How to Fit Wall Plugs

How to fit wall plugs

Wall plugs are essential if you need to screw into a wall to hang a shelf, cabinet, mirror, or picture. It will help the screw stay in place over time and give additional strength to the item.

To fit a wall plug, you first need to drill a hole using a hammer drill. Attach a masonry wall bit to the hammer drill, and choose wall plugs and screws which are the same size.

A wall plug will expand to fit the hole securely and snugly, but you don’t want the hole to be too large. You can then drive the screw into the wall plug, where it will sit securely and be able to hold your décor.

Which Wall Plug Do I Need?

Depending on the material you’re drilling into, you’ll need a specific wall plug.

To know the material, knock on the wall. If it sounds solid, it is probably masonry such as brick or concrete. If it sounds hollow, it’s likely drywall or plaster.

There are plasterboard, hollow material, and solid material wall plugs available. Once you know which material you are drilling into, you need to work out how much weight the wall plugs and screws need to hold.

This will determine which exact wall plug you need. Moulded plastic is the most common type of wall plug; they come in various sizes, are good for masonry, and have a split end which can expand to snugly fit the hole.

Metal anchors are designed to hold heavier items and can also work well in aerated concrete.

How to fit a wall plug

You will need:

• Cable and pipe detector
• Hammer drill
• Hammer
• Wall plug
• PPE

When drilling into walls, always wear PPE. Dust can be created from the wall material, so wear eye protection, a dust mask, gloves, and work boots. You may also wish to wear ear protection as the noise of the drill can be loud.

All PPE can be purchased from Speedy.

1. Use a pipe and cable detector

Before doing any drilling or cutting in your wall, you need to check for cables, pipes, and electrical wiring.

Use a cable and pipe locator to detect anything you need to avoid. With a pencil, mark any areas which contain cabling. Read our guide on how to use a cable detector to know what to look out for.

When you know where to avoid, you can decide where you want your item to be. Mark your desired drill holes with an ‘X’.

2. Make your hole

How deep and large the hole has to be depends on the size of the screws you need to use. Ensure your screw fits into your chosen wall plug, then choose the drill bit which is the same size as the wall plug that you’ll be using.

When you have everything that you need, measure the wall plug against your drill bit and mark the length limit with a bit of tape. The hole will have to be slightly longer than the plug.

Use your drill on the hammer function to drill the hole.

3. Fit the wall plug

The wall plug should be a tight fit and you can push it into the hole, but you may need a hammer to slightly tap it in to make sure it is flush with the wall.

READY FOR MORE DIY TIPS?

Thank you for reading our Speedy Hire blog on fitting wall plugs. Hopefully, you’re now ready to transform your space.

If you need to fill in any old holes or make any adjustments, you can read our guide on how to fill in holes in your wall. Our guide on how to paint interior walls may also come in handy during your transformation.

To hire all the tools you need, open a Speedy account online or visit us in-store where our depot staff will be happy to help.

Speedy has more than 200 local service centres across the nation, hire counters in selected B&Qs and nationwide 4-hour delivery. It has never been easier to hire the tools and equipment you need.

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