Put it up no drill first
What's going on the wall?
Pick it in the room. See what its makers rate without a drill, then the wall and the fixing behind it.
Click or tap a cross to open the wall behind it.
How it works
Start with the thing
Every answer here starts from what you are putting up. Pick it in the room, or from the list.
What its makers rate
The makers' own figures for a no-drill fix, where they give one.
The wall behind it
Plasterboard, brick, block or tiles, cut open to show the fixing.
Will it hold?
Enter the weight and the wall surface; we compare them with the makers' figures.
What's my wall?
Not sure what the wall is made of? Find out, then see the fixing it takes.
Behind it in the room: Plasterboard
Picture or frame
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Without a drill
On wallpaper or bare plaster, a picture can go up within the maker's rating: tesa rates one Adhesive Nail for Wallpaper & Plaster at up to 1 kg, two at up to 2 kg. The maker's figure is the most it is rated for, not a target.
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The wall behind it: Plasterboard
A cavity fixing opens behind the board and grips its back face. Sounds hollow when you knock.
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Check yours
Its weight and your wall surface, against the makers' own figures.
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Drilling instead?
Find your wall and the fixing it takes.
Behind it in the room: Solid brick
Mirror
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Without a drill
tesa gives its Powerbond Mirror tape a size limit, not a weight rating, and says a mirror is better on it than on Powerstrips. The tape is permanent and not recommended for plastered or wallpapered walls.
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The wall behind it: Solid brick
A wall plug in its drilled hole in the brick, and the screw in the plug. Feels solid, reddish or yellowish dust.
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Check yours
Its weight and your wall surface, against the makers' own figures.
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Drilling instead?
Find your wall and the fixing it takes.
Behind it in the room: Plasterboard
Shelf
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Without a drill
Within the maker's rating, a shelf made for it can go up without drilling: tesa rates its Smooz glass bathroom shelf at up to 8 kg on the surfaces it names. The maker's figure is the most it is rated for, not a target.
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The wall behind it: Plasterboard
A cavity fixing opens behind the board and grips its back face. Sounds hollow when you knock.
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Check yours
Its weight and your wall surface, against the makers' own figures.
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Drilling instead?
Find your wall and the fixing it takes.
Behind it in the room: Plasterboard
Curtain pole
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Without a drill
We have found no maker's weight figure for a tension rod or a no-drill pole bracket, so we give no recommendation. Speedy, which makes tension rods, says of them
Ideal for nets, voiles and lightweight curtains. Can only be used within a window recess.
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The wall behind it: Plasterboard
A cavity fixing opens behind the board and grips its back face. Sounds hollow when you knock.
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Check yours
Its weight and your wall surface, against the makers' own figures.
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Drilling instead?
Find your wall and the fixing it takes.
Behind it in the room: Dense concrete block
Blind
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Without a drill
Dunelm's No Drill blind bracket has a size limit but no weight figure, so we give no recommendation. Dunelm also says a drill is still needed to fit the blind's P-clip.
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The wall behind it: Dense concrete block
A wall plug in its drilled hole in the block, and the screw in the plug. Dark grey dust, slow drilling.
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Check yours
Its weight and your wall surface, against the makers' own figures.
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Drilling instead?
Find your wall and the fixing it takes.
Behind it in the room: Plasterboard
TV
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Without a drill
Adhesive is not an option for a TV. A floor stand needs no drilling; a wall mount needs the right fixing for your wall and, if you rent, your landlord's permission.
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The wall behind it: Plasterboard
A cavity fixing opens behind the board and grips its back face. Sounds hollow when you knock.
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Check yours
Its weight and your wall surface, against the makers' own figures.
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Drilling instead?
Find your wall and the fixing it takes.
Behind it in the room: Tiles over a wall
Towel rail
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Without a drill
Yes, with a rail made for it: tesa rates its self-adhesive Smooz towel rod at up to 12 kg on tiles and the other surfaces it names. The maker's figure is the most it is rated for, not a target.
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The wall behind it: Tiles over a wall
The plug, screw and load come from the wall behind the tiles. The wall behind decides the fixing.
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Check yours
Its weight and your wall surface, against the makers' own figures.
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Drilling instead?
Find your wall and the fixing it takes.
Behind it in the room: Tiles over a wall
Shower caddy
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Without a drill
Within the maker's rating, yes: tesa rates its Lavaa shower basket at up to 3 kg, even when wet, and its Smooz glass shelf at up to 8 kg, on the surfaces it names. The maker's figure is the most it is rated for, not a target.
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The wall behind it: Tiles over a wall
The plug, screw and load come from the wall behind the tiles. The wall behind decides the fixing.
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Check yours
Its weight and your wall surface, against the makers' own figures.
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Drilling instead?
Find your wall and the fixing it takes.
Behind it in the room: Tiles over a wall
Hooks or coat rack
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Without a drill
Within the maker's rating, a hook made for it can go up without drilling: tesa rates its Smooz bathroom hook at up to 5 kg on the surfaces it names. The maker's figure is the most it is rated for, not a target.
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The wall behind it: Tiles over a wall
The plug, screw and load come from the wall behind the tiles. The wall behind decides the fixing.
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Check yours
Its weight and your wall surface, against the makers' own figures.
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Drilling instead?
Find your wall and the fixing it takes.
The checker
Will it hold?
Check whether a maker rates a no-drill fix for it, and what to use if not.
Makers' figures checked to
The maker's figure is the most it is rated for, not a target.
- Rule
- The maker's own figure, compared exactly. No margin of our own, and no strips added together.
- Source
- None
- Confidence
What the makers rate for your answers
Renting? Ask your landlord in writing first.
Models we checked
Renting? Ask your landlord in writing first. tesa says this mirror tape is permanent.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links marked Ad go to Amazon. We earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through them.
It never changes the answer above.
No checked models for this yet. The answer above still stands.
The guides
One guide for each thing
Each gives the makers' own figures for that thing, and what to do when no maker rates a no-drill fix for it.
Drilling instead?
Start with the wall
The plug, the bit and the screw all follow from what the wall is made of. Here are the four walls we cover, each cut open at its fixing.
- Plasterboard Sounds hollow when you knock Fixing into plasterboard: plug, bit and screw
- Solid brick Feels solid, reddish or yellowish dust Fixing into brick: plug, bit and screw
- Dense concrete block Dark grey dust, slow drilling Fixing into concrete and block: plug, bit and screw
- Tiles over a wall The wall behind decides the fixing Fixing into tiles: drill bit, plug and strips
Not sure which wall you have?
How this checker decides
We only use figures that makers print for their own no-drill products, for the exact set-up they describe: one strip, or a shelf with its adhesive kit. Your item must weigh no more than that figure, and the maker must name your surface and, in a bathroom, say the product is for bathrooms.
We add no margin of our own and never add strips together. The maker's figure is the most it is rated for, not a target. The full method is on How we check a fixing.
Every figure this checker uses
| Product and set-up | Maker's figure | Surfaces, in the maker's words | In a bathroom | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tesa Adhesive Nail for Wallpaper & Plaster 1kg, one nail | 1 kg | textured and sensitive surfaces like wallpaper or plaster | No, the maker says so | tesa, checked |
| tesa Adhesive Nail for Wallpaper & Plaster 1kg, two nails | 2 kg | textured and sensitive surfaces like wallpaper or plaster | No, the maker says so | tesa, checked |
| tesa Adjustable Adhesive Nail for Wallpaper & Plaster 2kg, one nail | 2 kg | Apply the Adhesive Strip to the rougher surface (e.g. wallpaper or plaster), with the blue tab facing the wall. | No, the maker says so | tesa, checked |
| tesa Adjustable Adhesive Nail for Wallpaper & Plaster 2kg, two nails | 4 kg | Apply the Adhesive Strip to the rougher surface (e.g. wallpaper or plaster), with the blue tab facing the wall. | No, the maker says so | tesa, checked |
| tesa Adhesive Nail for Tiles & Metal 3kg, one nail | 3 kg | smooth and solid surfaces like tiles indoors | No, the maker says so | tesa, checked |
| tesa Adhesive Nail for Tiles & Metal 3kg, two nails | 6 kg | smooth and solid surfaces like tiles indoors | No, the maker says so | tesa, checked |
| tesa Adhesive Strips for Tiles & Metal 2kg, one strip | 2 kg | For smooth and solid surfaces like tiles indoors | No, the maker says so | tesa, checked |
| tesa Adhesive Strips for Tiles & Metal 3kg, one strip | 3 kg | For smooth and solid surfaces like tiles indoors | No, the maker says so | tesa, checked |
| tesa Waterproof Strips Xtra Large, one strip, with tesa's waterproof primer | 3 kg | Adheres to glazed tiles, marble, metal, glass, wood, and plastics (ABS, PS, Acrylic Glass) Not for: Not suitable for stone, cement, wallpaper, plaster, enamel varnish and plastics such as PP, PE and PTFE | Yes, the maker says so | tesa, checked |
| tesa Smooz glass bathroom shelf, the shelf with its tesa Power.Kit adhesive | 8 kg | Works on tiles, metal, natural stone, marble, concrete, wood, glass and many types of plastic Not for: Does not work on wallpaper, stucco and other surfaces with non-stick coating Not for: The tesa® Power.Kit securely latches onto loose plaster. Our technology is stronger than the surface and might tear it off the wall. Not for: The varnish might not be stable enough to keep stuck on the wall once our glue is applied. | Yes, the maker says so | tesa, checked |
| tesa Smooz towel rod, the rod with its tesa Power.Kit adhesive | 12 kg | Works on tiles, metal, natural stone, marble, concrete, wood, glass and many types of plastic Not for: Does not work on wallpaper, stucco and other surfaces with non-stick coating Not for: The tesa® Power.Kit securely latches onto loose plaster. Our technology is stronger than the surface and might tear it off the wall. Not for: The varnish might not be stable enough to keep stuck on the wall once our glue is applied. | Yes, the maker says so | tesa, checked |
| tesa Smooz bathroom hook, one hook with its tesa Power.Kit adhesive | 5 kg | Works on tiles, metal, natural stone, marble, concrete, wood, glass and many types of plastic Not for: Does not work on wallpaper, stucco and other surfaces with non-stick coating Not for: The tesa® Power.Kit securely latches onto loose plaster. Our technology is stronger than the surface and might tear it off the wall. Not for: in its list of surfaces for Power.Kit bathroom hooks, tesa gives Lacquers and wall paints no | Yes, the maker says so | tesa, checked |
| tesa Smooz Bathrobe Hook, the double hook as sold, with its tesa Power.Kit adhesive | 6 kg | Works on tiles, metal, natural stone, marble, concrete, wood, glass and many types of plastic Not for: Does not work on wallpaper, stucco and other surfaces with non-stick coating Not for: The tesa® Power.Kit securely latches onto loose plaster. Our technology is stronger than the surface and might tear it off the wall. Not for: in its list of surfaces for Power.Kit bathroom hooks, tesa gives Lacquers and wall paints no | Yes, the maker says so | tesa, checked |
| tesa Lavaa shower basket medium, the basket with its waterproof strips | 3 kg | Adheres to glazed tiles, marble, metal, glass, wood, and plastics (ABS, PS and acrylic glass) Not for: Not suitable for stone, cement, wallpaper, plaster, enamel varnish and plastics such as PP, PE and PTFE | Yes, the maker says so | tesa, checked |
| tesa Powerbond MIRROR, the mirror tape | No weight figure. Size limit: Holds mirrors of max. 70 x 70 cm up to 4 mm thickness | Tiles, Most plastics, Glass, Metal, Steel Not for: We don't recommend tesa® Powerbond tapes for plastered or wallpapered walls. | Yes, the maker says so | tesa, checked |
| Speedy 10-13mm tension rod, a rod sprung between the sides of a window recess | None published | Not stated by Speedy | Not stated by Speedy | Speedy, checked |
| Dunelm made to measure roller blind, the No Drill bracket | None published | Not stated by Dunelm | Not stated by Dunelm | Dunelm, checked |
Renting? Your deposit is on the wall
In TDS Insured deposit disputes in 2024-25, damage was claimed in 49% of cases and redecoration in 31%. A case can include more than one claim.
Shelter lists holes in walls or doors
among the things a landlord can charge for, and its advice is Get your landlord's agreement in writing before you start.
More on renting.
Sources: TDS Group, Statistical Briefing 2024/25. Checked ; Shelter England, Damage and missing items (deposit deductions, last updated 6 May 2024). Checked ; Shelter England, Making improvements to your rented home (last updated 1 May 2026). Checked .
How we check
Every rating the two checkers use is the maker's own figure, from its page or product sheet: How we check a fixing.
Where the words come from
Every document we use, with the words we rely on and the date we checked them: Sources.