HANGING & WALL MOUNTING

Hang a gallery wall of frames on a dot-and-dab plasterboard wall

Plan, mark and safely fix a row of picture frames level and secure on a plasterboard wall.

GW-01Plan your layout on paper firstCut paper templates the exact size of each frame, including the mount if it has one. Lay the templates on the floor and try different arrangements before you commit to one. Tape them to the wall with masking tape and stand back to check spacing and heights from across the room. Aim for consistent gaps of 50-70mm between frames.
1 each · Lining paper roll
1 roll · Masking tape
1 each · Tape measure
GW-02Transfer the layout to the wallOnce you're happy with the arrangement, pencil-mark the top corner of each frame's position on the wall. Use a spirit level or laser level to keep the group square and running along a level line. Measure the exact fixing point on the back of each frame - usually 10-40mm down from the top edge - and transfer that same distance down from your pencil marks.
1 each · Pencil
1 each · Spirit level
1 each · Laser level
GW-03Find your stopcock and check for cables and pipesBefore you drill anything, 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. Run a cable and pipe detector over every mark, sweeping side to side, but treat it as a guide, not a guarantee: detectors miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, behind foil-backed plasterboard, or outside the usual safe zones near sockets and switches. If you have any doubt at all, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit before drilling. Have the stopcock location fixed in your mind before you cut into anything that could carry water.
1 each · Cable and pipe detector
GW-04Work out what's actually behind the plasterboardDot-and-dab plasterboard is glued straight to the masonry in blobs, so tapping the wall gives a mix of solid thuds over a dab and hollow sounds over the gaps between them. An even hollow sound everywhere, with no solid patches, usually means a stud partition rather than dot-and-dab. If it is a stud wall, work out which type: run a magnet or stud detector along the wall following a line of existing screw heads, or drill a small 3mm pilot hole - timber dust means a timber stud, fine grey swarf means a metal stud. A wall that sounds solid everywhere, with no hollow patches or give, is solid brick or block. In older houses, a slightly springy surface with a soft bounce under light tapping often means lath and plaster rather than plasterboard.
1 each · Small drill bit 3mm
GW-05Choose the right fixing for what you foundOn dot-and-dab, light frames under about 2kg can use a self-drilling plasterboard anchor, ideally landing in a solid dab rather than a gap. Heavier or larger frames need a longer 60-75mm fixing that passes through the plasterboard and dab into the masonry behind, with a wall plug and drill bit matched to it. On a timber stud, drive a wood screw straight into the centre of the stud - no plug needed. On a metal stud, use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor made for steel track; never use a plain plastic wall plug or an ordinary wood screw, as it strips straight through 0.5mm steel. A metal stud won't hold anything heavy, so for a large or weighty frame fit a timber noggin between the studs first, or fix through to the masonry behind, rather than trusting the stud alone. If the fixing point falls on plasterboard between studs, use a toggle or hollow-wall anchor rated for the frame's weight. In solid brick or block, drill with a masonry bit matched to the plug, insert the plug, and drive in a screw. On lath and plaster, avoid narrow laths where possible and use a longer fixing that grips through into the void behind, or a lath-and-plaster-specific anchor, since ordinary plugs often just crumble the old plaster.
1 pack · Self-drilling plasterboard fixings
1 pack · Wall plugs, mixed sizes
1 pack · Wood screws
1 pack · Metal-stud toggle fixings
1 pack · Masonry screws and plugs (long, for dot-and-dab)
1 pack · Lath and plaster anchors
GW-06Drill and fit each fixingDrill each hole at the marked point, keeping the drill square to the wall. For masonry, drill to the depth stated on the plug packaging - usually about 5mm deeper than the plug - and blow the dust out before inserting the plug. Fit each fixing fully before moving on, and check it feels solid and doesn't spin freely in the hole. Wipe away dust as you go so you can still see your pencil marks.
1 each · Masonry drill bit
1 each · Dust sheet
GW-07Hang the frames and level themHang each frame on its fixing, then run a spirit level across the top edge to check it's true. Adjust the picture wire or D-rings on the back of the frame if one side sits lower than the other. Step back regularly to check the group looks balanced as a whole, not just each frame on its own.
1 pack · Self-adhesive felt pads
GW-08Final check and tidy upOnce every frame is hung, check the whole group from across the room and from an angle, since a line that looks level head-on can look off from the side. Vacuum plaster or masonry dust from the floor and skirting. Keep any spare fixings in a labelled bag in case you need to adjust one later, and leave the stopcock and consumer unit set back as you found them.
1 each · Small labelled storage bag

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