Fit a kitchen fire blanket to a lath and plaster wall

Fit a fire blanket near your cooker on any kitchen wall, using the correct fixing and safety checks first.

FB-01Plan the spot and gather your toolsChoose a position 300-500mm to the side of the cooker, not directly above it, so you can reach it even if the hob is alight. Fix it at roughly 1400-1500mm from the floor, on the route towards the kitchen door. Lay out your drill, screwdriver, detector, spirit level, pencil and a dust sheet before you start.

1 each · Fire blanket with wall bracket

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1 each · Spirit level

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1 each · Dust sheet

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FB-02Work out exactly what's behind the surfaceTap the wall around your chosen spot. A dull thud usually means solid brick or block; a hollow sound can mean plasterboard on studs, dot-and-dab over masonry, or old lath and plaster on timber battens. Run a detector over the area and look for a line of screw heads or old fixing marks that show where studs or laths run. Drill one small test hole in an inconspicuous spot: fine white dust means plaster over laths or dot-and-dab, timber dust means a wood stud or lath, and fine grey swarf means a metal stud.

1 each · Cable, pipe and stud detector

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FB-03Check for cables and pipes before you drillKitchen walls often hide sockets, cooker wiring and pipework, and detectors miss cables that are deep, run in metal conduit, or sit behind metal-backed plasterboard. Find your stopcock, usually under the kitchen sink, and check it turns freely so you can shut the water off fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt at all, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling, and turn the water off at the stopcock before cutting into anything that could carry water. Drill your test hole slowly and stop the moment you feel or see anything unexpected.

FB-04Fit the right wall fixing for your wall typeOn solid brick or block, drill a 6mm hole to the depth of the plug, fit a wall plug, and drive in a wood screw. On plasterboard over timber studs, screw straight into the centre of the stud with a wood screw. On plasterboard over metal studs, use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor rated for the weight, never a plain wall plug or ordinary wood screw, which will strip straight through 0.5mm steel. On dot-and-dab plasterboard, use a fixing long enough to pass through the board and adhesive dabs into the masonry behind, typically 60-75mm. On lath and plaster, aim the screw into the timber lath itself rather than just the plaster skin, using a masonry-style plug if the lath feels soft or crumbly, and put a strip of masking tape over the drilling point first to stop the old plaster cracking. A fire blanket bracket is light, so a stud or lath fixing between the studs is enough here; you don't need a noggin or pattress for this job.

1 pack · Wall plugs (assorted)

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1 pack · Wood screws 6x30mm

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1 pack · Self-drilling metal-stud fixings

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1 pack · Plasterboard toggle fixings

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1 pack · Long dot-and-dab fixings 65mm

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1 roll · Masking tape

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FB-05Mount the bracket and hang the blanketHold the bracket against the wall, check it's level, and mark the fixing points with a pencil. Drill and fit using the correct method from the previous step, then screw the bracket firmly to the wall. Slot the fire blanket into the bracket and make sure it sits flat and doesn't wobble.

FB-06Test the release and tidy upPull the release tab or straps to check the blanket comes free easily without removing the bracket from the wall, then put it back. Vacuum any drilling dust from the floor and worktop, and wipe down the wall. Show everyone in the household where the blanket is and how it releases in an emergency.

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