KITCHENS

Fit a magnetic knife strip to a metal stud wall

Fix a magnetic knife strip safely to any kitchen wall, using the right fixing for brick, plasterboard, metal studs, or dot-and-dab.

AB-01Choose your spot and check for hazardsPick a place above the worktop, clear of sockets and away from the sink splashback. Cables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, so sweep the area with a detector first — but still treat it as if something is there until you've proven otherwise, since detectors miss deep cables, cables in metal conduit, and anything behind metal-backed plasterboard. Find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns freely before you start. If you have any doubt at all, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit before drilling, and turn the water off at the stopcock before drilling anywhere near pipework.
1 each · Cable and pipe detector
AB-02Work out what's behind the wallRun a stud detector or a strong magnet across the wall, tracking a line of screw heads. A strong, repeated magnetic hit means metal studs; nothing means timber studs. Tap the wall — solid brick or block sounds dead all over, plasterboard sounds hollow between studs and firmer on the stud line itself. Drill a small 3mm pilot hole at your marked point: fine grey swarf means metal stud, timber dust means timber stud, and dust followed by a solid stop past 12-15mm and again at 40mm-plus suggests dot-and-dab over masonry.
1 each · 3mm HSS drill bit
AB-03Mark and level the fixing pointsHold the strip against the wall at the height you want and use a spirit level to get it dead level. Mark the screw holes lightly in pencil through the strip's fixing points, which are usually 300-500mm apart. Check each mark lands on solid material and not just a soft patch of skim.
1 each · Spirit level
1 each · Pencil
AB-04Fit the right fixing for your wall typeSolid brick or block: drill with a 6mm masonry bit to 40mm depth, blow out the dust, fit a 6mm wall plug and a 40mm screw. Plasterboard on timber studs: on a stud, use a 35mm wood screw into its centre with a 2mm pilot hole first; off the stud, use a plasterboard toggle rated for at least 2kg. Plasterboard on metal studs: never use a wood screw or a plain plastic plug — it strips straight through 0.5mm steel. On the stud, use a self-drilling metal-stud screw; off the stud, use a self-drilling hollow-wall anchor or toggle rated for the loaded weight, since a full set of knives can be 1-2kg. Dot-and-dab plasterboard: the board sits on foam dabs in front of solid masonry, so a plug in the board alone will eventually pull free — use a 60-75mm fixing with a matching plug that reaches at least 30mm into the masonry behind. Lath and plaster: the plaster is brittle, so find the laths first, drill a pilot hole, and use a long screw that bites into the laths and the timber behind, or a proper lath-and-plaster fixing.
1 pack · 6mm wall plugs (pack)
4 each · 40mm masonry screws
4 each · 35mm wood screws
2 each · Plasterboard toggle fixings (2kg rated)
4 each · Self-drilling metal-stud screws
2 each · Self-drilling hollow-wall anchors
2 each · Long fixings for dot-and-dab (60-75mm)
AB-05Fit the strip to the wallOffer the strip up to your marked and fixed points and drive the screws through its fixing holes. Check it sits flat and doesn't rock. Snug the screws down but don't overtighten, or you'll dimple a thin steel strip.
1 each · Magnetic knife strip
1 each · Screwdriver or drill driver
AB-06Test and load upHang your heaviest knife first and check the strip holds firm without flexing away from the wall. Space the rest of the knives evenly along the strip so the weight isn't bunched at one end.
AB-07Tidy upSweep up any drilling dust and wipe down the worktop below. Put screws and tools away. Check around dot-and-dab or lath-and-plaster fixings for hairline cracks and fill any with a dab of filler if needed.
1 each · Filler (small tub)

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