Fit a shower riser rail to a dot-and-dab plasterboard wall

Fit a shower riser rail securely to a dot-and-dab wall, checking what's actually behind it before you drill anything.

SR-01Check the kit and plan your fixing pointsUnpack the riser rail kit and lay out all screws, wall plugs and brackets supplied. Most kits use 2 or 3 fixing points along the rail. Decide on a rough height - the top fixing usually sits 1900-2100mm from the floor, leaving room for the slider to travel. Lay a towel or dust sheet in the bath or shower tray to catch drilling debris.

1 each · Shower riser rail kit

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1 each · Dust sheet or old towel

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SR-02Work out what's actually behind the plasterboardDot-and-dab plasterboard sits on blobs of adhesive with a 10-40mm air gap to the solid brick or block behind - tap the wall and listen for a hollow, drum-like sound with the odd solid patch where a dab sits. Push a pin or drill a small 2mm pilot hole at each proposed fixing point: dot-and-dab and solid masonry bring up white plaster dust then hit solid brick; a timber stud brings up pale wood dust the whole way; a metal stud brings up fine grey steel swarf and stops dead after about 0.5mm. Run a stud detector or magnet over the wall first - some bathroom walls mix masonry and stud, especially around a boxed-in soil pipe. If you find a stud instead of dot-and-dab, use the stud fixing method in step SR-06 instead.

1 each · Stud and cable detector

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1 each · 2mm drill bit

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SR-03Mark the height and positionHold the rail against the wall at your chosen height and use a spirit level to get it dead vertical - a few mm out is obvious once fitted. Mark through the top and bottom fixing holes with a pencil. Keep the rail at least 150mm clear of an external corner so each bracket sits on solid tile, and check it clears the shower hose and tap.

1 each · Spirit level

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1 each · Pencil

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SR-04Drill through the tile without cracking itFit a tile-rated bit and stick a cross of masking tape over each mark so the bit can't skate across the glaze. Drill on slow speed with light, steady pressure until through the tile, then swap to a normal masonry bit to carry on. Going too fast or pressing too hard is what cracks tiles, so let the bit do the work.

1 each · Tile drill bit

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1 roll · Masking tape

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SR-05Drill through to the masonry - safety firstRun a cable and pipe detector over each marked point, but don't trust it completely - detectors miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, behind metal-backed board, or outside the usual safe zones. Find your stopcock now (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns freely, so you can shut the water off in seconds if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt at all, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit and turn the water off at the stopcock before drilling any further. Drill steadily through the air gap behind the tile and plasterboard (typically 10-40mm), then continue into the solid brick or block behind to a total depth of around 60-70mm.

1 each · Masonry drill bit 8mm

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SR-06Fit the right fixing for what's actually behind the wallFor dot-and-dab over solid brick or block, use a fixing that bridges the air gap and grips in the masonry behind - a long dot-and-dab frame fixing, 60-75mm, pushed fully home so it isn't just gripping in the void. For solid masonry with no dab layer, use a standard wall plug in an 8mm hole with a 50-60mm screw. If you found a timber stud in SR-02, drill a 3mm pilot hole into the centre of the stud and use a wood screw, not a plug. If you found a metal stud, never use a plain plastic plug or an ordinary wood screw - they strip straight through 0.5mm steel - fit a self-drilling metal-stud anchor or hollow-wall toggle rated for the load. A metal stud alone often won't hold a riser rail's pulling force; if that's all you've got, fit a timber noggin or pattress behind the board first, or fix through to masonry if there is any behind it.

4 each · Dot-and-dab frame fixings, 65mm

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4 each · Wall plugs (masonry)

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4 each · Wood screws 40mm

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4 each · Metal-stud toggle fixings

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SR-07Fix the brackets to the wallPush each fixing fully home and drive the screw in until the bracket sits flat against the tile with no rocking. Tighten each bracket's screws evenly rather than fully tightening one before starting the next, so it can't twist out of line. Recheck with the spirit level before moving on to the next fixing point.

1 each · Drill driver

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SR-08Fit the rail onto the bracketsSlot the rail into the fixed brackets and secure with the locking screws or clips supplied with the kit - most rails clip on and are then locked with a single screw underneath each bracket. Slide the shower head holder along the full length of the rail to check it moves freely before you finally tighten everything.

1 each · Allen key (supplied with kit)

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SR-09Seal around each fixing pointRun a thin bead of sanitary silicone around the base of each bracket where it meets the tile. This stops water tracking into the drilled hole and softening the dot-and-dab adhesive or plasterboard behind it over time. Smooth with a wet finger and leave it to cure fully - usually 24 hours - before using the shower.

1 tube · Sanitary silicone sealant

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SR-10Test the rail and tidy upOnce the silicone has cured, hang a couple of wet towels on the slider and give the rail a firm downward and outward tug at each fixing point to check nothing moves. Wipe down the tiles and floor to clear drilling dust, and vacuum any debris from the bath or shower tray. Keep an eye on the tiles around the fixings over the next week for any sign of movement or water staining.

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