Fit a key holder to a dot-and-dab plasterboard wall

Fit a wall-mounted key holder to dot-and-dab plasterboard, with fixings sorted for whatever is really behind the wall.

KH-01Gather your tools and pick a spotYou'll need a detector, drill, spirit level, pencil, tape measure and screwdriver. Pick a spot away from doorframes and light switches, roughly 1400-1500mm up from the floor so keys are easy to reach. Hold the key holder against the wall to check the spacing of its fixing holes.

1 each · Key holder (with fixing screws included)

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1 each · Spirit level

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1 each · Pencil

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KH-02Work out what's really behind the plasterboardDot-and-dab feels hollow with occasional firm spots roughly every 300-450mm — those are the adhesive blobs holding the board to the masonry behind. Run a detector over the area first, then tap along the wall to confirm. A stud wall sounds hollow with a firmer knock every 400-600mm, and a magnet dragged along the wall will stick to the screw heads fixing the board to the frame underneath.

1 each · Stud/cable detector

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KH-03Check what your pilot hole tells you, and find your stopcockIf a small test hole brings out pale timber dust, you're into a timber stud or a timber noggin behind the dab. Fine grey metal swarf means a metal stud track — common in flats and anything built or refitted since the 1990s. Cables and pipes can run almost anywhere, so use a detector but still expect something to be there until you've proved otherwise. Find your stopcock now, usually under the kitchen sink, and check it turns freely. If there's any doubt at all, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit before you drill any further, and be ready to shut the water off at the stopcock if you hit a pipe.

KH-04Mark your holes and drill the right fixing for your wallHold the key holder level and mark through its fixing holes. For dot-and-dab, drill through the plasterboard and the adhesive dabs into the solid masonry behind — use a long masonry fixing (75-90mm) sized so it grips the brick or block, not just the plasterboard. For a timber stud, drill a 3mm pilot hole into the centre of the stud and use a 40mm wood screw. For a metal stud, use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor rated for the weight — never a plain wall plug or an ordinary wood screw, as both strip straight through 0.5mm steel. For solid brick or block with no dab layer, drill a 6mm hole 40mm deep and use a standard wall plug and screw. For lath and plaster, use a spring or gravity toggle that bridges the gap behind the laths rather than screwing straight into them, as the laths alone won't hold.

1 pack of 10 · Frame fixings, 75mm (for dot-and-dab)

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1 pack of 4 · Metal-stud toggle anchor

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1 pack of 20 · Wall plugs, red (for solid masonry)

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1 each · Masonry drill bit, 6mm

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KH-05Fit the key holder to the wallPush or screw the fixings home so they sit flush, then fix the key holder in place using its screws. Tighten firmly but don't overtighten, especially into a toggle fixing, as this can crush the plasterboard around it. Check it's level again before you finish.

KH-06Test the hold and tidy upHang your heaviest bunch of keys on it and give the holder a firm downward and outward tug to check it's solid. Vacuum up any plaster or masonry dust from the floor and skirting, and bin the packaging.

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