Hang a heavy picture or large canvas on a lath and plaster wall

Learn to safely hang a heavy picture on a lath and plaster wall using the right fixing and technique.

LP-01Confirm the wall type and plan your fixing pointsTap the wall along the line where you want to hang the picture. A solid, low-pitched knock usually means a stud or timber batten behind the plaster; a higher, hollow sound means you're between them. Mark your chosen centre point with a pencil and check the height with a spirit level before you commit to it.

1 each · Pencil

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · Spirit level

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

LP-02Find what's actually behind the lathsRun a detector or magnet along the wall to pick up the nail heads holding the laths, which usually sit in a line every 300mm or so over a timber stud. Drill a tiny 3mm test hole in an inconspicuous spot on your marked line. Timber dust means you've found a stud, batten or joist; brick or stone dust means solid masonry sits behind an old lime lath finish. If the hole brings out fine grey steel swarf, this is not a true lath and plaster wall — it's a modern metal stud partition that's been skimmed to look old, and you should treat it as a metal stud wall instead, since lath and plaster is always fixed to timber, never steel.

1 each · Stud and cable detector

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · 3mm drill bit

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

LP-03Check for pipes and cables, and know your isolation pointsA detector helps but it can miss cables that run deep, in old metal conduit, or outside the usual safe zones — and old lath and plaster walls sometimes have their own metal lath backing, which confuses cheap detectors further. Before drilling 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 about what's behind the wall near a socket, switch or light run, isolate that circuit at the consumer unit before you drill.

LP-04Mark and pilot-drill your final fixing pointsStick a small cross of masking tape over each marked point to stop the old lime plaster crumbling or blowing out as you drill. Drill slowly at low speed with no hammer action — lath and plaster is brittle and cracks easily if you rush it. Stop as soon as the pilot hole is deep enough to tell you what's behind: stud, cavity, or masonry.

1 roll · Masking tape

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 set · Pilot drill bit set

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

LP-05Choose the right fixing for what's behind the plasterInto a timber stud, drive a 4mm (No.8) x 50-60mm wood screw through the plaster and lath so it bites at least 30mm into solid timber. Between studs, use a spring toggle or self-drilling hollow-wall anchor rated for the weight of your picture with a safety margin — pick one long enough to seat through the full plaster-and-lath thickness (roughly 20-30mm) plus the cavity, since a short plasterboard toggle often won't grip properly through old lath. If a solid wall sits behind timber battens, drill on through to the masonry and fit a plug and screw rated for masonry, long enough to fully engage beyond the plaster, lath and air gap. For anything heavy, use two fixing points, ideally both into studs, to spread the load and stop the fragile plaster tearing.

1 pack · Wood screws 4mm x 60mm (pack of 10)

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 pack · Spring toggle fixings, heavy-duty (pack of 4)

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 pack · Masonry wall plugs and screws (pack of 10)

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

LP-06Fit the hanging hardware to the frameFor a large or heavy canvas, screw a mirror plate to each back edge of the frame rather than relying on a single wire and hook. Position the plates so they line up with your chosen fixing points on the wall. Tighten the screws fully so the frame can't shift once it's hanging.

1 pack · Mirror plates (pack of 2)

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 pack · Small woodscrews for mirror plates

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

LP-07Hang the picture and check it's levelOffer the picture up to the wall and mark exactly where each mirror plate needs its own fixing. Drill and fit those fixings using the method you chose in step LP-05, then hang the picture. Check it's level and adjust the plate position slightly if one side sits higher than the other.

LP-08Make good and clean upFill any small cracks around the fixing points with a flexible filler suited to old lime plaster, and let it cure fully before touching it up with matching paint. Vacuum plaster dust from the skirting and floor, and wipe down the wall below the picture.

1 small tub · Flexible filler for plaster repairs

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 small tester pot · Matching touch-up paint

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

Some links may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Save this as a project

Back to all guides