Hang a wall clock on a lath and plaster wall

Find a solid fixing point and hang a wall clock securely without damaging your old lath and plaster wall.

WC-01Get your tools and clock readyLay everything out before you start: a multi-detector, a bradawl or small hand drill, a pencil, a spirit level, and a screwdriver. Turn the clock over and check how it hangs — most have a small keyhole slot or a hook on the back. Knowing this now saves you fumbling once you're up a stepladder.

1 each · Multi-detector (cable/pipe/stud)

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1 each · Spirit level

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1 each · Bradawl

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1 each · Dust sheet

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WC-02Choose the spot and mark itHold the clock against the wall at a comfortable eye-line height, roughly 1.5m to 1.6m up from the floor. Use the spirit level so it will hang straight, then mark the fixing point lightly in pencil. Avoid corners, areas near switches, and spots just above skirting or radiators, where old plaster is often thinner or patched.

1 each · Pencil

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WC-03Check for cables and pipes before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, not just in the obvious safe zones. Run your detector over the marked spot, but don't trust it completely — it can miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, or hidden behind old lath and plaster. Find your stopcock, 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 circuit at the consumer unit before you drill.

WC-04Find a lath to fix intoLath and plaster walls have thin timber strips nailed across the studs, with narrow gaps between them, all covered in a few coats of plaster. Tap gently along the marked area — a dull, slightly hollow knock means you're over a gap, and a firmer knock usually means a lath underneath. Push the bradawl in gently at a slight angle; if it meets solid timber after a few millimetres, you've found your lath.

WC-05Mark and pilot-drill the fixing pointOnce you've found solid timber, mark the exact spot with a pencil dot. Stick a small strip of masking tape over the mark first — this stops the old plaster cracking or crumbling as the drill bites. Drill a 2mm pilot hole through the tape, keeping the drill level, and stop as soon as you feel the lath underneath.

1 roll · Masking tape

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1 each · 2mm drill bit

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WC-06Fit the right fixing for what you foundIf you found solid lath, you can fix straight into it — a single 30mm x 3.5mm woodscrew easily holds a wall clock. If you only found a gap between laths near your marked spot, don't force a plug into crumbly old plaster; use a self-drilling hollow-wall fixing rated for at least 5kg instead, which grips behind the laths rather than in the plaster itself. Never use a plain plastic wall plug on its own here — there's nothing solid behind it to bite into.

1 each · Woodscrew 30mm x 3.5mm

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1 each · Self-drilling hollow-wall fixing (5kg rated)

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WC-07Fix the screw or fixing in placeIf you're fixing straight into a lath, drive the woodscrew in by hand or with a screwdriver, leaving about 8-10mm standing clear of the wall to hook the clock onto. If you're using a hollow-wall fixing, seat it fully following the pack instructions, then drive the screw into it until it feels firm — not so tight that it spins the fixing loose in the hole.

1 each · Screwdriver

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WC-08Hang the clock and check itLift the clock onto the screw or fixing using its keyhole slot or hook. Check it sits flush against the wall, then use the spirit level again to straighten it. Give it a gentle downward tug to check it holds firm — don't lean on it or hang anything else from it, as lath and plaster is far weaker than brick.

WC-09Tidy upPeel off the masking tape and brush away any plaster dust with a soft brush or a vacuum with a brush attachment. Wipe the wall lightly with a dry cloth if any dust remains. Step back, check the clock is level, and set it to the right time.

1 each · Soft brush

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