SHELVING & STORAGE

Fit wall storage for a vacuum and mop to a dot-and-dab plasterboard wall

Mount a vacuum and mop storage rack on your wall, checking what's behind it before you drill for a secure fix.

VM-01Plan the layout and mark fixing pointsDecide where the rack should sit - clear of the floor, any door swing, and within easy reach. Hold the rack (or a paper template) against the wall, check it with a spirit level, and mark the top edge in pencil. Mark each fixing hole through the rack's keyholes or bracket slots. Keep the marks light so you can rub them out later if needed.
1 each · Pencil
1 each · Spirit level
1 each · Tape measure
VM-02Find your stopcock and check for cables and pipes before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, not just in the zones you might expect. Run a cable and pipe detector over every mark, then still treat each point as if something could be there - detectors miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, behind metal-backed board, or confused by the mesh in some dot-and-dab boards. 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 have any doubt, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit before drilling, and turn off the water at the stopcock before cutting into anything that could hold a pipe.
1 each · Cable and pipe detector
VM-03Work out exactly what's behind the plasterboardDot-and-dab plasterboard is stuck to the masonry with blobs of adhesive, so tapping it gives a mix of solid and hollow sounds roughly every 300-600mm as you cross a blob. A stud wall sounds hollow almost everywhere except at the studs, spaced evenly, usually every 400mm or 600mm. Drill a small 3mm pilot hole at one mark: pale masonry dust means solid wall or a dab behind dot-and-dab, pale wood dust means a timber stud, and fine grey swarf means a metal stud. If a mark lands on a stud where you don't want one, shift the fixing point sideways and recheck.
1 each · 3mm HSS drill bit
VM-04Drill and fit the right fixing for what you findIf it's dot-and-dab over solid brick or block, drill through the board and the dab into the masonry behind using an 8mm masonry bit to a depth of at least 60mm, then fit a fixing long enough to grip the masonry, not just the board - a 75mm frame fixing or dot-and-dab plug. If you find a timber stud, drill a 3mm pilot hole into its centre and drive in a wood screw at least 40mm into the timber. If you find a metal stud, use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor - never a plain wall plug or an ordinary wood screw, which strips straight through 0.5mm steel. Because this rack gets pulled on when you lift the vacuum out, get at least two of the four fixings into masonry or a stud rather than relying on plasterboard alone.
1 each · 8mm masonry drill bit
1 pack · 75mm frame fixings (pack of 10)
1 pack · Wall plugs, brown 8mm (pack)
1 pack · Wood screws 4x40mm (pack)
1 pack · Self-drilling metal stud fixings (pack)
1 pack · Toggle-type hollow-wall anchors (pack)
VM-05Fit the mounting rail or bracketOffer the rail up to your marks, check it's still level, then drive the fixings in one at a time so the rail doesn't twist. Leave everything slightly loose until all fixings are in, then go back and tighten each one firmly. Don't overtighten - this can crack plasterboard or strip a stud fixing.
1 each · Wall storage rail or bracket kit
1 each · Spirit level
VM-06Hang the vacuum and mop storage and test itHang the vacuum, mop and any accessories on the rack as intended. Give it a firm downward and outward tug to check it holds, since this is exactly the kind of pull it will get in daily use. Watch the wall around the fixings for the first few days - any give, cracking or fine dust means you need to add a fixing into a stud or the masonry behind.
VM-07Tidy upVacuum up drilling dust and debris, then wipe down the wall and skirting with a damp cloth. Fold away dust sheets, keep any spare fixings for future jobs, and dispose of packaging responsibly.
1 each · Dust sheet
1 each · Damp cloth

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