Fit a shower caddy or corner shelf to a metal stud wall
Mark, drill and fix a shower caddy or corner shelf level and secure, whatever your bathroom wall is made of.
SC-01Gather tools and check the kitUnpack the caddy or shelf and check you have all fixings, though you'll likely swap these for ones suited to your wall. Get a spirit level, tape measure, pencil, masking tape, a drill with a tile bit and the right bit for your wall type, and a detector. Lay a towel in the bath or shower tray to catch dropped screws.
SC-02Mark the position and heightHold the caddy or shelf where you want it and mark the fixing holes lightly with a pencil. Use a spirit level to keep it dead level — even a small tilt is obvious once it's up. For a corner shelf, measure the same distance from the corner on both walls before marking.
SC-03Work out what's behind the tilesRun a detector over the marked area, then check for a hollow sound by tapping — solid brick or block sounds dull and dense, a stud wall sounds hollow between the studs. Track along the wall for a line of screw or nail heads under the tiles, or use a magnet — this shows if studs are timber or metal. If you can drill a tiny pilot hole in an inconspicuous spot, timber dust means wood studs and fine grey swarf means metal studs.
SC-04Check your stopcock and drilling safetyBefore you drill, find your stopcock — usually under the kitchen sink — and check it turns freely, so you can shut off water fast if you hit a pipe. Cables and pipes can run almost anywhere, not just in the 'safe zones', and a detector can miss cables in metal conduit or behind metal-backed board — always expect something is there until you've proved otherwise with a shallow test hole. If you have any doubt, isolate the electrics at the consumer unit and turn off the water at the stopcock before drilling into this wall.
SC-05Drill through the tile without cracking itStick masking tape over the mark to stop the drill bit skating. Start slowly with a tile bit at low speed and no hammer action until you're through the glaze, then switch to the right bit and drill depth for the wall behind. Drill only 2-3mm at a time on the first hole and check for dust colour before going further.
SC-06Fix into solid brick or blockSwitch to a masonry bit matching your plug size (typically 6-8mm) and drill to 35-40mm depth, using hammer action once through the tile. Push in a wall plug flush with the tile face, then drive in a screw sized for the plug — a stainless or brass screw resists bathroom damp better than plain steel.
SC-07Fix into plasterboard on timber studsIf your test hole hit a timber stud, drill a pilot hole into its centre and drive a wood screw straight in — no plug needed. If a fixing point falls between studs, use a plasterboard toggle or hollow-wall anchor rated for the caddy's loaded weight, since damp bathroom items are heavier than they look when wet.
SC-08Fix into plasterboard on metal studsNever use a plain wall plug or ordinary wood screw in a metal stud — it strips straight through 0.5mm steel. Use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor rated for the caddy's weight instead. A light caddy is fine on a metal stud fixing, but a heavier fully-loaded shelf, or anything that gets pulled or knocked, needs a timber noggin fitted behind the board or a fixing through to solid masonry if there is one nearby.
SC-09Fix into dot-and-dab plasterboardDot-and-dab has a plasterboard face over an air gap and adhesive dabs, with solid masonry behind. Use a long fixing — typically 60-75mm — that passes through the board and gap to bite into the masonry, not a short plasterboard-only toggle, which can pull the board away from its dabs under load. Drill in stages so you feel the gap and don't punch straight through blind.
SC-10Fix into lath and plasterOld lath and plaster walls are soft and can crumble around a screw. Use a proper toggle or hollow-wall anchor sized for the gap behind the laths, never a nail or plain plug, and avoid hammer action, which can crack the plaster. If the wall feels very soft or crumbly around your test hole, fix into a nearby stud or batten instead if you can find one.
SC-11Mount the caddy or shelf and check it's levelHang the caddy or shelf on its fixings and give it a firm tug to check it holds before loading it up. Recheck with a spirit level, since even a well-marked job can shift slightly while fixing. Tighten any adjustable brackets fully.
SC-12Seal the edges and tidy upRun a thin bead of sanitary silicone around any part of the caddy that sits flush against the tiles, to stop water tracking behind it. Smooth it with a wet finger or sealant tool. Wipe away tile dust and offcuts, and leave the silicone to cure for 24 hours before heavy use.