Hanging pictures, mirrors and curtains is an easy way to add personality to your home, and adding shelving is a great way to increase storage space. But it’s important that you know what kind of wall you’re mounting onto before you start drilling and fixing.
We will explain which walls are suitable for fixing to at your Home Demonstration. For more information about different types of wall see Ceilings and Walls. If you’re unsure our Customer Care team are always happy to help (Monday - Friday 09:00 - 17:30).
Masonry walls are the strongest walls in your home and can support heavier items. Use screws with wall plugs, and make sure that both penetrate through the plasterboard and deep into the blockwork.
Timber frame walls can also support heavier items, as long as the fixings are attached to the timbers and not just the plasterboard. Timbers are typically found at 600mm intervals across the width of the wall (detectors are available from DIY stores). If the timbers are not in a suitable position, fix a piece of wood between two of them. Then mount your picture or shelves on to the wood with wood screws.
Partition walls are not suitable for heavy items; however, they can accommodate relatively light loads providing you use appropriate fixings (available from DIY stores). Some partition walls are not suitable for any loading. If you are unsure check with our Customer Care team.
Before drilling into any wall in your home, it is important to establish the exact position of embedded cables and pipes. The easiest way to do this is with a cable detector (available from DIY stores).