Mount a tablet or smart display on a lath and plaster wall

Learn to find what's behind a lath and plaster wall, then fit and mount a tablet or smart display bracket safely.

LP-01Plan the position and gather your kitPick a spot near eye level, within reach of a socket for charging, and clear of doors and light switches. Check the bracket's instructions for its fixing hole spacing before you mark anything. Lay out your tools: drill, driver, spirit level, pencil, tape measure and a dust sheet.

1 each · Tablet or smart display wall mount bracket

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1 each · Spirit level

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1 each · Dust sheet

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LP-02Check for cables and pipes, and know how to cut them offOld walls hide cables and pipes in places you wouldn't expect, and lath and plaster gives no clues from the surface. Run a cable and pipe detector over the whole marked area, but treat it as a guide, not proof — detectors miss deep cables, cables in conduit, and anything close to old rewiring chased into the wall. 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, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before you drill.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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LP-03Work out what's behind the plasterTap along the marked area — a dull, hollow sound between ribs means you're over a gap between laths; a dead, solid thud means solid masonry sits directly behind. Run a magnet or your detector along a vertical line to pick up screw or nail heads, which usually marks the centre of a timber stud or joist. Lath and plaster is almost always fixed to timber, since it predates metal stud partitions and dot-and-dab plasterboard by decades. Drill a small pilot hole and check the dust: fine lime dust with thin wood splinters means timber lath, brick-red dust means masonry behind; if you instead get clean plasterboard dust or a metallic-sounding ring, this isn't lath and plaster — go back to your wall type guide and never drive a wood screw into a bare metal stud, as it strips straight through.

1 each · 2mm pilot drill bit

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LP-04Mark and drill your fixing holesHold the bracket in place, level it, and mark each hole through the template with a pencil. Drill through the skim coat first with a small bit at slow speed and no hammer action, as old lime plaster cracks easily under force. Step up to the correct bit size only once you're through the hard skim layer.

1 each · Masonry drill bit set

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LP-05Fit the right fixing for what's behind your wallIf timber is behind: drive a 40mm wood screw into the centre of the stud or joist, using a fine pilot hole so the old timber doesn't split. If solid masonry sits behind a counter-battened lath and plaster wall: drill through to the masonry and fit an 8mm wall plug with a 60-70mm screw long enough to bite properly into the brick or block. If there's no solid backing where you need to fix — you're between laths with just a gap behind: use a spring toggle or lath-and-plaster rated hollow-wall anchor rated for at least 5kg, never a plain plastic plug on its own, as it can crumble straight out of soft lime plaster.

4 each · Wood screws, 40mm

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4 each · Wall plugs, 8mm

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4 each · Masonry screws, 60mm

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4 each · Spring toggle fixings, rated 5kg+

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LP-06Fix the bracket to the wallScrew the bracket through your fixings, tightening evenly so it doesn't twist out of level. Check it with a spirit level as you go. Once fixed, pull firmly on the bracket to test it before you hang anything on it.

LP-07Attach the device and tidy the cableClip the tablet or smart display onto the bracket, following the manufacturer's release mechanism so it's properly seated. Run the charging cable to the nearest socket, keeping it away from walkways and doorways. Secure loose cable with clips or self-adhesive trunking so it doesn't hang or snag.

1 pack · Cable clips or self-adhesive trunking

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LP-08Clean up and do a final checkVacuum up plaster dust straight away, wearing a mask, as old lime plaster dust can irritate your lungs. Wipe down the surrounding wall and skirting. Give the bracket a final wobble test and check it's level before you leave it.

1 each · Dust mask

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