Put up open kitchen shelving on a timber stud wall

Plan, mark and fix open kitchen shelves securely to your wall, with safety checks before you drill.

KS-01Clear the area and gather your toolsClear the worktop and units below where you're working. Lay a dust sheet over the worktop and floor to catch drilling dust. Gather all your tools first so you're not hunting for them mid-job.

1 each · Dust sheet

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1 each · Tape measure

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1 each · Pencil

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1 each · Spirit level

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1 each · Cordless drill

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1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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1 roll · Masking tape

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KS-02Mark a level line for the shelf heightDecide your shelf height, leaving at least 150mm clearance above any worktop and enough room below wall units. Hold the spirit level against the wall and draw a level pencil line where the top of the shelf will sit. Measure along the line and mark where each bracket will go.

KS-03Work out what your wall is made ofTap along your line: a dull, solid sound usually means brick or block, and a hollow sound means plasterboard on a stud frame or dot-and-dab over masonry. Run a magnet or stud detector along the wall to find the line of screw or staple heads that marks stud centres, normally 400mm or 600mm apart. Drill a small 3mm pilot hole in a hidden spot: pale dust means masonry or timber, and bright metal swarf means a metal stud. Lath and plaster walls, common in houses built before the 1950s, feel slightly springy and sound softer than plasterboard when tapped.

KS-04Check for cables and pipes before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere, not just in the usual safe zones, so sweep a detector over every mark before you drill and still treat the area as live. Detectors can miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, or behind metal-backed plasterboard, and a metal stud frame can confuse a cheap detector further. Find your stopcock, usually under the kitchen sink, and check it turns freely so you can shut the water off fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit before drilling, and turn off the water at the stopcock before cutting into anything that could carry water.

KS-05Mark and check the bracket positionsHold each bracket against your level line and mark its screw holes through it with a pencil. On a stud wall, adjust the marks so they land on the centre of a stud, not just anywhere on the plasterboard. Check the line again with the spirit level, and put a strip of masking tape over each mark to stop the drill bit skating.

KS-06Fix brackets into solid brick or blockDrill with a masonry bit matched to your wall plug, usually 6mm or 8mm, to a depth of at least 40mm. Push in the wall plug, then drive a screw at least 50mm long fully into it. For a heavily loaded run of shelving, step up to an 8mm plug and a 60mm screw for extra grip.

1 each · Masonry drill bit 6mm

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1 pack · Wall plugs (red, 6mm)

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1 pack · Screws 50mm

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KS-07Fix brackets into a timber studDrill a 3mm pilot hole into the centre of the stud so the screw doesn't split the wood or wander off-centre. Drive a wood screw at least 50mm long straight through the bracket into the stud. Timber studs give the strongest fixing available on a plasterboard wall, so use them for every bracket position you can.

1 pack · Wood screws 50mm

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1 each · Pilot drill bit 3mm

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KS-08Fix brackets into a metal studNever use a plain wall plug or an ordinary wood screw in a metal stud; it strips straight through the 0.5mm steel and won't hold. Use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor rated for the wall thickness instead. A metal stud on its own won't hold a heavily loaded run of shelving, so fit a timber noggin between the studs first, or fix through to the masonry behind if there is any.

1 pack · Self-drilling metal stud fixings

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1 length · Timber noggin 38x50mm

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KS-09Fix brackets into dot-and-dab plasterboardDot-and-dab plasterboard sits on foam or adhesive dabs in front of solid masonry, with a gap of 10-40mm behind it. Use a fixing long enough to pass through the board and the gap and bite into the masonry, such as a 75mm frame fixing. If a mark sounds hollow when tapped, shift slightly and try again until you're over a solid dab or the wall behind.

1 pack · Frame fixings 75mm

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KS-10Fix brackets into lath and plasterLath and plaster walls have thin timber laths nailed across studs, covered in a lime plaster that can crumble if you drill carelessly. Find the solid timber studs behind the laths with a detector or by tapping, then fix into the centre of the stud with a wood screw at least 50mm long, exactly as for a timber stud wall. Never rely on the laths or plaster alone to hold a shelf. Drill a small pilot hole first to stop the old plaster cracking outward.

KS-11Fit the brackets and check levelScrew each bracket to the wall using the fixing you've chosen for your wall type, keeping the top edge on your pencil line. Check every bracket is level and tight before moving on; a loose fixing now will work its way looser under the weight of a loaded shelf. Wipe away any dust before fitting the shelf.

KS-12Fit the shelf and secure itLower the shelf onto the brackets and check it sits flat and level along its length. Secure the shelf to the brackets from underneath using the screws supplied with the bracket kit, so it can't be lifted off by accident. Wipe the shelf and wall down to clear any last dust.

1 each · Open shelf

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1 pack · Bracket fixing screws (small)

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KS-13Load test before you use the shelfPress down firmly on the shelf and each bracket to check nothing flexes or moves. Load it gradually with the heaviest items you plan to store, keeping an eye on the wall and brackets. If anything shifts or you hear the plaster crack, stop and fit a stronger fixing or a noggin before loading it fully.

KS-14Clear up and dispose of wasteSweep up drilling dust and any plaster or masonry debris, then fold your dust sheet away from the worktops. Vacuum the plug holes and floor, since fine dust travels further than it looks. Put any offcuts or empty plug packets in your household waste.

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