Fit a kitchen roll holder to a dot-and-dab plasterboard wall

Fix a kitchen roll holder securely to a dot-and-dab plasterboard wall using a fixing long enough to reach the solid wall behind.

KRH-01Gather your tools and choose a spotPick a spot near the worktop or cooker where the roll is easy to reach but not too close to a hob or hot surface. Hold the holder against the wall at a comfortable height (roughly 250-300mm above the worktop) and mark the fixing points with a pencil, using a spirit level to keep it straight.

1 each · Kitchen roll holder kit

Buy:B&QAmazon

1 each · Pencil

Buy:Tooled UpB&QAmazon

1 each · Spirit level (250mm)

Buy:Tooled UpB&QAmazon

1 each · Tape measure

Buy:Tooled UpB&QAmazon

1 each · Cordless drill/driver

Buy:Tooled UpMachine MartB&QAmazon

KRH-02Work out what's behind the plasterboardDot-and-dab is plasterboard glued to the brick or block wall with blobs of adhesive, leaving a gap of 10-40mm behind it - tapping the wall gives a mix of hollow and solid sounds depending on where the dabs are. Run a stud detector or a magnet over the wall first to rule out a timber or metal stud wall; a line of regular screw heads under the plaster, or a magnet catching on fixings, means it's a stud wall instead. Drill a small pilot hole at one marked point: if it goes through around 10-15mm of board then feels like empty air before hitting something hard, that's dot-and-dab; timber dust means a timber stud; fine grey swarf means a metal stud.

1 each · Stud detector

Buy:Tooled UpB&QAmazon

KRH-03Safety check before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a kitchen wall, especially near a sink or cooker point, and cheap detectors can miss cables that are deep, in conduit, or behind metal-backed board. Use your detector, then still treat the wall as if something is there until you've drilled a shallow test hole and checked what comes out. Find your stopcock now (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns, so you can shut the water off fast if you hit a pipe; if you have any doubt at all, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit before drilling.

KRH-04Fit the right fixing for your wallFor dot-and-dab: drill through the plasterboard and dab with a 6mm masonry bit, keep drilling into the brick or block behind by at least 25mm, then use a dot-and-dab through-wall fixing (a long screw with a sleeve that bridges the air gap) rather than a plain wall plug, which will just sit loose in the cavity. For a timber stud: drill a pilot hole and drive a wood screw into the centre of the stud. For a metal stud: use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or hollow-wall toggle - never a plastic plug or wood screw, as these strip straight through 0.5mm steel. For solid brick or block with no dot-and-dab: use a 6mm masonry bit, insert a wall plug, and drive a 40mm screw. For lath and plaster: drill slowly to avoid cracking the laths and use a spring toggle fixing unless you can find a joist or stud to screw into.

1 each · Masonry drill bit 6mm

Buy:Tooled UpMachine MartB&QAmazon

1 pack · Dot-and-dab through-wall fixings (pack of 4)

Buy:Travis PerkinsB&QAmazon

1 box · Wood screws 40mm (box)

Buy:Travis PerkinsB&QAmazon

1 pack · Metal-stud toggle fixings (pack)

Buy:Travis PerkinsB&QAmazon

1 pack · Wall plugs (pack)

Buy:Travis PerkinsB&QAmazon

KRH-05Fit the bracket or backplateHold the backplate against the wall, check it's level, and mark the fixing holes again if needed. Drive the fixings home so the plate sits flush and doesn't wobble, checking the level once more before fully tightening.

KRH-06Attach the arm and test itClip or screw the roll-holder arm onto the fitted bracket, following the kit's instructions. Load a full roll and pull on it firmly a few times to check the fixing holds and doesn't flex or pull away from the wall.

KRH-07Tidy upVacuum up any plaster or masonry dust from the floor and worktop, and wipe the wall down with a damp cloth. Put your tools away and dispose of the packaging.

1 each · Dust sheet

Buy:Tooled UpB&QAmazon

Travis Perkins, Tooled Up and Machine Mart links are affiliate links: if you buy after clicking, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. B&Q and Amazon links are plain searches and earn us nothing.

Save this as a project

Back to all guides

Related guides