Fit a toilet-roll holder to a solid brick or block wall — HomeGraft

Fit a toilet-roll holder safely, checking your wall type and staying clear of hidden pipes or cables.

AB-01Gather your tools and protect the areaGet everything together before you start: the holder, a drill, a spirit level, a tape measure and a pencil. Lay an old towel in the bath or on the floor to catch dust, and close the toilet lid so nothing drops in. Working with everything to hand stops half-finished jobs with dust everywhere.

1 each · Toilet-roll holder kit (with screws and plugs)

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1 each · Spirit level

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1 each · Tape measure

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1 each · Old towel or dust sheet

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AB-02Mark where it's goingA comfortable height is 650-700mm from the floor to the centre of the holder, positioned about 150-200mm to the side of the toilet so it's easy to reach. Hold the holder against the wall, mark the fixing hole positions with a pencil, and check they're level with a spirit level. Double-check the spacing with your tape measure before you drill anything.

1 each · Pencil

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1 each · Spirit level

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1 each · Tape measure

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AB-03Work out what your wall is actually made ofKnock on the wall near your marks. A dull, solid thud usually means brick or block. A hollow sound means plasterboard on studs or dot-and-dab, and you need to find out which. Run a stud detector or magnet along the wall to find a line of fixings or metal studs; if you find studs at regular timber-frame spacing (about 400-600mm apart) and a small pilot hole brings out pale wood dust, it's timber. If the same test brings out fine grey metal swarf, it's a metal stud, common in flats and anything built or refitted since the 1990s. If the wall has tiles, they're often over solid brick or block in older bathrooms, but not always, so still check.

1 each · Stud and cable detector

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AB-04Check for hidden pipes and cables before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere behind a bathroom wall, not just in the 'safe zones' you might have heard of. Run your detector over the area, but still treat it as if something is there — detectors miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, behind metal-backed plasterboard, or confused by a metal stud frame. Before drilling, find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns freely, so you can shut the water off fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt at all, isolate the electrics at the consumer unit and turn the water off at the stopcock before you drill.

1 each · Stud and cable detector

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AB-05Drill and plug the wall — solid brick or blockFit a 6mm masonry bit and drill to a depth of about 35-40mm at each mark, using the hammer setting on your drill. If you're drilling through a tile first, start slowly with no hammer action until you're through the glaze, then switch to hammer action for the brick or block behind. Push a matching wall plug fully into each hole so it sits flush with the wall.

1 each · Masonry drill bit, 6mm

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2 each · Wall plugs (Rawlplug or similar), 6mm

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AB-06If your wall isn't solid brick or blockOn a timber stud, drive a wood screw straight into the centre of the stud — no plug needed. On a metal stud, never use a plastic plug or ordinary wood screw, as it strips straight through 0.5mm steel; use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor instead. Fixing into plain plasterboard between studs, use a toggle or hollow-wall anchor rated for at least the holder's weight — a toilet-roll holder is light, so this is easy to fit. On dot-and-dab plasterboard, use a fixing long enough to pass through the plasterboard and adhesive dabs and bite into the masonry behind (often 60-75mm). On lath and plaster, aim for a lath centre and use a fixing that reaches through into solid masonry or timber behind, as the laths alone won't hold a screw.

2 each · Wood screws (for timber stud)

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2 each · Self-drilling metal-stud fixings

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2 each · Hollow-wall toggle fixings

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2 each · Long fixing for dot-and-dab (60-75mm)

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AB-07Fit the holder and check it's levelLine the holder up with your marked holes and drive the screws in until snug. Don't overtighten — this can crack a tile or split a wall plug. Rest your spirit level on top to check it's sitting straight before you finish.

1 each · Screwdriver or drill with driver bit

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1 each · Spirit level

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AB-08Tidy up and test itVacuum up any dust from drilling and remove the towel or dust sheet. Hang a toilet roll and give the holder a firm downward and outward tug to make sure it's solid. Wipe down the wall and holder with a damp cloth.

1 each · Vacuum cleaner or dustpan and brush

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1 each · Cloth

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