Will shelves hold in a lath-and-plaster wall?

Not on plaster alone. The fixings must reach the timber studs, or a batten needs to be fitted across them.

Is made-to-measure shelving worth it?

In a period room with out-of-square alcoves, usually yes — it looks fitted rather than added.

Small works

Shelving, storage and flat-pack assembly

The fixing, not the furniture, decides whether it stays up

The short answer

Assembly is straightforward; fixing to the wall is not. Solid stone needs proper drilling and the right anchors, lath-and-plaster will not hold weight without finding the studs or battening out, and plasterboard needs the correct hollow-wall fixings. A joiner usually does several rooms in one visit.

What the work involves

Identifying the wall construction, locating studs or joists, selecting appropriate fixings, levelling and fitting, and securing tall furniture against tipping.

Rules and responsibilities in Scotland

No certification applies, but tall furniture in a rented property should be secured, and drilling near cables or pipes must respect the safe zones.

What commonly goes wrong

Plasterboard plugs used in lath-and-plaster, and drilling blind into a wall that carries a cable drop.

What it usually costs

Indicative ranges only, to help you judge a quote. They are not an estimate for your property — only the business doing the work can give you that.

Priced by the hour or half day; batching several items is much cheaper.
Alcove shelving made to fit costs more than off-the-shelf but suits period rooms better.
Awkward stone drilling adds time.

What to do, in order

1Decide the exact positions and heights before the visit.
2Have all flat-pack items and fixings on site.
3Ask the joiner to check for cables and pipes first.
4Group everything into a single visit.
5Secure anything tall to the wall.

Local detail for the Lothians

Edinburgh tenement internal walls are frequently lath-and-plaster over timber — a different fixing problem from modern plasterboard.
Alcoves either side of a chimney breast are rarely square, so made-to-fit shelving sits better.
External walls in stone properties are thick and cold; avoid trapping furniture tight against them.

When you need a professional

Heavy wall-hung items, or anything above a stair, are worth a joiner rather than a weekend.

Common questions

Will shelves hold in a lath-and-plaster wall?: Not on plaster alone. The fixings must reach the timber studs, or a batten needs to be fitted across them.
Is made-to-measure shelving worth it?: In a period room with out-of-square alcoves, usually yes — it looks fitted rather than added.

Lothian Property is a property information and professional-introduction service operated by Maybury Scotland Limited. Lothian Property is not an estate agency. Where requested, we may connect homeowners with independent estate agents and other property professionals. How we work.

Curtain poles and blinds
Hanging poles and blinds level and secure above tall period windows.
Skirting and facings repairs
Repairing or replacing damaged skirting and door facings to match the original profile.
Wall patching and making good
Filling cracks, holes and old fixing points so a room is ready to paint.

Last reviewed 5 September 2026.