Hang a neon sign or light box on a dot-and-dab plasterboard wall

Work out your wall type, choose the correct fixing, then hang a plug-in neon sign or light box safely and level.

NS-01Plan the position and check the power lead reachesDecide where the sign will hang and hold it up (or use the box it came in) to check the height looks right. Make sure a socket is within reach of the cable without it trailing across a doorway or walkway. Most neon signs and light boxes are light, usually under 2kg, so this is a straightforward one-person job. Check the fixing holes on the back of the sign so you know the spacing you need to mark.

1 each · Neon sign or light box

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1 each · Tape measure

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NS-02Work out what your wall is actually made ofTap the wall firmly with your knuckle across the area. A dull, slightly hollow sound with almost no give behind it is dot-and-dab plasterboard on brick or block. A dense, solid knock everywhere is solid brick or block with no board. A regular hollow sound between screw heads spaced roughly 400-600mm apart means a stud wall. Old houses (pre-1930s) with a slightly springy, bouncy feel often have lath and plaster, thin wooden strips under the plaster rather than board.

NS-03If you find a stud wall, check whether it's timber or metalRun a magnet or stud detector along the wall in a line. If it grabs at regular points, you likely have metal studs; timber gives no magnetic reaction. Drill a small pilot hole at one mark: fine pale dust means timber, grey metallic swarf means steel. Metal studs are common in flats, new-builds and anything refitted since the 1990s, and they need a completely different fixing to timber.

NS-04Find cables and pipes before you drill anythingRun a cable and pipe detector over the whole marked area, sweeping slowly in both directions. Detectors miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, behind metal-backed board, or outside the usual safe zones, and a metal stud frame confuses cheap detectors further, so still assume something could be there. Find your stopcock now, 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, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling, and turn the water off at the stopcock before cutting into anything that could carry water.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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NS-05Mark and level the fixing pointsHold the sign in position and mark through its fixing holes, or measure the hole spacing and transfer it to the wall. Use a spirit level to make sure your marks are level with each other before you drill anything. Double-check the marks against a doorway or worktop edge if you're unsure, as a slightly tilted sign is very noticeable once it's lit up.

1 each · Spirit level

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1 each · Pencil

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NS-06Choose the right fixing for your wallDot-and-dab plasterboard: the board sits on a gap (often 20-50mm) in front of the real masonry wall, so use a long fixing, typically a 60-80mm frame fixing or dot-and-dab-rated hollow wall anchor, that passes through the board and bites into the brick or block behind, not just the plaster. Solid brick or block with no board: drill a 6-8mm hole to the depth marked on the plug packet, fit a plastic wall plug, then a wood screw. Plasterboard on timber studs: drive a wood screw straight into the centre of the stud, no plug needed. Plasterboard on metal studs: use a self-drilling metal stud fixing or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor made for metal track, never a plastic plug and never an ordinary wood screw, both strip straight through 0.5mm steel. Lath and plaster: locate the timber laths or a supporting batten behind the plaster and use a turned wood screw into that, a plain plasterboard fixing in bare plaster will pull straight out.

1 pack · Dot-and-dab frame fixings (pack of 10)

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1 pack · Wall plugs and screws (assorted pack)

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1 pack · Metal stud toggle fixings (pack of 4)

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NS-07Drill the holes and fit the fixingsDrill slowly and steadily on the marked points, keeping the drill square to the wall. For dot-and-dab, drill right through the board and the gap into the masonry behind, then fit the long fixing so it grips the solid wall, not just the plaster. Vacuum out the dust from each hole before inserting the fixing, this helps it seat properly and hold its full rated weight.

1 each · Combi drill

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1 each · Masonry drill bit 6mm

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1 each · Dust sheet

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NS-08Hang the sign and check it's levelLift the sign onto the fixings and let it settle fully before letting go. Check it with a spirit level and adjust if one side is riding higher on its fixing. Give it a gentle test tug to make sure it feels secure before you trust it fully.

NS-09Route the cable and plug it inRun the cable down to the socket using cable clips every 200-300mm so it doesn't hang loose or trail across a walkway. Plug the sign into a normal wall socket and switch on to test it. Plugging into an existing socket like this isn't notifiable electrical work. If you ever want the sign wired permanently into the fixed electrics instead of plugged in, that's notifiable work under Part P of the Building Regulations and needs a competent or registered electrician.

RULES

1 pack · Cable clips (pack of 20)

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KNOW THE RULES

Part P of the Building Regulations covers fixed electrical work in homes. Plugging into an existing socket is fine to do yourself; hardwiring a sign into the fixed wiring is notifiable work for a qualified electrician.

NS-10Tidy upVacuum up all drilling dust from the floor and skirting, and wipe down the wall. Bag up any offcuts and leftover fixing packaging. Keep spare fixings and the fitting instructions somewhere safe in case the sign needs to come down later.

1 each · Vacuum cleaner

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