Put up a twin-slot shelving system on a solid brick or block wall — HomeGraft

Plan, mark and fix a twin-slot shelving system safely and accurately in one session.

AB-01Plan the layout and mark the top lineDecide where the shelves will go and how high the top bracket slot needs to sit. Use a spirit level to draw a level horizontal line on the wall for the top of each upright. Mark the position of each upright along this line, spacing them to suit your shelf length (most timber shelves need support every 600-800mm).

1 each · Spirit level (600mm)

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1 each · Pencil

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1 each · Tape measure

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AB-02Check for pipes and cables, and confirm your wall typeCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, not just in the usual safe zones, so run a detector over every marked fixing point before you drill. Detectors can still miss deep cables, cables in metal conduit, or anything behind metal-backed board, so treat every hole as if something could be there: find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns freely, and if you have any doubt at all, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit before drilling. Tap the wall as you go: a solid, dull knock all the way along means solid brick or block. A hollow sound with occasional solid knocks (every 400-600mm) means a stud wall or dot-and-dab plasterboard, and a magnet or stud detector tracking a line of screw or nail heads confirms exactly where the studs sit. A test pilot hole tells you which: fine, pale timber dust means a timber stud; grey, gritty dust with a solid feel a few centimetres in means dot-and-dab plasterboard over masonry; fine grey swarf means a metal stud; and a slightly springy, uneven surface with narrow wooden strips felt through the hole means lath and plaster.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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1 each · Small masonry drill bit (3mm) for test holes

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AB-03Choose the right fixing for your wallFor solid brick or block, drill with a 7mm masonry bit to 45mm depth, fit a red or brown plastic wall plug, and use a 50-60mm woodscrew. For a timber stud, drill a 2mm pilot hole into the centre of the stud and drive in a 50mm woodscrew directly, no plug needed. For a metal stud, never use a wood screw or plastic plug, as they strip straight through 0.5mm steel; use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing for light loads, or a proper toggle-type hollow-wall anchor rated for the weight, and fix into a timber noggin or through to the masonry behind if the shelf will carry any real weight or leverage. For dot-and-dab plasterboard, use a fixing long enough to pass through the board and the dab and bite into the masonry behind, typically 75-100mm, or a dot-and-dab-rated hollow fixing if you land on an air pocket. For lath and plaster, drill on a low or no-impact setting to avoid cracking the laths, and use a spring toggle or plasterboard fixing rated for old lath rather than a plug, which won't grip.

1 each · Masonry drill bit (7mm)

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8 each · Wall plugs (red/brown, masonry)

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8 each · Woodscrews (50mm)

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4 each · Metal-stud self-drilling fixings

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4 each · Hollow-wall toggle fixings (rated)

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4 each · Long fixings for dot-and-dab (75-100mm)

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AB-04Fix the first uprightHold the first twin-slot upright against your marked line and check it's plumb with a spirit level. Mark and drill the top fixing hole first, using the fixing appropriate to your wall type from the step above, and fit a single screw loosely so you can still swing the upright to check level. Once plumb, drill and fix the remaining holes down the length of the upright.

1 each · Twin-slot upright (1m)

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1 each · Drill/driver

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AB-05Fix the remaining uprightsUse a level laid across from the first upright to mark the top fixing point of each following upright at exactly the same height. Fix each one the same way, checking plumb vertically and level across the tops as you go. Recheck the fixing type at each point, since one upright can cross both masonry and a stud or dot-and-dab pocket.

2 each · Twin-slot uprights (1m)

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AB-06Clip in the bracketsSlot the shelf brackets into the twin-slot uprights at the height you want each shelf. Check the brackets are seated in matching slots on every upright so the shelf will sit level. Push up firmly on each bracket to make sure it has locked into the slot.

6 each · Twin-slot shelf brackets (250mm)

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AB-07Fit the shelves and load-testRest each shelf on its brackets and check it sits level and doesn't rock. Load it gradually with what you intend to store, checking the wall around the fixings for any movement or cracking, especially on stud or lath-and-plaster walls. If a fixing feels loose or the wall flexes, stop, remove the load, and refit with a stronger fixing or a noggin behind the board.

3 each · Shelving boards (to size)

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AB-08Tidy upVacuum drilling dust from the floor and skirting, and wipe down the wall below the shelves. Collect offcuts, spare plugs and packaging for disposal. Put your detector, level and drill bits away so they're ready for the next job.

1 each · Vacuum cleaner

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1 each · Dust sheet

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