Fit a wall-mounted shoe rack to a lath and plaster wall

1 each · Pencil

1 each · Dust sheet

1 each · Cordless drill

AB-02Work out exactly what's behind the wallRun your detector along the marked line and also tap it — a dull thud usually means a timber stud or noggin, a hollow knock means a gap behind the laths. Drill one small pilot hole (about 3mm) at a fixing point and look at what comes out: fine plaster and splintery wood dust means lath and plaster over timber, grey powder means solid brick or block, and shiny metal swarf means a metal stud track. This tells you which fixing to use in the steps below.

1 each · 3mm drill bit

AB-03Check for cables and pipes before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere, not just in the 'safe zones' — a detector helps but can miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, or behind old metal lath. Find your stopcock now (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns, so you can shut the water off 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 before drilling.

AB-04Fixing into lath and plaster over a timber studIf your pilot hole hit timber, this is your strongest fixing point. Drill a pilot hole into the centre of the stud, about 40mm deep, then drive a wood screw straight in — no plug needed. Choose a screw long enough to pass through the rack bracket, the plaster, the lath, and still bite 25-30mm into the timber.

8 each · Wood screws, 45mm

AB-05Fixing into lath and plaster where there's no studOld lath and plaster is thin and brittle, so drill slowly to avoid cracking it. Use a spring toggle or hollow-wall anchor rated for the rack's loaded weight — drill a hole sized to the toggle, push it through the gap behind the laths, and tighten. For a fully loaded shoe rack, it's worth shifting a screw point sideways to land on a stud instead, or fitting a short timber noggin behind the laths if you can access the void from the other side.

4 each · Spring toggle fixings

1 each · 8mm drill bit

AB-06If it's actually a solid brick or block wallDrill with a masonry bit matched to your wall plug, usually 7mm, to a depth of 45-50mm. Vacuum the dust out of the hole, push in a wall plug (Rawlplug or similar), then drive the screw home. This gives a very solid fixing for a shoe rack of any size.

8 each · Wall plugs (red/brown)

1 each · Masonry drill bit, 7mm

8 each · Screws, 50mm

AB-07If it's plasterboard on timber studsFix straight into the centre of a stud with a wood screw, same as for lath and plaster over timber. Between studs, use a plasterboard-rated toggle or hollow-wall anchor sized for the rack's weight — never rely on a plain wall plug in plasterboard alone.

4 each · Wood screws, 40mm

4 each · Plasterboard toggle fixings

AB-08If it's plasterboard on metal studsMetal studs are common in flats and anything built or refitted since the 1990s. Never use a plain wall plug or an ordinary wood screw here — it will strip straight through 0.5mm steel. Use a self-drilling metal-stud screw or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor rated for metal track instead. A metal stud alone won't hold a heavily loaded rack, or one that gets pulled or knocked as shoes go on and off — if that's your rack, fit a timber noggin or pattress between the studs first, or fix through to masonry behind if there is any.

4 each · Self-drilling metal stud fixings

4 each · Toggle-type hollow wall anchors

AB-09If it's dot-and-dab plasterboard over masonryThere's usually a 10-40mm gap of air and adhesive dabs between the plasterboard and the masonry behind it. Use a long fixing designed to span this gap and bite into the solid wall — a frame fixing or a long screw-and-plug combination, typically 75mm. Drill through the board and the gap into the masonry, then fit the plug and screw as normal.

4 each · Frame fixings, 75mm

1 each · Masonry drill bit, 7mm

AB-10Hang the rack and check it's secureLift the rack onto the fixings and tighten every screw fully. Check it's level and give it a firm push and pull by hand before loading it with shoes, to make sure nothing flexes or pulls away from the wall.

AB-11Tidy upVacuum up plaster or brick dust and any offcuts. Fill any unused pilot holes with a dab of filler and let it dry. Wipe the wall down and put your tools away.

1 small tub · Multi-purpose filler

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1 each · Cloth