Fit a fold-down wall desk to a lath and plaster wall

Fix a fold-down desk securely into the structure behind lath and plaster, plasterboard or masonry, not into the fragile finish alone.

FD-01Check the desk kit and plan its positionRead the manufacturer's weight rating and fixing instructions, since fold-down desks vary widely in what they can take. Pick a height that suits how you'll use it, usually 720-750mm from the floor, and check nothing behind the wall like a light switch or pipe run gets in the way. Mark the rough position lightly in pencil before you commit to anything.

1 each · Fold-down desk kit

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1 each · Pencil

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1 each · Tape measure

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FD-02Work out exactly what's behind your plasterLath and plaster is lime plaster on thin timber laths nailed across timber studs, giving a hollow, slightly crackly sound when tapped, with a magnet or detector finding the nail heads and studs beneath. Some older houses have solid plaster straight onto brick or block instead, which sounds dull and solid and gives brick dust from a small test hole. If your wall is plasterboard on studs rather than lath and plaster, check whether the studs are timber or metal: run a magnet along a line of screw heads. Timber studs give a soft pull from steel screws, metal studs give a strong sharp pull from the frame itself, and a 3mm pilot hole brings out pale timber dust from timber or fine grey swarf from metal.

1 each · Stud detector

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1 each · Small strong magnet

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FD-03Find your fixing points behind the surfaceA fold-down desk pulls away from the wall every time it's used, so it must fix into solid structure, not just the plaster or plasterboard skin. On lath and plaster, locate the timber studs behind the laths and never rely on the lath and plaster alone, since it will crack and pull free under load. On dot-and-dab plasterboard, you need fixings long enough to pass through the board, cross the adhesive dab gap, and anchor into the solid masonry behind. Mark two or three fixing points at least 400mm apart, checking each one lands on a stud centre or solid masonry rather than a gap.

FD-04Take safety precautions before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, not just in the usual safe zones, so use a detector but still treat every spot as if something could be live or full of water. Find your stopcock, usually under the kitchen sink, and check it turns freely before you start, so you can shut off the water fast if you hit a pipe. A metal stud frame can confuse cheap detectors further, so if you have any doubt at all, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling, and turn off the stopcock before cutting into any wall that could hide plumbing.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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FD-05Mark and level the fixing pointsHold the desk bracket or backplate against the wall at your chosen height and check it's level with a spirit level. Mark each fixing hole through the bracket in pencil, then double-check the marks land on the stud or masonry found in step three, not in the gaps between.

FD-06Drill and fix into lath and plaster or solid masonryFor lath and plaster, drill a 3mm pilot hole through the plaster and lath into the timber stud behind, then fix with a countersunk wood screw, usually 60-70mm, driven into the centre of the stud so it grips solid timber, not the fragile lath. For solid brick or block behind lime plaster, drill with a 7mm masonry bit to the plug's depth, insert a matching wall plug, and drive in an 8x60mm screw. Drill a few millimetres deeper than the fixing length to leave room for dust, and clear the hole out before fitting the plug or screw.

4 each · Wood screws 8x60mm

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4 each · Yellow wall plugs 7mm

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4 each · Masonry screws 8x60mm

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FD-07Drill and fix into stud or dot-and-dab wallsFor plasterboard on timber studs, drive a wood screw straight into the centre of the stud with no plug needed. For plasterboard on metal studs, use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or toggle-type hollow-wall anchor rated for the load, never a plain plastic plug or ordinary wood screw, which strips straight through 0.5mm steel. A fold-down desk pulls on its fixings constantly, so a metal stud alone will not hold it, and you need a timber noggin fitted between the studs or a fixing through to the masonry behind. For dot-and-dab plasterboard, use a long fixing, typically 75-100mm, that passes through the board, crosses the dab gap, and anchors into the solid masonry behind, since a standard wall plug in dot-and-dab only grips the thin plasterboard skin and pulls straight out.

4 each · Self-drilling metal-stud fixings

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1 length · Timber noggin 50x50mm

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4 each · Long fixings for dot-and-dab (75mm)

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FD-08Fit the desk bracket to the wallWith the right fixings ready, hold the bracket up to your marks, insert the screws or anchors, and tighten evenly across all fixing points so the bracket doesn't twist. Check the bracket is still level once fully tightened, adjusting the fixings if one side has pulled slightly during tightening.

FD-09Attach the desk top and test the fold actionFit the desk top to the bracket following the kit's instructions, then fold it up and down a few times to check the hinge moves smoothly and locks flat against the wall when not in use. Check for any wobble at the wall fixings, and if you feel movement, stop and add another fixing point rather than trusting the desk as it is.

FD-10Load test and tidy upFold the desk down and gradually add weight, such as books or a laptop, checking the wall fixings stay solid before you trust it with daily use. Wipe away any plaster dust, vacuum the floor, and put your tools away.

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