TP-04Fix the battens to the wallCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, not just in the 'safe zones'. Before you drill, check your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) turns freely, so you can shut off water fast if you hit a pipe, and if you have any doubt at all, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit first. A detector helps but misses deep cables, armoured cable and anything behind metal-backed board, so drill a shallow test hole first and stop immediately if you feel resistance or see anything unexpected. For a timber stud wall, screw 25x38mm battens into the centre of each stud with 45mm wood screws. For a metal stud wall, use self-drilling metal-stud screws or hollow-wall toggles rated for the batten's weight — never a wood screw or plastic plug, as they strip straight through 0.5mm steel. For dot-and-dab plasterboard, use fixings long enough to pass through the board and adhesive dabs into the masonry behind, typically 60-75mm. For solid brick or block, drill a 7mm hole, insert a wall plug, and drive a 50mm screw home. For lath and plaster, find the timber studs behind the laths with your detector and screw into those, since the laths alone won't hold a fixing.