Hang a wall-mounted storage cabinet on a solid brick or block wall

A step-by-step guide to marking, drilling and securely fixing a wall-mounted storage cabinet in one session.

SC-01Clear the area and plan the positionMove furniture and clutter away from the wall so you can work freely. Decide the height and position of the cabinet, checking it clears light switches, sockets and any door swing. Mark a rough centre point in pencil. Get a second person to help hold the cabinet later, since most are too awkward to hang alone.

1 each · Pencil

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1 each · Tape measure

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SC-02Confirm you actually have a solid wallTap the wall across the fixing area. A solid brick or block wall sounds dull and dense everywhere, with no hollow patches. Drill a small pilot hole and check the dust: brick or block gives fine red-brown or grey masonry dust. If instead you get timber dust, steel swarf, a hollow sound between evenly spaced points, or a soft plasterboard feel with no solid backing, you actually have a stud wall, dot-and-dab, or lath and plaster, and this guide's fixings will not work — you'll need a different fixing for that wall type before going any further.

SC-03Mark and level the fixing pointsHold the cabinet's fixing rail or template against the wall at the height you chose, and use a spirit level to get it dead level. Mark each screw position through the cabinet's fixing holes or the template provided. Double-check the marks are level and correctly spaced before you drill — it's much easier to fix this now than after drilling.

1 each · Spirit level

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SC-04Drill and plug the fixing holesBefore you drill, find your stopcock — usually under the kitchen sink — and check it turns freely, so you can shut off the water fast if you ever hit a pipe. Run a cable and pipe detector over the marked area, but still treat the wall as if something is there and drill carefully, since detectors miss deep cables, armoured cable and pipes hidden behind thick plaster. If you have any real doubt, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit first. Drill each mark with a 7mm masonry bit to about 55–60mm deep, blow out the dust, then push a brown wall plug fully into each hole flush with the wall.

1 each · Masonry drill bit, 7mm

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1 each · SDS or hammer drill

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4 each · Wall plugs, brown 7mm

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1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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SC-05Fix the cabinet to the wallDrive a screw into each plugged hole, leaving about 5–8mm of screw head standing out if the cabinet hangs on a rail or keyhole slot. Lift the cabinet onto the screws with your helper, checking it engages fully and sits flush. If the cabinet fixes through its back panel instead, drive the screws all the way through into the plugs so it sits tight against the wall.

4 each · Screws, 50-60mm No.10

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1 each · Screwdriver or drill driver

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SC-06Check it's level and load-test itRun the spirit level along the top of the cabinet and adjust the fixings if it's out. Push down and pull gently on the front to check for any movement or give. Load it gradually with its normal contents rather than all at once, and check again after a day that nothing has shifted.

SC-07Tidy upVacuum up masonry dust from the floor and skirting, and wipe down the wall and cabinet. Dispose of any rubble or offcuts and put tools away. Check the surrounding area for stray screws or plug offcuts before you finish.

1 each · Vacuum cleaner

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1 each · Dust sheet

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