Fit a pan rail to a solid brick or block wall

Fit a decorative pan rail to a solid wall, checking what's behind it and drilling safely before fixing hooks in place.

AB-01Prepare the area and check your kitClear the worktop and floor under where the rail will go, and lay a dust sheet to catch drilling dust. Unpack the pan rail and check you have the rail, hooks, fixing screws and any instructions from the manufacturer. Look at the wall for tiles, sockets or visible pipe runs near your fixing line.

1 each · Pan rail kit (rail, hooks, fixings)

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1 each · Dust sheet

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AB-02Check for cables and pipes, and find your stopcockRun a cable and pipe detector over the wall along your fixing line, but don't rely on it completely — detectors miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, or behind metal-backed plasterboard. Kitchens often have pipework running up to taps and sockets near worktop height, so treat the whole area with caution. Before you drill, find your stopcock (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, turn off the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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AB-03Mark your fixing line and hole positionsDecide on the height for the rail — a common spot is 150-200mm above the worktop or splashback. Use a spirit level to draw a level pencil line, then hold the rail against it and mark through the fixing holes onto the wall. Double-check the marks are level and match the rail's actual fixing points before you drill anything.

1 each · Spirit level

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1 each · Pencil

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AB-04Confirm your wall is solid brick or blockTap the wall along your marked line — a dull, solid sound with no give means solid brick or block. Drill one small 3mm pilot hole at a marked point: fine grey or reddish mineral dust confirms brick or block. If you get pale wood shavings or fine metal swarf instead, your wall is actually a stud wall, not solid — see the next step before you go any further.

1 each · Masonry drill bit 3mm

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AB-05If your wall turns out not to be solidTimber stud: find the centre of the stud with a detector or by tapping, and fix with a wood screw at least 45mm long. Metal stud: never use a plain wall plug or wood screw, which strips straight through 0.5mm steel — use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor, and remember a metal stud alone won't hold a fully loaded pan rail without a noggin or fixing back to masonry. Dot-and-dab: use a long fixing (75-100mm) that passes through the plasterboard and adhesive dabs into the solid masonry behind. Lath and plaster: locate the timber stud behind the laths and fix into that, not just the plaster, using a wood screw as for a timber stud.

4 each · Metal-stud hollow wall fixing

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4 each · Wood screw 4x50mm

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4 each · Long fixing 75-100mm for dot-and-dab

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AB-06Drill and fix into solid brick or blockDrill each marked hole with a 6mm masonry bit, going about 5mm deeper than your wall plug so it seats fully. Push in a 6mm red wall plug until it's flush with the wall, then drive in a No.8 x 50mm screw through the rail's fixing point into the plug. Repeat for every fixing point, checking each screw feels solid and doesn't spin freely.

1 each · Masonry drill bit 6mm

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4 each · Red wall plug 6mm

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4 each · Screw No.8 x 50mm

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AB-07Hang the rail and check it's secureLift the rail onto the fixed screws, or offer it up to the wall and drive in any remaining screws. Check it's level with a spirit level, and give it a firm tug to make sure it doesn't move. Hang a pan on each hook briefly to test it takes weight without the rail flexing.

1 each · Spirit level

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AB-08Tidy upVacuum up drilling dust from the worktop, floor and dust sheet, then fold the sheet away. Wipe down the wall and worktop with a damp cloth. Stand back and check the rail sits level and all hooks face the right way before loading it up properly.

1 each · Vacuum cleaner

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1 each · Cloth

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