Hang a picture frame on a metal stud wall

Work out what your wall is made of, then hang a picture frame safely and securely in one session.

PF-01Plan the position and gather your toolsDecide roughly where you want the frame and mark the spot lightly in pencil at the height you want the top edge to sit. Lay a dust sheet on the floor below. Gather your tools now so you are not hunting for them mid-job: drill, detector, spirit level, tape measure, pencil and the fixing you will need once you know your wall type.

1 each · Dust sheet

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1 each · Pencil

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1 each · Tape measure

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PF-02Work out what your wall is made ofTap the wall where you want to drill: a dull, solid knock is brick or block, a hollow sound is stud or dot-and-dab plasterboard. Run a stud detector or a magnet along the wall at that height, tracking any line of screw heads to find stud centres, usually 400mm or 600mm apart. If you're still unsure, drill a small 3mm test hole in a spot the frame will cover: fine pale dust means timber, fine grey swarf means a metal stud, and hitting solid straight away means masonry or the block behind dot-and-dab. Metal stud walls are common in flats and anything built or refitted since the 1990s.

1 each · Stud and cable detector

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1 each · 3mm masonry/metal drill bit

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PF-03Check for cables and pipes before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere behind a wall, not just in the 'safe zones'. Use your detector, but still assume something might be there and drill carefully to prove otherwise — detectors miss deep cables, cables in metal conduit, anything behind metal-backed plasterboard, and they get confused by metal stud frames. Find your stopcock now (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns, 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.

PF-04Mark and level your fixing pointsCheck how your frame hangs: a single central hook needs one fixing, two D-rings or eyelets need two fixings spaced to match. Hold the frame up, or measure from it, to mark the exact fixing point(s) in pencil. Use a spirit level to make sure two marks sit level with each other, not just level with the floor.

1 each · Spirit level

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PF-05Drill and fit the right fixing for your wallSolid brick or block: drill a 6mm hole 40mm deep, tap in a wall plug, then drive a 40mm screw leaving about 8mm proud to hang on. Plasterboard on timber stud: drill a 2mm pilot into the centre of the stud and drive a 40mm wood screw straight in, no plug needed. Plasterboard on metal stud: never use a plastic wall plug or an ordinary wood screw here, as it strips straight through 0.5mm steel — use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor rated for the weight instead. Dot-and-dab plasterboard: use a long fixing, typically 60–75mm, that passes through the board and adhesive dabs to bite into the solid masonry behind. Lath and plaster: this is old and fragile, so use a plasterboard toggle or hollow-wall anchor and treat it gently — a picture frame's weight is fine, anything heavier is not.

2 each · Wall plugs (red, 6mm)

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2 each · Wood screws 40mm

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1 each · Self-drilling metal-stud fixing

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1 each · Hollow-wall toggle fixing

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1 each · Drill

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PF-06Hang the frame and check it's levelHook the frame onto the fixing and let it settle naturally. Check it with a spirit level and gently adjust the wire or D-rings if one side sits higher than the other. Step back and view it from a normal distance before you commit to the final position.

PF-07Tidy upVacuum or brush up any dust or swarf from drilling, and wipe the wall down. Fold away the dust sheet and put tools back where they belong. Keep any leftover fixings in a labelled bag in case you need to adjust or repeat the job elsewhere.

1 each · Handheld vacuum

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