Mount a full-motion TV bracket on a timber stud wall

Fit a full-motion TV bracket safely, checking your wall type and weight rating before drilling into studs or masonry.

TV-01Check your TV weight and bracket ratingWeigh your TV or check the maker's spec sheet, then check the bracket's VESA hole pattern matches your TV and its maximum weight rating is well above your TV's actual weight. Full-motion arms flex more than fixed brackets under load, so do not buy one rated right at the limit. Check the arm's reach clears any nearby door frames or furniture when fully extended.

1 each · Full-motion TV bracket

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TV-02Gather your toolsLay out everything before you start so you are not searching mid-job. You will need a drill, the right bits for your wall type, a spirit level, a cable and pipe detector, a pencil and tape measure, and a socket set for the bracket bolts. A helper makes lifting the TV onto the bracket much easier and safer.

1 each · Combi or SDS drill

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1 each · Drill bit set (masonry and wood)

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1 each · Spirit level

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1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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TV-03Plan the position and mark the heightMark a centre line at comfortable seated eye level, usually around 1,000-1,100mm from the floor to the screen centre. Check the arm will swing clear of light switches, curtains, and door frames when fully extended. Hold the bracket plate against the wall and use the spirit level to mark it dead level before you mark any hole positions.

TV-04Work out what your wall is made ofRun a stud detector or magnet across the wall — a line of screw heads roughly every 400mm or 600mm means plasterboard on studs. Knock along the wall: a dull thud is solid brick or block or dot-and-dab, a hollow sound between studs is stud wall. Drill a small pilot hole in an inconspicuous spot — pale wood dust means a timber stud, fine grey swarf means a metal stud, and thick grey dust with resistance all the way means solid masonry. Older houses with thin horizontal wood strips under the plaster, felt as a slight give, are lath and plaster.

TV-05Check for cables and pipes before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, not just in the usual safe zones, so scan the whole marked area with your detector. Do not trust the detector completely — cheap models miss deep cables, cables in metal conduit, and cables behind metal-backed plasterboard, and a metal stud frame confuses them further. Find your stopcock now, usually under the kitchen sink, and check it turns freely, so you can shut the water off fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt at all, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling, and turn off the water at the stopcock before cutting into anything that could carry water.

TV-06Fix into your wall the right way for its typeSolid brick or block: drill with a masonry bit sized to your plug, insert a wall plug rated for the hole, and drive in the bracket's screw, checking the plug reaches solid material and not a mortar joint. Plasterboard on timber studs: drill a pilot hole into the centre of each stud and use a coach screw or bolt biting at least 30mm into the timber. Plasterboard on metal studs: a full-motion arm pulls hard on the wall every time you move the TV, and a metal stud alone will not hold that load — fit a timber noggin between the studs first, or fix through to solid masonry behind if there is any; never use a plain wall plug or wood screw in metal stud, as it strips straight through the thin steel. Dot-and-dab plasterboard: use fixings long enough to pass through the board, the adhesive dabs, and into the masonry behind — typically 60-75mm — check the gap with a bradawl first. Lath and plaster: locate the timber studs or noggins behind the lath with your detector, then fix into them as timber, drilling slowly and steadily to avoid cracking the old plaster keys.

4 each · Wall plugs (masonry)

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4 each · Coach screws or bolts (timber stud)

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4 each · Metal-stud toggle fixings

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1 length · Timber noggin (50x100mm)

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4 each · Long masonry fixings (dot-and-dab, 75mm)

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TV-07Fit the bracket plate to the wallHold the plate at your marked position and re-check it is level before marking the final hole centres through the plate. Drill each hole to the correct size and depth for your wall type from step TV-06. Insert the fixings and tighten the bracket plate fully, but do not overtighten into plasterboard, as this can crack the surface or crush the board.

TV-08Attach the TV to the bracket armBolt the VESA arms supplied with the bracket to the back of the TV, using the correct bolt length so they do not press into the TV's internal parts. With a helper, lift the TV onto the wall plate and engage the locking mechanism until it clicks or locks fully. Check the TV sits square and does not tilt to one side.

4 each · VESA mounting bolts (supplied with bracket)

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TV-09Route and secure the cablesRun the power and HDMI cables along the arm with cable clips or a spiral wrap, leaving enough slack for the arm to fully extend and swivel. Secure any loose cable runs down the wall with clips so nothing hangs loose. Check no cable gets trapped or pulled tight when the arm folds flat.

6 each · Cable clips

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1 length · Cable spiral wrap

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TV-10Test the arm and check every fixing is tightExtend the arm fully, swivel it left and right, and retract it again, watching the wall plate for any movement or flexing. Re-check every fixing is tight, especially if you fitted into a stud or noggin, since timber can compress slightly under first use. Check the TV is level at both rest and full extension.

TV-11Tidy upVacuum any drilling dust from the floor and skirting, and wipe down the wall and TV screen. Dispose of packaging and offcuts, and store any leftover fixings somewhere labelled for later use. Do a final check that the TV is secure before leaving it unattended.

1 each · Dust sheet

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