HANGING & WALL MOUNTING

Fit an ironing board holder to a dot-and-dab plasterboard wall

Fit an ironing board holder securely by identifying your wall type first, then choosing the correct fixing for a safe, sturdy result.

IB-01Plan the job and gather your toolsPick a spot where the ironing board has room to swing fully open, usually on a spare wall, the back of a door, or inside a cupboard, at about 1400-1600mm from the floor. Lay a dust sheet down to catch drilling dust before you start. Get all your tools and fixings together first so you don't stop halfway through with plaster dust everywhere.
1 each · Ironing board holder kit
1 each · Tape measure
1 each · Pencil
1 each · Spirit level
1 each · Dust sheet
IB-02Check for hidden cables and pipes, and know your isolation pointsCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, not just in neat vertical or horizontal lines. Run a detector over your marked spot, but still treat the wall as if something's there until you've proved otherwise - detectors miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, behind metal-backed plasterboard, or hidden by a metal stud frame confusing the reading. Before you drill, 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 relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling, and turn the water off at the stopcock before cutting into anything that could carry water.
1 each · Cable and pipe detector
IB-03Work out what your wall is made ofTap the wall across your marked area. A solid, dull thud all the way along usually means brick or block. A hollow sound that changes as you move sideways means plasterboard on a stud wall, or dot-and-dab. Run a detector or magnet across the surface to find a line of screw heads roughly 400-600mm apart - this marks your studs. Drill a small test hole in an inconspicuous spot near your marked position: fine timber dust means a timber stud, fine grey steel swarf means a metal stud. Dot-and-dab plasterboard sounds hollow but feels solid again a little further in, because there's an air gap of roughly 12-50mm before you hit the masonry. Lath and plaster (common in older Victorian or Edwardian houses) sounds hollow and slightly springy, with a less even surface than modern plasterboard.
1 each · Stud and cable detector
IB-04Mark up and drill your fixing pointsHold the holder against the wall at your marked height, use the spirit level to get it straight, and mark the screw holes with a pencil. On solid brick or block, drill straight in with a 6mm masonry bit to a depth of about 40mm. On plasterboard over timber studs, drill a 2mm pilot hole into the centre of the stud so the screw doesn't split the wood. On plasterboard over metal studs, drill a small 3mm pilot hole first to confirm steel swarf, then open it to the size stated on your metal-stud fixing pack. On dot-and-dab plasterboard, drill through the board and the air gap behind it, continuing into the masonry to a total depth of around 60-70mm. On lath and plaster, drill gently and feel for a solid timber lath or joist behind the plaster; if you find one, drill a small pilot hole into it.
1 each · Masonry drill bit, 6mm
1 each · Wood/HSS drill bit set, 2-3mm
1 each · Drill/driver
IB-05Fit the right wall fixing for your wall typeAn ironing board pulls forward on its holder every time you use it, so the fixing needs to cope with that leverage, not just hold still weight. On solid brick or block, push in a red or brown plastic wall plug rated for at least 20kg to match your 6mm hole. On plasterboard over timber studs, drive a wood screw straight into the stud - this is the strongest fixing available and needs no plug. On plasterboard over metal studs, use a self-drilling metal-stud screw into the stud itself; never use a plastic wall plug or an ordinary wood screw, as both strip straight through 0.5mm steel. If you can't line the holder up with a metal stud, fit a short timber noggin between the studs first, or use a heavy-duty toggle fixing rated for pulling loads and screw through to that noggin. On dot-and-dab plasterboard, use a long dot-and-dab frame fixing (at least 75mm) that passes through the board and the dab and grips the masonry behind - a standard plug is too short to reach. On lath and plaster, screw into a joist or batten if you found one; if not, use a spring or plastic toggle fixing rated for lath and plaster, and don't overtighten, as old plaster cracks easily.
1 pack · Wall plugs, 20kg-rated, pack of 4
1 pack · Wood screws, 5x60mm, pack of 4
1 pack · Self-drilling metal-stud screws, pack of 4
1 each · Timber noggin, 38x38mm batten, 300mm length
1 pack · Heavy-duty toggle fixing, pack of 2
1 pack · Dot-and-dab frame fixing, 75mm, pack of 4
1 pack · Spring toggle fixing for lath and plaster, pack of 2
IB-06Screw the holder to the wall and check it's secureHold the holder level against your marked position and drive the screws into the fixings you've just fitted. Go snug, not overtightened - too much force can crack plasterboard or old plaster. Give the holder a firm tug by hand before you rely on it, checking that no fixing moves, spins loosely, or cracks the surface around it.
1 each · Screwdriver or drill driver
IB-07Test it with the ironing boardFold the arm down and hang your ironing board as you would normally. Check the holder doesn't sag, twist, or pull away from the wall under the weight. Recheck the screws after a few uses over the next day or two, since fixings can settle slightly in plasterboard.
IB-08Tidy upVacuum up plaster or brick dust from the floor and skirting, and wipe the wall down with a damp cloth. Bag up offcuts and packaging for the bin. Wipe down your drill bits and tools before putting them away, since leftover plaster dust can blunt them.
1 each · Vacuum cleaner (own equipment)
1 each · Cloth

Some links may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Save this as a project

Back to all guides