall fixings

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CP-07Fix into plasterboard on metal studsA pilot hole bringing out fine grey swarf instead of dust means you've hit a metal stud - common in flats and anything built or refitted since the 1990s. Use a self-drilling metal-stud screw or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor made for metal studs; never a plain plastic plug or an ordinary wood screw, which strips straight through 0.5mm steel. A metal stud alone won't hold a heavy pipe run long-term - if in doubt, fix through to a timber noggin between the studs or through to the masonry behind.

6 each · Self-drilling metal-stud screws

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2 each · Toggle-type hollow-wall anchors

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CP-08Fix into lath-and-plasterLocate a solid lath rather than a gap between laths - it feels firmer under light tapping. Pre-drill a small pilot hole to stop the old plaster cracking, then drive a shorter fine screw (around 3.5mm x 30mm) gently by hand or on a low drill setting. Avoid plastic plugs here - old lime plaster crumbles around them.

6 each · Fine screws, 3.5mm x 30mm

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CP-09Fit the clips and secure the pipeOpen or thread each clip around the pipe and offer it to the fixing point, then drive the screw home. Tighten until the pipe is held firmly but not squeezed, especially with plastic pipe, and use a spirit level along the run to keep it straight or with the correct fall if it's a drain pipe.

1 each · Spirit level

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1 each · Screwdriver or drill/driver

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CP-10Tidy up and testVacuum up dust and screw shavings from the floor and any furniture below. Turn the water back on if you isolated it, run water through the pipe, and check every clip and joint for leaks or movement before you consider the job finished.

1 each · Vacuum cleaner

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1 each · Cloth

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