Put up a shelf with brackets on a lath and plaster wall

Work out what's behind your wall, then fix and hang a level shelf safely in one session.

SH-01Gather your tools and materialsYou'll need a shelf, a pair of brackets rated for its length and likely load, a pencil, tape measure, spirit level, a stud detector or small magnet, a cordless drill with wood and masonry bits, a screwdriver, and a dust sheet. Check the brackets have enough screw holes and that any screws supplied are long enough for your wall. Lay the dust sheet under the work area first, since lath and plaster crumbles a lot when drilled.

1 each · Shelf board

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 pair · Shelf bracket pair

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · Dust sheet

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

SH-02Mark a level line and check for hidden servicesHold the shelf where you want it and draw a level pencil line for its top edge using a spirit level. Before drilling anything, run a cable and pipe detector over the whole line — but don't trust it completely. Detectors can miss cables that run deep, sit in metal conduit, or hide behind old lath with metal-mesh reinforcement, so always assume something could be there until you've proved otherwise. Find your stopcock, usually under the kitchen sink, and check it turns freely so you can shut off the water fast if you hit a pipe; if you have any doubt at all, isolate the room's circuit at the consumer unit before drilling.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

SH-03Work out what's behind the lath and plasterLath and plaster is just the finish — thin timber laths nailed to timber studs or battens, covered in plaster. Tap along your pencil line: a dull, solid knock usually means timber or masonry behind, a hollow sound means only laths and an empty void. Drill a small 3mm test hole at one spot — pale dust means timber, fine grey dust means old lime plaster or masonry, and bright metal swarf means a metal stud. Track along the line with a magnet or detector to find the centre of the nearest solid fixing point.

1 each · 3mm drill bit

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

SH-04Choose the right fixing for what you findIf you find a timber stud or batten, drive a wood screw at least 50mm long into its centre — timber holds a shelf well. If you find solid masonry behind the laths, drill through with a 6mm masonry bit, fit a matching wall plug, and use a screw that bites at least 40mm into the brick or block. If a section has been patched with plasterboard, use a toggle or hollow-wall anchor rated for the load, never a plain wall plug alone. If you find a metal stud, don't rely on it for shelving — a self-drilling metal-stud fixing only suits very light loads, and a plain wall plug or ordinary wood screw will strip straight through the 0.5mm steel; a shelf carrying real weight needs a timber noggin between studs, or a fixing through to masonry.

10 pack · Wood screws 50mm

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

10 pack · Wall plugs (masonry)

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · 6mm masonry drill bit

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

4 each · Toggle/hollow-wall anchor

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

4 each · Self-drilling metal-stud fixing

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

SH-05Drill the fixing holesMark each bracket's screw holes along your level line, spacing brackets no more than 600mm apart for a standard shelf. Drill each hole using the bit size and depth that matches what you found behind the laths. Go slowly and keep steady pressure, since old lath and plaster is brittle and can crack if you push too hard.

SH-06Fix the brackets to the wallPush a wall plug into each masonry hole if needed, then screw each bracket into place, checking level as you go. Tighten firmly but stop as soon as the bracket sits flat against the wall — overtightening can crack old plaster around the hole. Fit the second bracket to the same line before moving on.

SH-07Fit the shelf and load-test itRest the shelf on the brackets and check it sits level and flush against the wall. Screw up through the underside of the shelf into each bracket using the screws supplied with the brackets. Press down firmly on the shelf to test it before putting anything heavy on it.

4 each · Shelf-to-bracket fixing screws

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

SH-08Tidy up and check it again laterVacuum plaster dust from the floor and skirting, and wipe down the wall below the shelf. Check the fixings again after a day or two of normal use, since old lath and plaster can settle slightly as it beds in around new screws.

Some links may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Save this as a project

Back to all guides