BATHROOMS

Hang a bathroom mirror on a lath and plaster wall

Find safe fixing points, drill carefully, and hang a bathroom mirror securely and level, avoiding hidden pipes and wiring.

BM-01Prepare the area and gather your toolsLay a towel or dust sheet in the bath or basin below the work area to catch dust and any dropped screws. Gather your drill, spirit level, detector, screwdriver and pencil before you start. If you're replacing an old mirror, take it down first and check the wall behind it for damage or old fixings you'll need to remove.
1 each · Dust sheet or old towel
BM-02Plan the mirror's position and mark the centre lineHold the mirror up, or use its template, to find a comfortable height and position. Use a spirit level to draw a level line across the wall where the top or fixing points will sit. Mark the exact position of each fixing point on the wall with a pencil.
1 each · Spirit level
BM-03Work out what's actually behind the lath and plasterLath and plaster is almost always fixed to timber – thin wooden strips nailed across timber studs in a wall or joists in a ceiling – because it was built before metal stud framing existed. Track along the wall with a detector or magnet to find the line of nail or screw heads, then look for a stud roughly every 400-600mm, marked by a duller, solid knock instead of a hollow one. Drill a small 2mm test hole at your marked point: timber dust means you've hit a stud, while the bit dropping into empty space after a centimetre or two means you're over laths only, with void behind. If the test hole brings out fine grey steel swarf, you don't have genuine lath and plaster at all – you have plasterboard on metal studs, so follow the metal-stud advice in the next step instead.
1 each · Cable and pipe detector
1 each · 2mm test drill bit
BM-04Check for pipes and cables, and know how to isolate themBathroom walls often hide pipework for taps and cabling for extractor fans or shaver sockets, and a detector can miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, or behind foil-backed insulation. Use a detector, but still assume something is there until you've proved otherwise. Before drilling, find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns freely, so you can shut off the water 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 off the water at the stopcock before cutting into anything that could carry water.
BM-05Drill your marked holes without cracking the plasterStick a strip of masking tape over each marked point to stop the old lime plaster crumbling as the drill bites. Drill slowly and steadily – lath and plaster is brittle and can shatter away from the laths if you push too hard or go too fast. Wear a dust mask and safety glasses, as old lime plaster dust is unpleasant to breathe. Stop as soon as you feel the bit reach the timber stud, or pass through into the void behind the laths.
1 roll · Masking tape
1 set · Pilot drill bit set
1 each · Dust mask (FFP2)
1 each · Safety glasses
BM-06Choose the right fixing for what you foundIf you hit a timber stud, use a pilot hole and a stainless wood screw (40-50mm) driven into its centre – stainless resists rust in a bathroom. If you're between studs, over laths only, never use a plain plastic wall plug, as it will pull straight through crumbly lime plaster; use a spring toggle or a hollow-wall anchor made for old lath and plaster, rated for the mirror's weight. If your test hole showed solid masonry behind battens, drill with a masonry bit and use a plastic wall plug (6-8mm) sized to a 50-60mm screw. If it turned out you actually have dot-and-dab plasterboard, use a fixing long enough (75-100mm) to pass through the board and the adhesive dabs into the masonry behind; if it turned out you have metal studs, never use a wood screw or wall plug – it strips straight through 0.5mm steel – use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or toggle instead, and remember a metal stud alone won't hold a heavy mirror, so fix into a timber noggin or through to the masonry behind if the mirror is large or heavy.
1 pack · Stainless wood screws (40mm, pack of 10)
1 pack · Spring toggle fixings for old plaster (pack of 2)
1 pack · Plastic wall plugs, masonry (pack of 10)
1 pack · Self-drilling metal-stud fixings (pack of 4)
1 pack · Long fixings for dot-and-dab (75mm, pack of 4)
BM-07Fit the fixings and hang the mirrorDrive or fit each chosen fixing home, leaving the right amount of screw head or hook protruding for your mirror's hanging clips or wire. Lift the mirror onto the fixings carefully with help if it's large or heavy. Check it's level with your spirit level and adjust the fixings slightly if needed before final tightening.
1 set · Mirror hanging kit or D-ring clips
BM-08Seal the edges if the mirror sits near a splash zoneIf the mirror's edge meets tiles near a basin or shower, run a thin bead of bathroom-grade silicone sealant along the join. This stops water tracking behind the mirror and reaching the old lath and plaster, which can soften if it gets wet repeatedly. Smooth the bead with a wet finger and leave it to cure before splashing water nearby.
1 tube · Bathroom-grade silicone sealant (mould-resistant)
BM-09Clean up and check the finishPeel off the masking tape and vacuum up all plaster dust, including any fine debris on the floor or in the bath. Wipe the mirror clean of fingerprints and dust. Stand back and check it's level and secure before you finish.
1 each · Rubble sack for waste

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