Put up a spice rack on a solid brick or block wall
Fit a spice rack securely to a solid wall, checking for cables and pipes before you drill.
SR-01Gather your tools and check the rackLay out the spice rack and see what screw holes it has — most have two or three. Check if it came with screws and wall plugs; if not, you'll need to buy some rated for a solid wall. Get a spirit level, pencil, masonry drill bit, drill, screwdriver, dust sheet and a vacuum ready.
SR-02Choose the position and mark your fixing pointsHold the rack against the wall at a comfortable height, clear of hobs, kettles and taps. Use a spirit level to keep it dead level, then mark each screw hole through the rack with a pencil. Double-check the marks are level before you move on.
SR-03Check for cables and pipes before you drillRun a detector over each mark, but don't fully trust it — detectors miss cables that are deep, in conduit, or outside the usual safe zones. Find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and make sure it turns freely, so you can shut the water off fast if you hit a pipe. If you're at all unsure what's behind the wall, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before you drill.
SR-04Drill the holes and fit the wall plugsDrill each marked point with a masonry bit matched to your wall plug size — usually 6mm for a standard plug. Drill about 5mm deeper than the plug's length so it seats fully in the brick or block, not just the plaster skim. Blow or brush out the dust, then tap the plug in flush with the wall.
SR-05Screw the rack to the wallLine the rack back up with your plugged holes and drive the screws in firmly, but don't overtighten — you can crack the plaster skim if you force it. Check the rack is level once more and give it a firm wiggle to make sure it's solid.
SR-06Tidy up and load the rackVacuum up the drill dust and wipe the wall down. Load the rack with a few jars first and check the fixings still feel solid after a day or two before loading it fully.
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