Fit a kitchen utensil rail to a solid brick or block wall

Fix a sturdy utensil rail to a solid brick or block wall, checking for cables and pipes before drilling.

KR-01Clear the area and check your kitMove anything off the worktop below where the rail will go and lay a dust sheet on the surface. Open the rail pack and check it has all screws, wall plugs and brackets. Get your tools together: masonry drill bit, hammer drill or SDS drill, screwdriver, pencil, tape measure, spirit level and a cable/pipe detector.

1 each · Utensil rail kit (with screws and plugs)

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1 each · Dust sheet

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KR-02Mark the height and hole positionsHold the rail against the wall at a comfortable height, clear of the worktop and any splashback tiles' grout lines where possible. Use a spirit level to get it dead level, then mark through the fixing holes with a pencil. Double-check the spacing matches the rail before you drill anything.

1 each · Spirit level

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1 each · Pencil

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KR-03Check for cables and pipes, and know how to stop themRun your detector slowly over each marked point. Cables and pipes can run almost anywhere, and detectors miss deep cables, ones in metal conduit, or anything behind metal-backed board, so treat every hole as if something could be there. Find your stopcock now, usually under the kitchen sink, and check it turns before you drill. If you have any doubt at all, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit and turn off the water at the stopcock before you drill near a socket, switch or pipe run.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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KR-04Drill through tiles, if the rail sits on a splashbackUse a tile-rated masonry bit and switch off the hammer action on your drill. Put a strip of masking tape over the mark so the bit doesn't skate, then drill slowly at low speed until you're through the glaze and tile body. Once through the tile, switch the hammer action back on to carry on into the brick or block behind.

1 each · Tile-rated masonry drill bit

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1 roll · Masking tape

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KR-05Drill into the brick or block and fit the wall plugsSwitch to a masonry bit matching your wall plug size, usually 6mm or 7mm, and drill to a depth of 40-50mm so the plug seats fully in solid material, not just a soft mortar line. Hold a vacuum nozzle under the hole as you drill to catch the dust. Push the plugs in flush with the wall, tapping gently with a hammer if needed.

1 each · Masonry drill bit (6mm)

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4 each · Wall plugs (rated for brick/block)

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KR-06Fix the rail to the wallLine the rail up with the plugged holes and drive the screws in with a screwdriver, tightening evenly across all fixings rather than fully tightening one at a time. Check the rail with a spirit level once it's up, and adjust before the final tighten if it's out.

4 each · Screws (supplied with rail, or 40mm)

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1 each · Screwdriver

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KR-07Tidy up and load the railVacuum up the dust and wipe down the tiles and worktop below. Give the rail a firm tug test before hanging anything heavy on it. Hang utensils evenly along the rail rather than piling weight at one end.

1 each · Vacuum cleaner (with brush attachment)

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