Fit wall storage for a vacuum and mop to a lath and plaster wall

Fit a hook rail to hold your vacuum and mop securely, finding solid fixing points before you drill or screw anything to the wall.

AB-01Clear the space and gather your toolsMove anything blocking the wall and lay a dust sheet on the floor below. Lath and plaster drilling makes a fine, gritty dust, so cover any nearby furniture too. Get your tools together before you start: drill, screwdriver, spirit level, tape measure, pencil and a cable/pipe detector.

1 each · Dust sheet

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1 each · Tape measure

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1 each · Spirit level (600mm)

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1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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AB-02Plan the position and mark it upHold the rail or bracket against the wall at a comfortable height, usually 1400-1600mm from the floor so the mop and vacuum clear the skirting. Use a spirit level to draw a level pencil line across the wall, then mark where each screw hole will sit on that line.

1 each · Pencil

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AB-03Work out what's behind the lath and plasterLath and plaster is thin timber laths nailed either across timber studs or over battens fixed to solid masonry. Run your detector along the marked line, then drill a small 3mm test hole at each fixing point. Timber dust means you've hit a lath or stud; a hard, gritty resistance with brick or block dust means solid masonry behind. If a hole feels hollow all the way through, move a little and try again until you find something solid.

1 each · 3mm drill bit

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AB-04Check for cables and pipes before you drill properlyA detector helps, but it can still miss cables that run deep, sit in metal conduit, or lie outside the usual safe zones near sockets and switches. Before you drill any further, 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, turn off the relevant circuit at the consumer unit, and turn the water off at the stopcock before drilling on.

AB-05Fix into a timber lath or studWhere your test hole showed timber, drill a 2.5mm pilot hole into the centre of the lath or stud, about 25mm deep. Drive a 4mm x 40mm wood screw into the pilot hole, leaving the head standing slightly proud if your bracket needs to hook over it. A wood screw here is fine on its own; it doesn't need a wall plug.

6 each · Wood screws 4mm x 40mm

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AB-06Fix into solid masonry behind the lathsWhere your test hole showed brick or block, drill through the plaster and lath with a 6mm masonry bit, going 35-40mm into the masonry behind. Push in a matching Rawlplug, then drive a 4mm x 50-60mm screw through it — long enough to pass through the plaster and lath and still bite well into the masonry.

1 each · 6mm masonry drill bit

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6 each · Rawlplug wall plugs (6mm)

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6 each · Wood screws 4mm x 55mm

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AB-07Mount the storage railHold the rail against your marked line and check it with the spirit level again before committing. Screw it into place using whichever fixing method matched each hole — timber screw or masonry plug and screw. Tighten evenly so the rail sits flat, then check the level one last time.

1 each · Wall-mounted vacuum and mop storage rail

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1 each · Cordless drill/driver

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AB-08Hang the vacuum and mop and test the fixingHang each item on its hook and give the rail a firm downward and outward tug. It should stay flat against the wall with no give. If it flexes or the screw pulls slightly, one of your fixings has missed solid backing — remove it and refit into a stud or masonry point close by.

AB-09Tidy upVacuum or sweep up the plaster and timber dust from drilling, especially any that's landed inside the wall cavity or on skirting. Fold away the dust sheet, wipe down the wall below the rail, and put your tools away.

1 each · Handheld vacuum or dustpan and brush

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