HANGING & WALL MOUNTING

Fit a wall-mounted monitor arm to a metal stud wall

Fit a monitor arm securely by finding solid backing behind your wall, since it must resist being pulled away from the wall.

MA-01Check the arm needs solid backing, not just plasterboardA monitor arm pulls and twists on the wall every time you move the screen. A toggle fixing in plasterboard on its own will not cope with this over time. Decide now whether you'll need a timber noggin, a metal pattress plate, or a fixing straight through to masonry behind the board.
1 each · Tape measure
1 each · Pencil
MA-02Work out what's behind the wallRun a detector across the area first. Then check with a magnet for screw heads along a vertical line — timber studs are usually 400mm or 600mm apart, and metal studs give the same spacing but a sharper magnetic tap. Tap the wall: a dull, deadened sound with give in it often means dot-and-dab or lath and plaster rather than a solid wall. If you're still unsure, drill a small 3mm pilot hole in an inconspicuous spot — timber dust means a timber stud, fine grey swarf means metal, and solid resistance with brick-red or grey dust means masonry.
1 each · Stud and cable detector
1 each · 3mm drill bit
MA-03Check for cables and pipes before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, not just in the marked safe zones. A detector helps, but it can miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, behind metal-backed plasterboard, or run outside the usual zones — and a metal stud frame can confuse a cheap detector further. Find your stopcock now (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns freely, so you can shut off water fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt at all, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling.
MA-04Choose the right fixing method for your wallOn solid brick or block, use a suitable plug and a screw driven into a drilled hole of the matching size, typically 50-60mm deep. On plasterboard over timber studs, put a wood screw straight into the centre of the stud wherever you can. On plasterboard over metal studs, never use a wood screw or a plain plastic plug — 0.5mm steel strips instantly — use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing, but remember this still will not take a monitor arm's pulling force on its own. On dot-and-dab, you need a fixing long enough to pass through the board and the adhesive dabs to reach solid masonry behind, often 75-90mm. On lath and plaster, avoid relying on the thin laths alone; find a joist or stud behind them, or use a fixing rated specifically for lath and plaster ceilings or walls.
4 each · Wood screws 4x50mm
4 each · Self-drilling metal-stud fixings
4 each · Masonry plugs and screws
4 each · Long fixings for dot-and-dab (75-90mm)
MA-05Fit a timber noggin or pattress if the wall is hollowIf your wall is a stud wall (timber or metal) and there's no stud exactly where you need the plate, cut a small access panel in the plasterboard between two studs — around 300x300mm is usually enough. Fit a timber noggin (typically 47x100mm) horizontally between the studs at the right height, screwed firmly into each stud on both ends. On a metal stud wall, screw the noggin to the metal studs using self-drilling screws rather than wood screws. This noggin becomes your solid fixing point, not the plasterboard.
1 each · Timber noggin 47x100mm (length to suit stud gap)
8 each · Self-drilling screws for metal studs
8 each · Wood screws for timber studs 4x75mm
1 each · Panel saw or plasterboard saw
MA-06Patch the plasterboard back upCut a matching offcut of plasterboard to fit the access panel, resting its edges on the noggin or a couple of small timber battens screwed behind the cut edges for support. Screw the offcut in place, then fill the joint with filler, feathering it out flat. Leave the filler to dry fully before sanding smooth — check the tin for drying time, usually a few hours.
1 each · Plasterboard offcut
1 tub · Multi-purpose filler
1 sheet · Fine sandpaper
6 each · Plasterboard screws 3.5x38mm
MA-07Mark and drill for the mounting plateHold the arm's mounting plate against the wall at the height you want, and use a spirit level to keep it square. Mark each hole position through the plate with a pencil. Drill each hole to the depth and diameter suited to your wall type — masonry, noggin timber, or metal stud — as set out in Step 4.
1 each · Spirit level
1 set · Drill bit set (masonry and HSS)
1 roll · Masking tape
MA-08Fit the mounting plateFit the correct fixings for your wall type from Step 4 through the plate and into the noggin or masonry behind. Tighten evenly, a little at a time, so the plate pulls flat and square rather than tilting. Give the plate a firm pull once fitted — it should not flex or creak.
4 each · Coach screws or bolts (per arm spec)
MA-09Attach the arm and manage the cablesBolt the monitor arm onto the fitted plate and attach the monitor following the arm's own instructions. Route the power and data cables through the arm's cable channel, leaving enough slack for the full range of movement. Move the arm through its full extension and tilt to check nothing pulls tight or catches, and that the wall fixing stays solid.
4 each · Cable clips
MA-10Tidy up and do a final checkVacuum up drilling and sanding dust, including inside the wall cavity if you cut an access panel. Wipe the wall down and dispose of offcuts and packaging. Load the arm with the monitor at full extension one more time to confirm the fixing holds firm before you call the job done.
1 each · Vacuum cleaner (use existing)
1 each · Dust sheet

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