Hang a wall-mounted storage cabinet on a lath and plaster wall — HomeGraft

Find what's behind the lath and plaster, fix into solid support, and hang your cabinet safely and level.

LPC-01Plan the job and gather your kitCheck the cabinet's fixing centres and total loaded weight (cabinet plus contents) before choosing fixings. Decide on a comfortable height and check nothing behind that spot gets in the way, such as a socket or pipe run. Lay a dust sheet under the work area, as lath and plaster sheds a lot of dust and grit when drilled.

1 each · Dust sheet

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1 each · Pencil

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1 each · Tape measure

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1 set · Dust mask and goggles

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LPC-02Work out what's behind the lath and plasterLath and plaster is almost always fixed to timber studs or joists, since metal stud framing wasn't used when this finish was standard, but check anyway if the wall has been altered later. Track along the wall with a strong magnet or look for a faint line of nail heads, as laths were nailed to studs at roughly 400mm centres. Tap the wall: a dull, solid knock means a stud or masonry behind, a hollow, resonant knock means open lath with nothing behind it. Drill a small 3mm test hole in an inconspicuous spot at low speed: timber dust means a stud, brick or block dust means masonry behind battens, and grey plaster dust alone means you're between supports.

1 each · Magnet or stud/metal detector

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1 each · 3mm drill bit

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LPC-03Check for cables and pipes before you drillCables and pipes can run in unexpected places, including up from sockets below or across for lighting, and a detector can miss cables that are deep, in conduit, or behind old metal lath patches. Treat the detector reading as a first check, not proof: drill cautiously and stop the moment you feel resistance change or see anything other than plaster or timber dust. Find your stopcock, usually under the kitchen sink, and check it turns before you start, so you can shut off water fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt about what's behind the wall, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling.

LPC-04Mark a level line for the cabinetHold the cabinet's top edge at your chosen height and mark this on the wall with a pencil, then run a spirit level across and draw a full level line. Lath and plaster walls are rarely perfectly flat, so check the level at a few points along the line rather than trusting one reading.

1 each · Spirit level

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LPC-05Transfer fixing points and match them to solid supportHold the cabinet or its backplate against the level line and mark through the fixing holes. Where a mark lands on a stud or masonry from your earlier test, keep it there. Where a mark falls on open lath with nothing solid behind, shift the cabinet slightly along the line if the design allows, so at least two fixings land on solid support. A loaded cabinet needs proper support, not just a fixing into open lath.

LPC-06Drill through the lath and plasterLath and plaster is brittle and cracks easily, so drill slowly with steady, even pressure rather than forcing the bit through. Start with a 3mm pilot hole, then open up to the size needed for your fixing: a masonry bit sized to the plug for masonry, or a bit roughly two-thirds the screw's core diameter for a timber stud. If the plaster crumbles around the hole, stop, back the bit out, and fill the gap with a dab of filler before refitting, as a ragged hole won't hold a fixing.

1 each · Masonry drill bit (sized to plug)

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1 each · Wood drill bit

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1 each · Filler (small tub)

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LPC-07Fit the right fixing for what's behind the wallInto a timber stud, drive a wood screw at least 50mm long into the centre of the stud, through a pilot hole sized to the screw. Into masonry behind the laths, use a wall plug sized to your masonry drill bit, with a screw long enough to pass through the plaster, laths and air gap and still reach at least 40mm into the brick or block, often 70-90mm total. Never rely on a plain wall plug or an ordinary screw pushed into open lath with nothing solid behind it, as lath and plaster alone won't hold a loaded cabinet. If a fixing point has no stud or masonry behind it, get a timber noggin fitted between the studs first, or move the fixing to line up with solid support.

4 each · Wood screws 50mm

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4 each · Wall plugs (masonry)

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4 each · Screws 75mm

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1 each · Timber noggin (if needed)

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LPC-08Hang the cabinet and check it's secureLift the cabinet onto the top fixings first if it has keyhole slots, then add the remaining screws and tighten fully. Check it's level, then push and pull firmly at each corner to make sure it doesn't shift or pull away from the wall.

LPC-09Load test before you rely on itLoad the cabinet gradually with its intended contents rather than all at once, checking the wall around each fixing for any new cracking or movement. Keep heavy items out of any shelf or door that overhangs a fixing point with no stud or masonry behind it.

LPC-10Tidy up and patch the wallVacuum plaster dust and grit from the floor and skirting before it gets trodden through the house. Fill any small cracks or chipped edges around the fixings with a fast-drying filler, sand flush once dry, and touch in with matching paint if needed.

1 each · Filler (small tub)

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1 each · Fine sandpaper

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1 each · Touch-up paint (tester pot)

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