HANGING & WALL MOUNTING

Fit an ironing board holder to a metal stud wall

Fit a sturdy ironing board holder that copes with everyday pulling, using the right fixing for your wall.

IB-01Plan the positionPick a spot in a utility room, hallway or cupboard where the board can swing fully open without hitting a door or shelf. Fix the bracket around 1400-1600mm from the floor so the board sits at a comfortable working height. Hold the bracket against the wall, check it with a spirit level, and mark the top fixing hole with a pencil.
1 each · Pencil
1 each · Spirit level
1 each · Tape measure
IB-02Work out what's behind the wallTap along the wall to find the hollow sound of a stud, then run a magnet or stud detector over the spot to check for screw heads holding the plasterboard on. Drill a small 3mm pilot hole in the centre of a stud: fine pale dust means a timber stud, bright metal swarf means a steel stud (common in flats and anything built or refitted since the 1990s). A wall that feels solid all over is masonry; a wall that sounds hollow everywhere with slight give may be dot-and-dab plasterboard on brick, or lath and plaster if the house is older and you can feel faint ridges under the paint.
1 each · Stud detector or small magnet
1 each · Drill bit 3mm
IB-03Check for cables and pipes before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere, not just in the usual safe zones, and a detector can 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, 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 circuit at the consumer unit before you drill.
IB-04Mark and drill the fixing holesHold the bracket level and mark both fixing points. For solid brick or block, drill 8mm holes 45mm deep with a masonry bit and fit wall plugs. For plasterboard on timber studs, drill a 3mm pilot hole into the centre of each stud. For plasterboard on metal studs, drill a 3mm pilot hole using a bit rated for steel, only if a noggin isn't practical. For dot-and-dab plasterboard, drill through the 10-20mm dab gap plus 45mm into the block if fixing through to masonry. For lath and plaster, drill slowly and carefully to avoid cracking the plaster, aiming for a lath edge or the timber behind it.
1 each · Masonry drill bit 8mm
1 each · Drill bit 3mm
1 pack · Wall plugs
IB-05Fit the right fixing for your wallAn ironing board holder gets pulled on hard every time the board is unfolded, so treat it like a TV arm, not a picture frame. Into a timber stud, a 5mm x 50mm wood screw driven into the centre of the stud is usually strong enough on its own. Into a metal stud, a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or hollow-wall anchor copes with light use, but repeated pulling can work it loose; where possible, fit a timber noggin or plywood pattress between the studs and screw into that instead. Never use a plain plastic wall plug or an ordinary wood screw in a metal stud, as it strips straight through the 0.5mm steel. Into plasterboard between studs, use a toggle fixing rated for at least 20kg. Behind dot-and-dab or into solid masonry, use the plug and screw already set into the hole, long enough to bite properly into the block.
1 300mm length · Timber noggin 38x50mm
1 pack of 10 · Wood screws 5x50mm
1 pack · Metal-stud self-drilling fixings
1 pack of 2 · Toggle fixings, 20kg rated
IB-06Mount the holder and test itScrew the bracket firmly onto the fixings, checking it stays level as you tighten. Fold the ironing board out and push down firmly a few times to check the fixing holds under load. Tighten anything that shifts before you trust it with the full weight of the board.
1 each · Screwdriver
1 each · Spirit level
IB-07Tidy upVacuum up any dust or masonry debris from drilling and wipe down the wall. Bin any offcuts and packaging, and keep spare fixings somewhere handy in case you need to adjust the bracket later.
1 session · Vacuum cleaner
1 each · Cloth

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