Fit a stability bracket to a freestanding cooker

Fit a wall bracket and chain to stop a freestanding cooker tipping when weight is put on the open oven door.

AB-01Check your kit and plan the fixOpen the stability bracket kit and check it against the maker's instructions — most freestanding cookers are sold with one, or you can buy one separately for around £14. Work out whether your kit fixes to the wall with a chain (most common) or to the floor behind the cooker. Gather a screwdriver, tape measure, pencil and torch before you start.

1 each · Cooker stability bracket & chain kit

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1 each · Screwdriver set

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1 each · Tape measure

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AB-02Isolate the cooker before you move itIf your cooker runs on electricity only, switch it off at the wall switch and unplug it, or turn off the dedicated circuit at the consumer unit if it's hardwired. If it runs on gas, only disconnect it yourself if it's fitted with an approved bayonet or hose connector made for that job — if you're not sure, or there's no bayonet fitting, don't touch the gas connection. Get a Gas Safe registered engineer to disconnect and reconnect it for you.

RULES

KNOW THE RULES

The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 mean only a Gas Safe registered engineer can disconnect or reconnect a gas cooker, unless it has an approved bayonet fitting designed for safe DIY disconnection.

AB-03Pull the cooker forwardLay cardboard or an old towel on the floor to protect it, then get a second person to help you lift the front of the cooker slightly and slide it forward — don't drag it, as this can score flooring or snag the flex. Leave enough room behind it to reach the wall comfortably. Check the power flex or gas hose has enough slack and isn't stretched or kinked.

1 each · Cardboard sheet or old towel

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AB-04Work out what kind of wall you're fixing intoRun a detector over the fixing area to find studs, then tap along the wall — a dull thud means solid masonry or a stud behind the board, a hollow sound means empty cavity. Drill a small 3mm pilot hole in an inconspicuous spot: fine white dust means plasterboard, brick dust means solid masonry, wood shavings mean a timber stud, and shiny grey swarf means a metal stud. On dot-and-dab walls the plasterboard sits on foam adhesive dabs over solid masonry, so there's a small air gap behind the board before you hit the wall proper.

1 each · Cable, pipe and stud detector

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1 each · HSS drill bit 3mm

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AB-05Check for hidden cables and pipes before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere behind a wall, not just in the usual safe zones — a detector helps, but it can miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, behind metal-backed plasterboard, or hidden by a metal stud frame. Treat every hole as if something could be there until you've drilled a little and proved otherwise. 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, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit before drilling near a wall you suspect carries cables.

AB-06Drill the right fixing for your wall typeSolid brick or block: drill with a 6mm masonry bit to 40mm deep, fit a matching 6mm wall plug, and use a 40-50mm woodscrew. Timber stud: drill a 3mm pilot hole into the centre of the stud and drive a 40mm woodscrew straight in, no plug needed. Metal stud: never use a plain wall plug or woodscrew, as it will strip straight through 0.5mm steel — use a self-drilling metal stud screw, or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor if you're fixing between the studs into bare plasterboard. Dot-and-dab plasterboard: the chain takes a real pulling force, so fix through the board and the adhesive dabs into the solid masonry behind using a 75mm fixing and a plug sized to suit — a short fixing into the board alone won't hold. Lath and plaster: this plaster is brittle and easily cracks, so locate the timber stud or joist behind the laths with your detector and screw into that; if you can only reach lath and plaster, use a spring toggle rated for the load rather than relying on the laths alone.

1 each · Masonry drill bit 6mm

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1 pack · Wall plugs 6mm (pack of 10)

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1 pack · Woodscrews 40mm (pack of 10)

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1 pack · Self-drilling metal stud screws (pack of 10)

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1 pack · Spring toggle fixings, rated 10kg (pack of 4)

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1 pack · Long fixing screws 75mm with matching plugs

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AB-07Fix the bracket to the wallHold the bracket against the wall at the height given in the maker's instructions, check it's level, and mark through the fixing holes. Drive the fixings home so the bracket sits flat and doesn't rock. Give it a firm tug once fitted — it should not move or creak.

AB-08Connect the chain and push the cooker backHook one end of the chain to the wall bracket and the other to the fixing point on the back of the cooker, following the kit instructions for which link to use. The chain should have almost no slack when the cooker is in position, but not be pulled tight either. With your helper, slide the cooker back into place, feeding the flex or gas hose in as you go.

AB-09Reconnect and testPlug the cooker back in and switch the circuit on, or ask your Gas Safe engineer to reconnect and test the gas supply if that applies to you. Turn the cooker on briefly to check it's working normally. Then open the oven door fully and press down gently on it to check the bracket and chain hold the cooker steady and it doesn't tip forward.

RULES

KNOW THE RULES

Only a Gas Safe registered engineer can reconnect a gas cooker unless it uses an approved bayonet fitting designed for DIY use.

AB-10Clear upSweep up any drilling dust and pack away your tools. Recycle the bracket packaging and any offcuts. Keep the maker's instructions somewhere safe in case you move the cooker again later.

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