Mount a tablet or smart display on a solid brick or block wall

Fix a tablet or smart display securely to a solid brick or block wall, checking for hidden pipes and cables first.

MW-01Confirm the wall and choose the spotThis guide is for solid brick or block walls only. Tap the wall — solid brick or block sounds dull and solid all over, with no hollow change every 400-600mm. If you get a hollow sound and see a regular line of screw heads under paint, you actually have plasterboard on studs, and this guide is not the right one for you. Pick a spot within reach of a socket for charging, and at a comfortable eye or ear height if it's a smart display.

MW-02Gather your tools and materialsYou'll need a masonry drill bit, a drill with a hammer setting, wall plugs and screws sized for your mount, a spirit level, pencil, and a dust sheet. Check the mounting bracket's fixing holes and weight rating so you buy the right plugs and screws. Lay a dust sheet under the work area — masonry drilling makes a mess.

1 each · Masonry drill bit 6mm

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1 each · Drill (hammer/SDS setting)

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1 each · Dust sheet

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MW-03Mark the fixing pointsHold the bracket or mounting plate against the wall at your chosen spot and use a spirit level to get it dead level. Mark through the fixing holes with a pencil. Double-check the spacing matches your plugs and screws before you drill anything.

1 each · Spirit level

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1 each · Pencil

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MW-04Check for hidden pipes and cables before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, not just in neat vertical or horizontal lines. Run a cable and pipe detector over your marked spots, but treat it as a warning, not a guarantee — detectors miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, or outside the usual safe zones. Before you drill, find your stopcock (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 about what's behind the wall, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit first.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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MW-05Drill and plug the holesDrill each marked point with a 6mm masonry bit on the hammer setting, going in straight and steady. Drill to a depth about 5mm deeper than your wall plug so the plug seats fully — for a standard 40mm plug, drill to around 45mm. Blow or vacuum the dust out of each hole, then push the wall plugs in flush with the wall.

4 each · Wall plugs (red, 6mm)

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1 each · Small vacuum or hand brush

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MW-06Fix the mounting plate to the wallLine the bracket or mounting plate back up with the plugged holes. Drive the screws in firmly but don't overtighten — you want the plate pulled tight to the wall, not the plug crushed or spinning loose. Give the plate a firm tug to check it's solid before fitting anything to it.

4 each · Screws 40mm No.8

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MW-07Attach the tablet or display and route the cableClip or slot the tablet or smart display into its mount, following the manufacturer's fitting method. Run the charging cable down the wall using cable clips every 150-200mm, keeping it away from any spot you've marked as having a pipe or cable behind it. Leave a little slack at the device end so it isn't strained.

1 each · Tablet/smart display wall mount

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6 each · Cable clips

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MW-08Test and tidy upPower the device on and check it sits level and feels firm when you touch the screen. Vacuum up any dust and dispose of drill waste in your household bin. Keep spare plugs and screws in a labelled bag in case you need to remove and refit the mount later.

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