Fit a dado rail to a lath and plaster wall — HomeGraft

Fit a dado rail to a lath and plaster wall by finding the timber behind the plaster and fixing into it, not the lath.

DR-01Mark a level line at dado heightDecide your height - traditionally around 900-1000mm from the floor, or roughly a third of the way up the wall. Use a spirit level or laser level to mark a continuous, level line right around the room, including across any chimney breast or stud partition wall.

1 each · Spirit level or laser level

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1 each · Pencil

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1 each · Tape measure

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DR-02Check for cables and pipes before you drill anythingOld lath and plaster walls often hide wiring in the void behind the laths, and detectors can miss cables that are deep or run outside the usual safe zones. Use your detector along the whole line, but still treat every spot as live until you prove otherwise with a careful pilot hole. Find your stopcock now (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns freely, and if you have any doubt, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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DR-03Work out what's behind the plasterTap along your marked line every 50-100mm. A dull, solid thud means you're over a timber stud or joist behind the laths. A hollow, bouncy sound means you're over lath only, between the timbers. Confirm with a small pilot hole in an inconspicuous spot - fine timber dust means you've hit solid wood, and laths are usually spaced every 400-600mm, so use this rhythm to map out your fixing points along the whole wall.

1 each · 3mm drill bit

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DR-04Choose the right fixing for lath and plasterWhere your line crosses a timber stud, use a wood screw driven at least 40mm into the solid timber - this is what actually holds the rail. Never rely on the lath itself; it's thin, brittle timber with gaps and will crack out under load. For any gap between studs where you can't avoid fixing into lath alone, use a hollow-wall toggle fixing rated for a wall thickness of 20-30mm, and keep these to a minimum.

20 each · Wood screws 50mm

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6 each · Hollow-wall toggle fixings

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DR-05Change your fixing if the rail crosses onto a different wall typeIf your dado run continues onto a chimney breast or partition wall, the wall type changes and so does the fixing. Solid brick or block: drill with a 6mm masonry bit, fit a Rawlplug, then a woodscrew. Plasterboard on timber studs: screw straight into the centre of each stud, using a plasterboard toggle only for the light sections in between. Plasterboard on metal studs: never use a plain plastic plug or a wood screw, as it strips straight through 0.5mm steel - use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing at each stud, and a toggle fixing between them. Dot-and-dab plasterboard: use a fixing long enough (60-70mm) to pass through the airgap and dab and bite into the masonry behind for the main support points.

6 each · Rawlplugs 6mm

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6 each · Self-drilling metal-stud fixings

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4 each · Long masonry fixings 70mm

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DR-06Cut and mitre the rail lengthsMeasure each wall run and transfer the measurements onto your dado rail. Cut internal corners at 45° so the two lengths meet neatly in the angle, and cut external corners the same way but with the mitre reversed. Dry-fit each piece before cutting the next to check the angles are true.

15 m · Dado rail

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1 each · Mitre saw or mitre block

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DR-07Mark your drilling pointsHold the first length up to your level line and mark through onto the wall at each stud position you found earlier. Space fixings evenly, roughly every 400-600mm, and always mark a fixing point close to each end and either side of a joint.

DR-08Drill and fix the first lengthDrill your pilot holes at the marked points, going carefully and slowly through the plaster skin so you don't crack it. Stop as soon as you feel the drill bite into solid timber if you're on a stud, or use your toggle fixing where you're over lath only. Screw the rail on firmly but don't overtighten, as old plaster is brittle and can crack around the fixing.

1 each · Cordless drill driver

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DR-09Fix the remaining lengths and cornersWork around the room, checking your level line as you go since old walls are rarely perfectly straight. Glue mitred joints with a wood adhesive before screwing either side, so the corner pulls tight and stays that way.

1 each · Wood adhesive

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DR-10Fill screw holes and jointsFill every screw hole and mitre gap with decorators' caulk or fine surface filler. Smooth it in with a damp finger or a filling knife and wipe away any excess before it dries.

1 tube · Decorators caulk

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1 tub · Fine surface filler

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DR-11Sand and paint the railOnce the filler is fully dry, sand it smooth and wipe away the dust with a damp cloth. Apply a coat of primer or undercoat, then your topcoat, following the paint manufacturer's drying times between coats.

1 pack · Fine sandpaper

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1 litre · Primer/undercoat

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1 litre · Topcoat paint

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DR-12Clean upLath and plaster dust is heavy and gritty, so vacuum it rather than sweeping it into the air. Wipe down skirting and floor with a damp cloth, dispose of offcuts, and give your tools a wipe before putting them away.

1 each · Dust sheet

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