Fit a row of coat hooks to a timber stud wall

1 each · Pencil

1 each · Spirit level

CH-02Mark a level line and hook positionsUse the spirit level to draw a faint horizontal pencil line at your chosen height. Mark each hook position on the line with your spacing. Double check the spacing with the tape measure before you drill anything.

1 each · Spirit level

1 each · Pencil

CH-03Work out what your wall is made ofTap the wall — solid brick or block sounds dull and hard all over, plasterboard sounds hollow and drums. If it's plasterboard, find out if it's on timber or metal studs: run a magnet or stud detector along the wall — timber studs give a solid, evenly-spaced signal roughly 400-600mm apart, metal studs often show as a thinner, sharper line and may be detected by their screw heads. A small 2mm pilot hole tells you for certain: timber dust means wood, fine grey swarf means steel. If the wall is solid but sounds slightly hollow with a lumpy texture and no obvious mortar lines, you likely have dot-and-dab plasterboard on dabs of adhesive over masonry. Older houses (pre-1930s) with a slightly springy, uneven wall may be lath and plaster.

1 each · Stud detector or magnet

1 each · Drill bit, 2mm

CH-04Check for cables and pipes before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere, not just in the 'safe zones' — a detector helps, but it can miss deep cables, armoured cable, or anything behind metal-backed plasterboard, and a metal stud frame can confuse a cheap detector further. Scan the area properly, then still drill cautiously and be ready to stop the moment you feel resistance or see anything unexpected. Before you start, find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns freely, so you can shut off the water fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt about what's behind the wall, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit first.

CH-05Fixing into a TIMBER studDrill a 2mm pilot hole in the centre of the stud, then drive a 4x40mm wood screw straight in with a screwdriver or drill driver. There's no need for a plug — the screw bites straight into solid wood. This is the strongest fixing you'll get for coat hooks.

6 each · Wood screws, 4x40mm

1 each · Drill bit, 2mm

CH-06Fixing into a METAL studNever use a plain wall plug or an ordinary wood screw in a metal stud — it will strip straight through the thin steel and pull out under weight. Use a self-drilling metal-stud screw if you're fixing directly into the stud itself, or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor if you're fixing into the plasterboard between studs. Coat hooks take light, repeated pulling, so a toggle anchor rated for at least 5-10kg per fixing is a sensible minimum.

6 each · Self-drilling metal-stud screws

6 each · Toggle-type hollow-wall anchors

CH-07Fixing into solid brick or blockDrill a 6mm hole to a depth of 40-45mm using a masonry bit, then push in a matching red wall plug. Drive a 4x40mm screw into the plug until it's snug — don't overtighten, or the plug can spin. This gives a very strong fixing for coat hooks.

1 each · Masonry drill bit, 6mm

6 each · Wall plugs, red (6mm)

6 each · Wood screws, 4x40mm

CH-08Fixing into dot-and-dab plasterboardThe plasterboard sits on dabs of adhesive with an air gap behind it, so a short screw won't reach solid masonry. Use a long fixing — a 75mm frame fixing or a long masonry screw with matching plug — that passes through the plasterboard, the gap, and into the brick or block behind. Drill through the plasterboard first with a smaller bit, then switch to a masonry bit for the wall behind.

6 each · Long frame fixings, 75mm

1 each · Masonry drill bit, 6mm

CH-09Fixing into lath and plasterOld lath and plaster is brittle and can crack if you drill it too fast or too hard. Drill a small 2mm pilot hole slowly to locate a timber lath or the stud behind it, then use a 4x40mm wood screw if you hit solid timber. If you only find plaster and lath with no solid backing, use a plasterboard-style toggle fixing instead, as ordinary plugs can crumble the old plaster.

6 each · Wood screws, 4x40mm

6 each · Toggle-type hollow-wall anchors

CH-10Fit the hooks and check the rowScrew each hook into place, checking it sits flush and tight against the wall. Stand back and check the row looks level and evenly spaced. Give each hook a firm downward tug to make sure it's secure before hanging anything heavy on it.

1 each · Screwdriver

CH-11Tidy upVacuum up any dust or plaster debris, especially under lath and plaster or dot-and-dab walls. If you've chipped any paint or plaster, fill small marks and leave to dry before touching up. Put your tools away and pop leftover fixings in a labelled bag for next time.

1 each · Dust sheet