HANGING & WALL MOUNTING

Mount a fixed or tilting TV bracket on a timber stud wall

Fit a TV bracket safely by finding the right fixing for your wall, drilling carefully, and levelling before hanging the TV.

TV-01Check the bracket, TV and toolsCheck the bracket's VESA hole pattern matches the mounting holes on the back of your TV, and check the bracket's weight rating is more than your TV's weight. Get a drill/driver, stud detector, spirit level, tape measure, pencil and a socket set or spanner for the bracket bolts. Lay everything out before you start so you're not hunting for tools halfway through.
1 each · TV bracket (fixed or tilting)
1 each · Drill/driver
1 each · Stud detector or magnet
1 each · Spirit level
1 each · Tape measure
TV-02Work out what your wall is made ofRun a stud detector or magnet across the wall to find a line of screw heads under the surface — that's a stud wall, either timber or metal. Tap along the wall: a dull thud usually means solid brick or block, a hollow sound means plasterboard on studs or dot-and-dab. Drill a small 3mm test hole in a spot that will be hidden by the bracket — timber dust means a timber stud, fine grey metal swarf means a steel stud, and if the hole goes straight through with no resistance you're between studs on plasterboard. Metal studs are common in flats, new builds, and anything refitted since the 1990s.
TV-03Find your stopcock and think about safety before drillingCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, not just in the 'safe zones' — a detector helps but can miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, or behind metal-backed plasterboard, and a metal stud frame confuses cheap detectors further. Before you drill, find your stopcock (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 near it.
TV-04Mark the bracket position and level lineHold the bracket against the wall at your chosen height and mark through the fixing holes with a pencil. Use a spirit level to draw a level horizontal line through the top holes before marking the rest — a bracket that's even a few mm out looks obviously wrong once the TV is on. Line the bracket's holes up with stud centres where you can; most brackets have slotted holes to give you some play.
1 each · Pencil
TV-05Drill and fit the right fixings for your wallTimber stud: drill a 3mm pilot hole into the centre of the stud, then drive the bracket's coach screws (usually M8 x 60mm) straight in. Metal stud: use a self-drilling metal-stud anchor or toggle-type hollow-wall fixing rated for the load — never a plastic wall plug or ordinary wood screw, they strip straight through 0.5mm steel. Between studs on plasterboard: use a toggle or hollow-wall anchor rated for the TV's weight, not a plug. Solid brick or block: drill with a hammer drill and masonry bit sized to your plug, to at least 40mm depth, then fit the plug and screw. Dot-and-dab plasterboard: use fixings long enough (often 90-120mm) to pass through the plasterboard, the air gap and the adhesive dabs into the solid masonry behind — plasterboard alone won't hold a TV. Lath and plaster: locate the timber studs behind the laths first and screw into those; drilling into bare lath and plaster can crack the old plaster, so go slowly with a sharp pilot hole. A full-motion arm bracket pulls harder on the wall than a fixed one — on metal studs or dot-and-dab, fit a timber noggin between the studs or fix through to masonry behind instead of relying on the plasterboard alone.
4 each · Coach screws M8 x 60mm
4 each · Metal-stud toggle or self-drilling anchor
4 each · Heavy-duty plasterboard toggle fixing
4 each · Masonry wall plugs (red or brown, rated)
4 each · Long fixings for dot-and-dab (90-120mm)
TV-06Fix the bracket to the wall and check it's levelTighten all fixings evenly, a little at a time, rather than fully tightening one before moving to the next — this keeps the bracket flat against the wall. Put the spirit level back on the bracket and check it's still level once everything is tight. Give the bracket a firm pull and push to check it doesn't move before you trust it with the TV.
TV-07Attach the TV and connect cablesWith a second person if the TV is large, lift it onto the bracket's arms or hooks and make sure any safety catch or locking screw clicks or tightens into place. Connect power, HDMI and aerial cables before you fully seat the TV if the bracket makes this easier, or route them afterwards using cable clips or a cable cover. Route cables away from any drilled holes so nothing gets pinched.
1 pack · Cable ties or cable cover
TV-08Test movement and tidy upIf it's a tilting bracket, move the TV through its full range to check nothing snags or feels loose. Recheck the spirit level once the TV is on, since weight can sometimes reveal a small lean. Sweep or vacuum up plaster or brick dust, and keep leftover fixings and packaging in case you need to remove the TV later.
1 each · Dust sheet

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