Hang a wall planter on a lath and plaster wall — HomeGraft

Find what's behind your wall, choose the right fixing, and hang your planter securely without cracking the plaster.

WP-01Gather your tools and protect the areaLay a dust sheet under your work area to catch plaster dust and screws. Get everything within reach before you start: detector, drill, screwdriver, spirit level, pencil and the planter itself. Working on lath and plaster is dusty, so have a vacuum or dustpan handy for the tidy-up.

1 each · Dust sheet

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1 each · Spirit level (small)

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1 each · Pencil

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WP-02Mark the height and hole positionsHold the planter or bracket against the wall at the height you want and check it's level. Mark the centre of each screw hole lightly with a pencil. Stick a small cross of masking tape over each mark — this stops the drill bit skidding and helps stop the brittle plaster surface flaking as you drill.

1 roll · Masking tape

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1 each · Tape measure

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WP-03Check for cables and pipes, and find your stopcockBefore any drilling, run a detector slowly over each marked point. Cables and pipes can run almost anywhere, and detectors miss things — deep cables, metal conduit, or anything outside the usual safe zones — so still treat the wall as if something is there until you've proved otherwise. 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, turn off the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before you drill.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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WP-04Work out what's behind the plasterLath and plaster was built before metal stud framing existed, so behind it you'll find either a timber partition wall or solid masonry with thin timber battens fixed across it. Tap along the wall — a dull, solid knock usually means timber or masonry close behind, a hollow knock means you're between them. Drill a fine test hole at one mark and check the dust: pale timber dust means you've hit a batten or stud, gritty red or grey dust means brick or block behind a batten.

1 each · Fine drill bit (3mm)

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WP-05Fix into a timber batten or stud, if you found oneIf your test hole shows timber, drill a 2mm pilot hole through the tape and plaster and into the centre of the batten, about 25mm deep. Drive a wood screw through the bracket into this pilot hole. This is the strongest fixing you can get in a lath and plaster wall, so use it whenever a batten lines up with your marks.

4 each · Wood screws 4mm x 40mm

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1 each · Cordless drill

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WP-06Fix between battens using a lath and plaster fixingIf your test hole showed no timber, don't use an ordinary plastic wall plug — it will just crack the plaster or spin loose in the void behind the laths. Drill a hole sized to the fixing packet, gently, in short bursts to avoid cracking the plaster around it. Push in a spring toggle or lath-and-plaster-rated hollow wall anchor, then tighten it so the toggle sits flat against the back of the laths before you fit the screw.

4 each · Spring toggle fixings (rated for lath and plaster)

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WP-07Fix through a batten into solid masonry, if that's what you foundIf your test hole hit timber then something harder just behind it, you're fixing through a timber ground into brick or block. Drill through the timber with a wood bit, then switch to a masonry bit and continue into the wall to a depth of about 50mm. Push in a wall plug sized to match your screw, then drive the screw through the bracket, timber and plug together.

1 each · Masonry drill bit (6mm)

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4 each · Wall plugs (red, 6mm)

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WP-08Fit the bracket and hang the planterWith all fixings in place, screw the bracket firmly to the wall, checking it's level as you go. Hang the planter and give it a firm downward and outward tug to test it holds. If it moves at all, take it down and re-fix using a stronger point before adding soil or water.

1 each · Wall planter with bracket

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WP-09Tidy up and check the finishVacuum up plaster dust and screw shavings from the floor and skirting. If drilling left any small chips around the fixings, dab on a little plaster filler with a small filler knife and leave it to dry before painting over. Give the planter a final check once it's fully loaded with soil.

1 each · Plaster filler (small tub)

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1 each · Filler knife

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