Hang a mirror or TV on a chimney breast

Fix a mirror or TV bracket to a chimney breast safely, checking for hidden services and choosing the right fixing for your wall type.

CB-01Plan the position and mark it upDecide how high you want the mirror or TV centre — for a TV, eye level when seated is a good guide. Hold the item or bracket against the wall and get a second person to check it looks right from where you'll sit. Mark the top corners or fixing points lightly in pencil, then use a spirit level to draw a level line between them.

1 each · Pencil

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1 each · Spirit level (600mm)

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1 each · Tape measure

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CB-02Work out what's behind the plasterMost chimney breasts are solid brick or block with plaster straight on top. Tap firmly across the marked area: a solid, dull thud means masonry; a hollow drum sound means the breast has been battened out or boarded over a stud frame. If you get a hollow sound, use a magnet or stud detector to trace the batten or stud centres, the same way you'd find a stud in a partition wall. A drilled test hole brings up brick or block dust for masonry, timber dust for wood battens or studs, and fine steel swarf for a metal stud frame.

1 each · Stud detector or small magnet

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CB-03Detect for cables and pipes, and know your isolation pointsRun a cable and pipe detector slowly over the whole marked area, in both directions, before you drill anything. Chimney breasts often carry wiring for wall lights, TV aerial points or old fireplace fittings, and detectors can miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, or behind foil-backed plasterboard — treat the wall as live until you've drilled a shallow test hole and seen what comes out. Find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns freely before you start, so you can shut off the water fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt at all, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling.

CB-04Drill and fix into solid brick or blockThis is the most common chimney breast type. Drill with a masonry bit slightly wider than your wall plug, to a depth of about 45-50mm — check the bracket's fixing points for the exact size. Push the wall plug in flush, then drive the screw through the bracket into the plug until it's snug but not overtightened. Use at least two fixings for a mirror and four for a TV bracket, spread across solid masonry rather than mortar joints where possible.

1 each · Masonry drill bit (6mm or 8mm)

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4 each · Wall plugs (red/brown, matched to bit size)

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4 each · Screws (40-50mm)

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CB-05Alternative fixing: timber battens or a timber stud frameIf the breast has been battened out or boarded on timber studs, find the centre of a batten or stud using your earlier marks. Drill a 2mm pilot hole to stop the timber splitting, then drive a wood screw at least 50mm long straight into the centre. Never rely on plasterboard alone for a TV — if your marked position falls between studs, you'll need a toggle fixing rated for the weight, or better, fit a short timber noggin between the studs first.

4 each · Wood screws (50mm)

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1 length · Timber noggin (if needed)

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CB-06Alternative fixing: metal stud frameSome refurbished breasts are battened out with metal furring channel rather than timber. Never use a plastic wall plug or an ordinary wood screw here — they strip straight through 0.5mm steel and won't hold. Use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor rated for the weight. A metal stud alone will not hold a TV, a heavy mirror, or anything that gets pulled or knocked — for those, fix through to the masonry behind, or have a timber noggin or metal pattress fitted between the studs first.

4 each · Self-drilling metal-stud fixings

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1 each · Metal pattress plate (if needed)

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CB-07Alternative fixing: dot-and-dab plasterboard over masonryIf the breast is boarded with dot-and-dab, there's an air gap of roughly 10-40mm between the plasterboard and the brick or block behind it. Use a long fixing that passes through the board and the gap and bites into the masonry — a 60-75mm frame fixing or hollow-wall anchor rated for through-fixing is usual. Drill through the board first, check the depth against a spare screw before committing, then plug and fix into the solid masonry, not just the board.

4 each · Long frame fixings (60-75mm)

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CB-08Alternative fixing: lath and plaster on timber groundsOlder breasts sometimes have timber grounds fixed to the masonry with lath and plaster over the top, giving a soft, slightly bouncy feel and a hollow sound. Screw into the timber ground itself, not just the lath, which will crumble under load. Treat this the same as a timber stud fixing: locate the ground with a detector, drill a 2mm pilot hole, and use a wood screw at least 50mm long.

4 each · Wood screws (50mm)

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CB-09Fit the bracket and hang the mirror or TVScrew the bracket to the wall using the fixings suited to your wall type, checking it's level as you tighten each one. Lift the mirror or TV onto the bracket following the manufacturer's instructions, and give it a firm, steady pull to check it's secure before letting go. For a TV, connect cables before final positioning if access will be tight afterwards.

1 each · Mirror or TV bracket

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CB-10Tidy cables and clear upRoute any TV cables down the back of the breast or through a cable cover so they don't hang loose across the front. Vacuum up brick, timber or plaster dust from the floor and skirting, and wipe the wall down. Do a final check by gently pushing the mirror or TV at each corner to confirm nothing has shifted.

1 length · Cable cover strip

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KNOW THE RULES

Before you start: Do I need approval to remove a chimney breast?

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