Put up open kitchen shelving on a dot-and-dab plasterboard wall

Fit sturdy open shelves above your kitchen worktop, checking what's behind the wall before drilling and fixing safely.

AB-01Plan the shelf height and spacingMark the wall lightly with a pencil at 400-450mm above the worktop, so the shelf is easy to reach. Keep shelves at least 150mm clear of a cooker hood, extractor, or any socket back box. For a shelf up to 900mm long, plan two brackets spaced no more than 600mm apart; for anything longer, add a third bracket in the middle.

1 each · Pencil

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AB-02Work out exactly what's behind the plasterboardDrill a small pilot hole at one mark and check what comes out. Fine white dust, then a 40-50mm gap, then a hard solid stop means dot-and-dab over masonry. Continuous hard resistance with brick or block dust means solid masonry with no cavity. Timber dust at regular 400mm or 600mm centres means a stud wall; fine grey metal swarf at the same spacing means metal studs. Soft, crumbly lime dust with thin timber laths every 25-40mm means lath and plaster, which is common in pre-1930s homes.

1 each · Stud, cable and pipe detector

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AB-03Mark and level the bracket positionsHold the first bracket against the wall at your planned height and mark the screw holes through it. Use a spirit level to mark the second bracket at exactly the same height, at your planned spacing. Double-check both sets of marks are level with each other before you drill anything.

AB-04Check for cables and pipes before you drillScan the full length of every mark slowly, in both directions, with your detector. Detectors can still miss cables that run deep, sit in metal conduit, hide behind metal-backed plasterboard, or lie outside the usual safe zones, so treat every hole as live until you prove otherwise. Find your stopcock now, usually under the kitchen sink, and check it turns fully so you can shut the water off fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt at all about what's behind the wall, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit before drilling, and turn the water off at the stopcock before cutting into anything that could carry water.

AB-05Drill and fit the right fixing for your wallFor dot-and-dab, drill through the plasterboard and the adhesive dabs into the solid masonry behind (usually a 40-50mm void), then fit a plug and screw long enough to reach at least 30mm into the brick or block once through the gap - an 80-100mm frame fixing usually does this. For solid brick or block with no cavity, drill an 8mm hole 40mm deep, fit a matching plug, and drive a 4x50mm screw. For a timber stud, drive a 4x50mm wood screw straight into the centre of the stud, no plug needed. For a metal stud, use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or a snap-toggle made for hollow steel frames - never a plain wall plug or an ordinary wood screw, which strips straight through 0.5mm steel. For lath and plaster, locate the timber stud behind the laths and use a long wood screw with a wide washer to spread the load, since the old plaster is soft and can crumble.

4 each · Frame fixings 80-100mm (dot-and-dab)

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4 each · Masonry wall plugs and screws (8mm)

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4 each · Wood screws 4x50mm

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4 each · Metal-stud toggle or self-drilling fixings

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AB-06Fit a noggin if you're fixing into a metal studA metal stud alone will not carry loaded open shelving; the weight of crockery and the leverage of everyday use will pull the toggle fixing out over time. If your wall is metal stud, either fix through to the masonry or block behind it if there is one, or open a small section of board and screw a timber noggin between the studs to fix into. If neither is possible, get an installer to add a noggin before you go further.

1 each · Timber noggin (50x50mm, cut to width)

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AB-07Fix the brackets and attach the shelfScrew both brackets home, checking each one is tight and doesn't move when you pull on it. Rest the shelf on the brackets, check it's level, then screw up through the underside of the shelf into each bracket using the screws supplied with it.

4 each · Heavy-duty steel shelf brackets (200mm)

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2 each · Timber shelf board 18x200x900mm

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AB-08Load test and tidy upAdd weight gradually over a day or two rather than loading the shelf all at once. Check the brackets stay tight and the wall around the fixings doesn't crack or move. Vacuum up plaster or brick dust and wipe down the worktop below before you finish.

1 each · Dust sheet

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