Brick or Hollow? Mounting Things on Amsterdam Walls Without Damage

A TV that pulled out of the wall is one of the most expensive lessons in an Amsterdam rental. The reason is almost always the wall type: the same white paint can cover solid brick, soft plaster over brick, or a hollow plasterboard partition with nothing behind it.

Quick test before you drill

• Knock: a dull, solid sound means brick or concrete; a light echo means hollow
• Drill a small test hole in a hidden spot and look at the dust: red-grey is brick, white and fine is plaster or plasterboard
• Always check for cables and pipes above sockets and switches

Matching the anchor to the wall

Brick takes a standard nylon plug, but the screw must reach past the plaster into the brick itself — that is where the strength comes from. Hollow walls need spring toggles or metal cavity anchors that open behind the board; plastic push-in plugs are the usual cause of failure. Heavy loads on a hollow wall should be fixed into the timber or metal studs whenever possible.

Renting? Think about removal too

Fewer, well-placed fixings are easier to fill and repaint than many small ones. Keep the original packaging and brackets, and note the drill positions — it makes the move-out repair a 30-minute job instead of a repaint of the whole room.