Put up a wall-mounted wine rack on a lath and plaster wall

Fit a wall-mounted wine rack safely, checking for cables and pipes, and fixing into solid timber behind the lath and plaster.

WR-01Clear the area and get your tools readyMove furniture out of the way and lay a dust sheet under the work area. Old lime plaster crumbles easily, so expect some dust and debris. Lay out your drill, screwdriver, spirit level, tape measure and pencil before you start.

1 each · Dust sheet

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1 each · Pencil

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1 each · Tape measure

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1 each · Spirit level (600mm)

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1 each · Cordless drill/driver

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WR-02Mark the height and hole positionsHold the wine rack against the wall at your chosen height and check it's level with a spirit level. Mark each fixing hole through the rack's mounting points with a pencil. Stick a small piece of masking tape over each mark before drilling — it stops the old plaster surface flaking and cracking.

1 each · Wall-mounted wine rack

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1 roll · Masking tape

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WR-03Check for cables and pipes before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, not just in the obvious 'safe zones', and cheap detectors can miss deep or shielded ones. Run a cable and pipe detector over every marked point, but still drill carefully as if something could be there. Before you start, find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns freely, so you can shut off water fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt about what's behind the wall, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit, and turn off the water at the stopcock before drilling near anything that could carry water.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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WR-04Find the timber behind the lath and plasterLath and plaster is thin timber strips nailed to timber studs or battens and covered in lime plaster — it is never built on metal studs, so you don't need to worry about metal-stud fixings here. Knock along the wall to find the firmer, less hollow-sounding spots where a stud or batten sits, usually every 400-600mm, and use a strong magnet or detector to pick up the nail heads fixing the laths to the timber. If you're not sure, drill a small 2-3mm pilot hole at a marked point: fine pale timber dust means you've hit the stud or batten, while soft white dust with no resistance means you're still in plaster and lath only.

1 each · Strong magnet or stud detector

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1 each · 2mm drill bit

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WR-05Fix into the timber, not just the plasterNever rely on a wall plug in lime plaster alone — it isn't strong enough and will pull free under the weight of loaded bottles. At each fixing point that lines up with a stud or batten, drill a pilot hole through the plaster and lath and into the timber, then drive a wood screw long enough to bite at least 30-35mm into solid timber (typically a 4mm x 60mm screw, allowing for plaster and lath thickness). If a fixing point falls between studs with no timber behind it, don't force it — fit a short timber batten across the studs at that height first, screwed into the studs either side, then fix the rack to the batten.

6 each · Wood screws (4mm x 60mm, zinc-plated)

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1 each · Timber batten (25mm x 50mm, cut to length)

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WR-06Fit the rack and check it's levelDrive the screws through the rack's mounting holes and into the pilot holes, tightening evenly so the rack sits flush against the wall. Recheck with your spirit level before fully tightening the last screw, and adjust if needed. Wipe away any loose plaster dust from around the fixings.

WR-07Load-test the rack and tidy upAdd bottles gradually, checking the rack stays firm and doesn't shift or creak away from the wall. If any fixing feels loose, remove it, refit into solid timber, and don't rely on the plaster to hold it. Fold away the dust sheet and vacuum any plaster debris from the floor and skirting.

1 each · Vacuum cleaner

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