How to measure the thickness of plasterboard

Knowing the thickness of a wallboard is crucial for choosing the right hollow wall anchor when you're going to mount something on a wall. We've put together a simple guide to help you calculate this.

You'll need: a drill, an L-shaped object such as a bent paper clip or an Allen key, a piece of tape, and a folding rule or ruler.

Drill a small hole

The first step is to drill a small hole in the spot where you plan to insert the wall anchor. Be careful not to drill too deep and damage something behind the wall.

Insert the object

The next step is to insert the L-shaped measuring stick into the hole with the short section first, so that it can "hook" against the back of the plasterboard.

Mark the distance

When you feel that the short section is lying against the back of the plasterboard, put a piece of tape on the L-shaped object where it enters the wall, as close to the wall as possible. You can also just grasp the measuring stick with your fingers and use your fingers as a mark.

Remove and measure

Now you can remove the measuring stick from the hole. Next, measure the distance from the short section of the L-shaped measuring stick to the mark you've made with tape, or where your fingers are. This distance is the thickness of the plasterboard(s) in your wall.

Now that you know the thickness of your hollow wall, you can choose the right type of hollow wall anchor.

If you need more tips on plasterboard fixings you can find our other guides here.

Common standards

In Europe, it is standard to have a single plasterboard in inner walls, with a thickness of between 3 and 13 mm. In the Nordic countries, both single (13 mm) and double (26 mm) plasterboard are common in inner walls.