Hang a gallery wall of frames on a solid brick or block wall

Plan your layout, then drill and plug the wall safely to hang a neat arrangement of framed pictures in one afternoon.

GW-01Gather your tools and check the wallLay out all your frames and check the wall really is solid brick or block, not a stud partition or dot-and-dab plasterboard. Tap along the wall — a solid, dull thud all over means masonry; a hollow sound in places, or a change in sound about 10-20mm in, points to plasterboard on studs or dot-and-dab dabs over masonry. If you find a hollow wall, stop and use a stud-wall or dot-and-dab guide instead, because the fixings in this job are for solid masonry.

1 each · Tape measure

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1 each · Spirit level (600mm)

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1 each · Pencil

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GW-02Make paper templates and plan the layoutDraw round each frame onto brown paper and cut out the shapes, marking where the hanging hook or wire sits on each one. Tape the templates to the wall and move them about until you're happy with the gaps and alignment — leave about 50-75mm between frames for a gallery look. Step back and check it from across the room before you mark anything permanent.

1 roll · Kraft paper roll

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1 roll · Masking tape

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1 each · Scissors

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GW-03Mark your fixing pointsUse a spirit level or laser level to draw a level line through where each hook needs to go, then mark the exact fixing point through the paper template with a pencil. Check the spacing between marks with a tape measure before you take the templates down, so frames end up level with each other and evenly spaced.

1 each · Laser level (cross-line)

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GW-04Check for cables and pipes before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, not just in the usual safe zones, so run a detector over every mark first. Even then, treat every hole as if something could be there — detectors miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, or behind metal-backed plasterboard. Find your stopcock now, usually under the kitchen sink, and check it turns freely, so you can shut off the water fast if you ever 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 drilling anywhere near a bathroom or kitchen wall.

GW-05Drill and plug each fixing point in brick or blockFit a masonry bit to your drill and set it to hammer mode. Use a 6mm bit for a 6mm wall plug, and drill to about 5mm deeper than the plug length so dust doesn't stop it seating fully — for a 30mm plug, drill to around 35mm. Blow or vacuum the dust out of the hole, tap the plug in flush, then drive in the screw, leaving 5-8mm proud to take a picture hook or hang the wire directly.

1 each · Masonry drill bit (6mm)

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1 pack · Wall plugs, 6mm x 30mm (pack of 50)

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1 pack · Screws, 8g x 40mm

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1 each · Dust sheet

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GW-06Use longer fixings if the wall turns out to be dot-and-dabIf your drill suddenly goes from solid resistance into a soft, hollow gap around 10-20mm in, you've hit dot-and-dab plasterboard fixed to the masonry behind rather than solid brick or block. Switch to a longer fixing, such as a 6mm x 60-75mm plug and screw, so it passes through the plasterboard and adhesive dabs and grips solidly in the masonry behind, not just in the plasterboard skin.

1 pack · Wall plugs and screws, 6mm x 60-75mm (pack)

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GW-07Hang and level the first frameHang your first frame — usually the largest or most central one — and check it's level with a spirit level. Adjust the hanging wire or hook slightly if it leans, rather than redoing the fixing, since small tilts are usually a wire-length issue, not a drilling one.

1 pack · Picture hooks, heavy duty (pack)

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GW-08Hang the remaining frames and check the whole wallWork outward from the first frame, checking spacing and level against it as you go rather than against the floor or ceiling, which are rarely perfectly straight. Step back regularly to check the arrangement reads well as a group, and nudge frames on their hooks slightly to fine-tune gaps.

GW-09Tidy up and check your workVacuum up masonry dust from the floor and skirting, and wipe down the wall if needed. Check every frame is secure by gently pulling forward on each one, and fill any stray or unused holes with a fine surface filler before touching up the paint.

1 each · Fine surface filler (small tub)

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1 each · Filling knife

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