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Draft – being checked by a qualified joiner

Fixing to walls: know your wall, then pick your fixing

Tap your wall type. See what's inside, which fixings suit it, and which drill setting to use. Always check the maker's sheet for loads.

Medium6 wall typesWall pickerCabinet hanging

Check before you drillTap your wallNot sure?Wall cabinets

Draft – being checked by a qualified joiner. This page is new. A qualified joiner is checking every part of it, so some details may change. It's general know-how, not a rule book. Don't rely on this page alone: check the maker's sheet and ask your supervisor. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

The big rule

Never hang wall cabinets on plasterboard alone.

Fix into studs, noggings, or solid masonry with an anchor rated for the load. Wall cabinets get heavy when they're full. If one falls, it can hurt someone badly.

How to hang wall cabinets

// 01 Check before you drill

Check before you drill.

  • Scan for cables and pipes first.Use a cable and stud detector before every hole. Detectors miss things, so look too: power points, switches, taps and the meter box show where services run. Cables often run straight up or down from power points and switches, so don't drill there. An RMIT safety alert says: "ALWAYS ASSUME THAT EQUIPMENT, CABLES AND STRUCTURES ARE LIVE". RMIT safety alert (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
  • Hit a pipe or cable? Stop.Don't touch it. Tell your supervisor. Gas, water and power work is for a licensed gasfitter, plumber or electrician.Licensed tradie
  • Old fibro walls can have asbestos.The Australian Government says: "If your home was built or renovated before 1990 it might contain asbestos". You need to know "even if all you want to do is drill into a wall to install a shelf." Don't drill until you know. Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency (opens in a new tab)Call a licensed asbestos assessor
  • Concrete slabs can hide steel cables.Slabs and ceilings in apartments and commercial buildings may be post-tensioned: they have tight steel cables inside. Don't drill slabs or ceilings until the builder or engineer says where it's safe.Ask the engineer
  • Dust and eyes.Drilling concrete, brick and Hebel makes silica dust. Use on-tool dust extraction or water. Clean up with an M- or H-class vacuum, not a broom or compressed air. Safe Work Australia: silica (opens in a new tab) Wear eye protection. Ramset's WallMate sheet says "WEAR EYE PROTECTION" even for plasterboard anchors. Ramset WallMate (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
  • Heavy or overhead loads.Wall cabinets, rangehoods, TVs and grab rails go into studs, noggings, or solid masonry with a rated anchor. Never plasterboard alone. Heavy, or could hurt someone if it falls? Ask your supervisor, or an engineer on commercial jobs.Hanging wall cabinets

General safety notes, not a full list. Follow your site rules, the product's SDS and your supervisor.

// 02 Tap your wall

Tap your wall. See what's inside.

Pick the wall you're fixing to. See a top view, cut through the wall, plus how to spot it, which fixings suit and the drill setting.

Not sure which wall? Find out
plasterboardhollow (cavity)timber stud screw intothe stud↓ your side (the room) ↓
Top view, cut through the wall. Not to scale.

Wall 1 of 6

Timber stud wall

A timber frame (studs and noggings) with plasterboard on it. Very common inside Aussie houses. In a brick veneer house, the inside of the outside walls is a stud wall too.

Hammer OFFWood bit for a pilot hole, or a self-drilling screw.

How to spot it

  • Hollow sound between studs, solid sound over a stud.
  • A stud finder shows the studs. Find each one. Don't guess the spacing: doors, windows and corners change it.
  • Test hole: white plaster dust, then pale wood shavings.

Fixings that suit

Watch out

  • Missing the stud by a little. Then the screw only grips plasterboard. Find both edges of the stud and fix in the middle.
  • Not checking for cables. Cables run through studs and along noggings.
  • Driving the screw too far and crushing the plasterboard face.

Maker load tables and data

We don't give load figures. Fixings are rated by their maker, for one product, size and wall. Always use the maker's current sheet.

Scan for cables and pipes before you drill.
plasterboardhollow (cavity)steel stud(thin metal) self-drillingmetal screw↓ your side (the room) ↓
Top view, cut through the wall. Not to scale.

Wall 2 of 6

Steel stud wall

A light steel frame (studs and track) with plasterboard on it. Very common in offices and shops. Sometimes used in houses.

Hammer OFFSelf-drilling metal screw, or a metal (HSS) bit for pilot holes. Low speed.

How to spot it

  • Hollow sound. A stud finder shows the studs.
  • A strong magnet may stick along the stud line, not just at the screws.
  • Test hole: white dust, then the bit stops hard on thin metal.
  • On commercial jobs, ask for the wall drawings.

Fixings that suit

  • Self-drilling metal screws into the stud, for lighter items.
  • Heavy items: timber or plywood noggings, put in before the plasterboard goes on. Rondo says noggings "are often installed in a steel stud wall to provide support for a variety of additional fittings, such as heavy cupboards, hand rails, flat screen television units". Rondo Noggings Manual (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
  • Not sure which nogging? Rondo says to ask "a Rondo representative if unsure of the appropriate Nogging to use due to the weight of the fixtures". Rondo (PDF) (opens in a new tab)

Watch out

  • Thinking a screw in a thin steel stud will hold a heavy cabinet. Steel studs come in many thicknesses. Heavy loads need noggings, or an engineer's detail.
  • Using CCA-treated pine as a nogging. Rondo: "CCA treated timber should never be used with Rondo steel stud systems." Rondo (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
  • Hammer mode on. The screw wanders and spins out.

Maker load tables and data

We don't give load figures. Fixings are rated by their maker, for one product, size and wall. Always use the maker's current sheet.

Scan for cables and pipes before you drill.
air (cavity) plasterboardanchor opensbehind the board LIGHT ITEMS ONLY↓ your side (the room) ↓
Top view, cut through the wall. Not to scale.

Wall 3 of 6

Plasterboard, no stud behind

The gap between studs. Just thin plasterboard, with air behind it.

Hammer OFFMany board anchors screw in by hand, or with a drill on low speed. Others need the exact hole size on the maker's sheet. Too big and they spin.

Light items only. Never wall cabinets, rangehoods, TVs, grab rails or anything overhead. Find a stud, or put in a nogging.

How to spot it

  • Hollow sound, and nothing shows on the stud finder.
  • Test hole: white dust, then the bit drops into empty space.

Fixings that suit

Watch out

  • "More anchors means more load." No. Ramset: "Adding anchors does not increase maximum load recommendation". Ramset WallMate (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
  • Reading the wrong row of the load sheet. Ratings change with the board thickness, and with one or two layers of board.
  • Over-tightening and crushing the board.
  • Not checking what's in the cavity. Pipes and cables run there.

Maker load tables and data

The fischer sheets are international sheets, for European board sizes.

We don't give load figures. Fixings are rated by their maker, for one product, size and wall. Always use the maker's current sheet.

Scan for cables and pipes before you drill.
cavity (gap)brick plug + screwin the brick mortar joint(softer)↓ your side (the room) ↓
Top view, cut through the wall. Not to scale.

Wall 4 of 6

Brick wall

Clay bricks laid in mortar. Bricks can be solid, or have holes through them. In a brick veneer house the brick is only the outside skin: inside, you're fixing to a stud wall.

Hammer ONMasonry bit. Hollow brick or a mortar joint? Start with hammer off so you don't break it up.

How to spot it

  • Dull, solid sound. Nothing regular on the stud finder.
  • Test hole: red or orange dust from clay brick. Sandy-grey dust means you're in the mortar joint. Brick colours vary, so the dust does too.
  • Plasterboard over brick? The bit hits hard just after the board. CSR says, for board on masonry: "All wall fixtures must be fastened to the masonry wall". CSR Gyprock Red Book 2 (PDF) (opens in a new tab)

Fixings that suit

Watch out

  • Fixing into the mortar joint for a heavy load. Mortar is softer. Fine for light things only.
  • A big sleeve anchor near a brick end or corner. It cracks the brick.
  • Hammer on in hollow brick. It breaks out the inside, so the plug has nothing to grip.
  • Guessing how strong the brick is. Ramset says brick strength "varies from manufacturer to manufacturer". Ramset (PDF) (opens in a new tab)

Maker load tables and data

We don't give load figures. Fixings are rated by their maker, for one product, size and wall. Always use the maker's current sheet.

Scan for cables and pipes before you drill.
Hebel (AAC): light, full of tiny air bubbles long plug madefor AAC↓ your side (the room) ↓
Top view, cut through the wall. Not to scale.

Wall 5 of 6

Hebel (AAC) wall

Hebel is CSR's brand of AAC (autoclaved aerated concrete). It's light and soft, and full of tiny air bubbles. It comes as panels and blocks. In many houses Hebel is only the outside skin, with a stud wall inside.

Hammer OFFRotary only. Use the hole size in CSR's guide. Some screws need no pre-drilling.

How to spot it

  • Fine white or light-grey powder. The bit goes in very easily, like chalk.
  • Where it's cut, it looks like very light concrete with tiny bubbles.
  • Often rendered on the outside.

Fixings that suit

Watch out

Maker load tables and data

We don't give load figures. Fixings are rated by their maker, for one product, size and wall. Always use the maker's current sheet.

Scan for cables and pipes before you drill.
concretesteel reo anchor sets insolid concrete↓ your side (the room) ↓
Top view, cut through the wall. Not to scale.

Wall 6 of 6

Concrete wall

Poured or precast concrete walls, columns and core walls. Common in apartments and commercial buildings. Concrete block walls can be hollow, or filled with concrete.

Hammer ONSDS rotary hammer and a carbide masonry bit, the exact size on the maker's sheet. Drill to the depth on the sheet.

Ask the engineer. Apartment or commercial slab or ceiling? It may have post-tensioned steel cables inside. Don't drill until the builder or engineer says where it's safe.

How to spot it

  • Very hard, grey dust. Slow, even with hammer on.
  • The bit may hit steel (reo). Stop and move the hole.
  • Precast panels often show joints or lifting points.

Fixings that suit

Watch out

  • Not cleaning the hole. Ramset: "Clean thoroughly with brush. Remove debris by way of vacuum or hand pump". Ramset AnkaScrew (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
  • Wrong bit size. An oversize hole means the anchor won't grip.
  • Using one brand's figures for another. Ramset: "Performance and design information from one supplier does not apply to anchors from other suppliers, even if they appear to be the same or have the same generic description." Ramset (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
  • Structural or safety-critical load? Ramset's tables are for "qualified structural engineers or other suitably skilled persons". Get the engineer's spec. Ramset (PDF) (opens in a new tab)

Maker load tables and data

We don't give load figures. Fixings are rated by their maker, for one product, size and wall. Always use the maker's current sheet.

Scan for cables and pipes before you drill.

// 03 Not sure?

Not sure what your wall is?

Never guess. One test can trick you, so use two or three.

  1. 1Ask and lookCheck the plans, or ask the builder or supervisor. Brick outside doesn't mean brick inside.
  2. 2KnockTap along the wall. Hollow or solid?
  3. 3Stud finderFind the studs. Use the live-wire mode to look for cables too.
  4. 4MagnetIt sticks to the screw heads in plasterboard. A row of screws up the wall shows a stud.
  5. 5Small test holeScan first. Drill where it will be hidden, hammer off to start. Watch the dust.

Try it: what did you find?

1Knock on the wall. What do you hear?

2Now a small test hole (scan first, hammer off). What comes out? (if it sounded hollow)

  • Probably: Plasterboard, no stud behind. Check with a second test.

    Show me this wall

  • Probably: Timber stud wall. Check with a second test.

    Show me this wall

  • Probably: Steel stud wall. Check with a second test.

    Show me this wall

  • Plasterboard stuck onto masonry. Fix into the masonry, not the board. Drill on and check the dust to see which masonry.

2Now a small test hole (scan first, hammer off). What comes out? (if it sounded solid)

  • Probably: Brick wall. Check with a second test.

    Show me this wall

  • Probably: Hebel (AAC) wall. Check with a second test.

    Show me this wall

  • Probably: Concrete wall. Check with a second test.

    Show me this wall

  • Probably: Timber stud wall. You're on a stud. Check along the wall: you should find hollow spots between the studs.

    Show me this wall

Bit hits steel in concrete or masonry? Stop. It could be reo, a pipe or a conduit. Move the hole and scan again.

// 04 Words

Words you'll hear on site.

Tap a word to see what it means.

Stud

An upright piece of timber or steel inside a framed wall. The plasterboard is screwed to the studs.

Noggin or nogging

A short piece fixed across, between two studs. Both words mean the same thing. Extra noggings go where you'll hang something heavy.

Plasterboard ("Gyprock")

Sheets of gypsum plaster with paper on both faces, used to line walls. Gyprock is a CSR brand name, but people use it for any plasterboard.

Hebel (AAC)

A CSR brand of autoclaved aerated concrete: a light, white-grey "concrete" full of tiny air bubbles.

Brick veneer

A timber or steel frame inside, with one layer (skin) of brick outside and a gap between. Inside, you fix to a stud wall.

Double brick

Two layers of brick with a gap between. Inside walls are brick, usually covered with render or plaster.

Masonry

Brick, block, stone or concrete.

Anchor, plug or wall plug

Something that goes into a hole in the wall so a screw or bolt can grip.

"Dynabolt"

Site slang for a sleeve anchor. DynaBolt is a Ramset brand name.

Chemical anchor

A resin (glue) injected into the hole. Then a threaded rod is pushed in. ChemSet is a Ramset brand name.

Cavity anchor or toggle

A fixing that opens up behind the plasterboard, in the hollow (cavity).

Tek screw

Slang for a self-drilling metal screw. It drills its own hole in steel. The name comes from a brand.

Hammer mode

A drill setting that hammers as it spins. It breaks up hard masonry. It also smashes soft walls, so switch it off for timber, steel, plasterboard and Hebel.

SDS drill

A heavy hammer drill (rotary hammer) with a special bit shank. Used for concrete.

Masonry bit

A drill bit with a hard carbide tip, for brick, block and concrete.

Reo

Short for reinforcing steel: the steel bars inside concrete.

Hanging rail

A metal rail screwed to the wall. Wall cabinets hook onto it, then you adjust them level.

Load table

The maker's chart of what a fixing can hold, for one product, size and wall. Always use the current one.

// 05 Wall cabinets

Hanging wall cabinets.

Never hang wall cabinets on plasterboard alone. Wall cabinets get heavy once they're full of plates. If one falls it can hurt someone badly. Fix into studs, noggings, or masonry with an anchor rated for the load. Unsure? Ask your supervisor before you lift it up.

nogging (behind the board) rail screwed into every stud
Front view. The dashed lines are studs and a nogging behind the plasterboard. Not to scale.

0 of 8 ready

Ready to hang. Still unsure about the wall or the load? Ask before you lift.

Plan noggings before the plasterboard goes on

  • Put them in at frame stage, before sheeting. Adding them later means cutting and patching the wall.
  • Put them where wall cabinets, rails, rangehoods, heavy shelves, TVs, grab rails and towel rails will go. CSR: "Provide suitable noggings to support the bath and other fixtures such as soap holders, hand rails and towel rails." CSR Gyprock Red Book 2 (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
  • Steel frame? Use timber or plywood noggings, fixed the way the frame maker shows. No CCA-treated timber. Rondo Noggings Manual (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
  • Give the builder a nogging layout from your cabinet drawings early. Before the wall is sheeted, take photos of the frame with a tape measure in shot.
  • Commercial or engineered walls: get the nogging detail from the wall system maker or the engineer.

The bracket rating is not the wall rating

The Australian Standard

  • AS 4386 is the Australian Standard for cabinetry, and it covers installing wall cabinets. It's a paid document, so we don't quote it here. Ask your shop for its copy. Standards Australia: AS 4386 (opens in a new tab)
  • Rangehood and cooktop gaps: check the current standard, the appliance instructions and the gasfitter. We don't give numbers here.

// 06 Common mistakes

Common mistakes, and the fix.

Tap a mistake. Then tap "Show the fix".

stud Problem: missed the studThe screw only grips plasterboard Fix: find both stud edgesThen fix in the middle

Missed the stud

What you see
The screw spins, or the item feels loose.
Why
The screw only grips plasterboard, and plasterboard holds almost nothing.
Fix
Find both edges of the stud. Fix in the middle.
Next time
Mark the stud edges before you drill. Use a stud finder and a test hole.
Problem: cabinet on board anchorspulls out ofthe plasterboard Fix: into studs or noggingsscrewed intothe stud

Cabinet on board anchors

What you see
The cabinet leans out at the top, or the board cracks around the fixings.
Why
Plasterboard alone can't take a full wall cabinet. The fixings pull out.
Fix
Take the weight off now. Re-fix into studs or noggings, or add a nogging.
Next time
Plan noggings before sheeting.
Problem: hammer on in Hebelbig, crumbly hole:the plug spins Fix: hammer off (rotary only)neat hole,tight plug

Hammer on in a soft wall

What you see
The hole is big and crumbly. The plug spins.
Why
Hammer mode smashes soft walls like Hebel and hollow brick.
Fix
Move the hole. Drill with hammer off, at the size on the maker's sheet.
Next time
Hammer off for timber, steel, plasterboard and Hebel.
Problem: anchor near the endThe brick crackscrack Fix: middle of the brickCheck the maker's edge distance

Anchor too near an edge

What you see
A crack runs from the anchor to the edge of the brick or slab.
Why
Sleeve anchors push outwards as they set.
Fix
Move to the middle of the brick, or use an anchor the maker says suits edges, like a chemical anchor.
Next time
Check the edge distance in the maker's table before you drill.
Problem: dust left in the holethe anchor can'tgrip Fix: brush and blow it outThe way the maker's sheet saysclean hole

Dust left in the hole

What you see
The anchor won't go in all the way, or it pulls out.
Why
Dust fills the hole and stops the anchor gripping.
Fix
Brush and blow out the hole (vacuum or pump), then fit the anchor.
Next time
Clean every hole, the way the maker's sheet says.

// 07 Quick check

Quick check.

Five quick questions. Tap an answer.

Question 1 of 5 · Score 0

1/5 Test hole: white dust, then the bit drops into nothing. What's behind?

Answer: Plasterboard, no stud. The bit went through the board into the empty cavity. Light items only here.

2/5 Hammer on or off for Hebel?

Answer: Hammer off (rotary only). Hammer mode makes a big, crumbly hole in Hebel, so the plug spins.

3/5 Can you hang a wall cabinet on plasterboard anchors alone?

Answer: No. Studs, noggings or masonry. Never on plasterboard alone. And Ramset says adding anchors does not raise the maximum load.

4/5 When do noggings for wall cabinets go in?

Answer: Before the plasterboard goes on. Plan them at frame stage. Adding them later means cutting the wall.

5/5 Red dust, hard going. What's the wall?

Answer: Brick. Clay brick usually gives red or orange dust. Check with a second test.

You got 0 of 5.

// 08 Sources

Where this comes from.

Maker sheets and official pages we used. Always check the current version.

Show all 31 sources

Safety

Plasterboard and frames

Hebel

Fixings and anchors

Cabinet hardware and standards

Not sure about your wall? Ask Barry. Barry Biscuit, the AI joiner mate, answers in simple English. AI · beta

Try:What wall is this?Wall cabinets on plasterboard?Hammer on or off?Fixing to HebelWhen do noggins go in?Safe to drill here?Anchor for concrete?

AI beta: Barry is an AI and can be wrong. Always check with your supervisor and the maker's instructions.

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