Fit a kitchen roll holder to a lath and plaster wall

Fit a screw-in kitchen roll holder to a lath and plaster wall safely, finding solid timber behind the laths for a secure hold.

KR-01Check the wall and mark the fixing pointsConfirm the wall is lath and plaster, not plasterboard or solid masonry, before you start. Hold the holder against the wall at a comfortable height, level it with a spirit level, and mark the two fixing holes with a pencil. Keep marks at least 150mm from any door frame or corner so you're working on a solid section of wall.

1 each · Pencil

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1 each · Spirit level

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KR-02Work out what's behind the lathsLath and plaster is almost always fixed to timber studs, not metal ones — metal stud framing didn't exist when this wall type was built. Run a detector over your marks, then drill a small 2mm pilot hole to check: fine pale timber dust means you've hit a stud, and a softer, gritty feel with no wood dust means you're between studs, in plaster and lath only. If the dust is fine grey metal swarf instead, you actually have plasterboard on metal studs — stop and check your wall type again, as the fixings below are for timber studs and lath, not steel.

1 each · Stud/cable detector

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1 each · 2mm drill bit

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KR-03Do your safety checks before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere behind a wall, and a detector can miss them if they're deep, boxed in metal conduit, or outside the usual safe zones. Find your stopcock now, 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, turn off the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling, and don't drill deeper than you need to for a kitchen roll holder.

KR-04Drill the pilot holesIf your test hole found a timber stud, drill a pilot hole through the plaster, lath and into the stud, sized slightly smaller than your screw. If you're fixing between studs, into the laths alone, drill through the plaster gently — lath and plaster is brittle and can crack if you push too hard or drill too fast. Clear dust from the hole with a soft brush as you go.

1 each · 3mm masonry/wood drill bit

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1 each · Dust sheet

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KR-05Fit the right fixing for what you foundInto a solid timber stud, use a plain wood screw long enough to bite at least 25mm into the timber — no wall plug needed, timber holds a screw thread on its own. Between studs, where you're only fixing into lath and plaster, use a spring toggle or self-drilling hollow-wall fixing rated for at least 3kg, since laths can crumble or pull loose under a plain screw or plastic plug. A kitchen roll holder is light, so either method holds it easily once the fixing is properly seated.

2 each · 40mm wood screws

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2 each · Spring toggle fixings (for lath and plaster)

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KR-06Attach the holder and check it's secureScrew the holder base to the wall through your fixings, tightening evenly so it sits flat and doesn't rock. Give it a firm tug and a side-to-side wiggle to test the hold before you load it up. If it moves at all, remove it and refit using a stud fixing point instead of a lath-only one.

1 each · Kitchen roll holder (screw-fit)

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KR-07Fill any marks and clean upDab a little fine filler into any hairline cracks around the fixing holes and smooth it flat with your finger or a small filler blade. Let it dry, then touch up with matching paint if needed. Sweep up plaster dust and pack away your tools.

1 tube · Fine surface filler

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1 each · Filler blade

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