For masonry like brick, red, brown, or blue wall plugs are standard. Color dictates size, so pick based on weight: Red (standard loads), Brown (heavy loads), or Blue/Grey (extra-heavy loads). Always use a masonry drill bit, matching the plug’s diameter (e.g., 6mm for red).
For brick walls, use masonry wall plugs (often called plastic expansion anchors or rawlplugs) paired with a masonry drill bit. Standard plastic plugs expand against the brick when the screw is inserted, providing a tight grip for light-to-medium loads.
Brown: Brown wall plugs are similar in size to yellow plugs but are made of more rigid material, making them suitable for use in harder materials like wood or masonry.
Wall plugs are required for hollow walls like plasterboard, and solid walls such as brick or concrete. In general, screws can be inserted directly into wood without the use of plugs.
Wall Plug Colours
Wall plugs come in various colours. Although it varies somewhat depending on the manufacturer, yellow plugs are for 4 mm gauge screws, red ones are for 5 mm, and brown wall plugs are for 5.5 mm screws.
Key Wall Plug Considerations
Blue wall plugs are versatile, small-to-medium-sized plastic anchors primarily used for light-to-medium-duty fixings. They are designed to expand inside a pre-drilled hole to provide a secure grip for screws in materials like plasterboard, softwood, brick, and concrete.
Think of this as a quick check-in on what to avoid and how to maintain your bricklaying skills.
You generally cannot screw directly into brick. Because brick is extremely hard and brittle, driving a regular screw straight in will crack the brick or strip the screw. For a secure hold, you must either use masonry screws (with a pre-drilled pilot hole) or traditional wall anchors.
Don't use a drywall anchor in masonry or vice versa. A drywall anchor isn't made to grip solid concrete, and masonry anchors won't expand correctly in hollow drywall.
Green wall plugs are available in 25mm, 35mm and 50mm lengths. Green 35mm plugs are by far the most common plug within the plug range. Blue wall plugs with a tapered end for easy hole insertion in masonry substrates, such as: brick, block, solid concrete.
Yes, the key trick to drilling into brick is using a masonry bit (which has a wider carbide tip) combined with a hammer drill set to "hammer" mode. For better precision, create a small indentation first with a nail and hammer, then drill slowly to prevent the bit from slipping, applying steady, firm pressure without forcing it.
Therefore the screw length needs to be slightly longer than the plug itself plus the depth of the plaster plus whatever extra is needed by the fitting.
Different Size Wall Plugs Come in Different Colours
The smallest wall plugs (3-5mm) are yellow. Regular wall plugs (6mm) are red. Larger wall plugs (7-8mm) are brown.
Masonry screws can attach material to concrete, stone or brick without the need for an additional plug. They have a unique design that includes a long body with a deeper thread for extra strength and resistance.
Choosing the best anchor for brick depends primarily on the weight of the item you are hanging. For lightweight objects (like house numbers or decor), standard plastic wall plugs suffice. For medium-to-heavy loads (like handrails or light awnings), specialized masonry screws or expansion anchors are required to prevent the brick from cracking.
For brick walls, use masonry wall plugs (often called plastic expansion anchors or rawlplugs) paired with a masonry drill bit. Standard plastic plugs expand against the brick when the screw is inserted, providing a tight grip for light-to-medium loads.
If you're mounting shelves, brackets, or anything into concrete, brick, or block, the biggest mistake is using the wrong drill setting and bit. You need a drill with hammer mode and a proper carbide masonry bit to get a clean, solid hole that actually holds. Dust control also makes a big difference.
Which plugs will be best for solid brick and for concrete? The perfect solution for solid materials such as solid brick and concrete is provided by universal plugs. In addition to these, you can also use hammer-in fixings for quick installation or FIX plugs.
Hold the drill firmly with both hands to maintain stability, and start drilling at a low speed. This helps the drill bit get a good grip on the brick and prevents it from slipping. As soon as the hole begins to take shape, increase the drill's speed slightly and continue drilling.
To secure items directly into brick without using wall plugs, use masonry screws (commonly called concrete or tapcon screws). These heavy-duty, self-tapping screws feature specialized hardened threads that bite directly into the brick.
You can hang lightweight items on brick using heavy-duty double-sided tape or brick adhesive, while heavier objects require specialty steel clips that grip the bricks without drilling. The most popular, damage-free methods range from lightweight decorative clips to robust heavy-weight hangers.
Most bricklayers charge between £180 and £300 per day. With a labourer, expect £250 to £400. In London and the South East, rates often exceed this range. Specialist work such as heritage restoration or complex structural builds may be higher.
Mortar bees. Mortar bees, or Masonry bees, are so called because they sometimes burrow into soft or perished mortar joints in brick walls or will occasionally use crevices in walls. There are a number of different species of bee that do this, but the most common has the scientific name of Osmia rufa.
The 3:4:5 principle states that if two sides of a right-angled triangle measure 3 and 4 units, then the third side will always measure 5 units. Two sides of a right-angled triangle measure 3 and 4 units, third side measures 5 units. Locate the spot where the two walls will meet and mark point A.