Mount a tablet or smart display on a timber stud wall — HomeGraft

Mount a tablet or smart display securely, checking your wall type and using the correct fixing for a safe result.

MT-01Plan the positionDecide where you want the tablet or smart display, ideally near a socket if it needs charging. Mount it at a comfortable eye height, around 1400-1500mm from the floor. Hold the bracket against the wall, check it's level with a spirit level, and mark the fixing holes with a pencil.

1 each · Tablet or smart display wall mount kit

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · Pencil

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · Spirit level

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

MT-02Work out what your wall is made ofTap the wall - a dull, solid sound usually means brick or block, a hollow sound points to a stud wall or dot-and-dab plasterboard. Run a stud detector or a small magnet along the wall to find the line of screw heads that marks a stud, roughly every 400-600mm. Drill a small pilot hole at one marked point: fine pale dust means timber, while a solid metallic feel with little dust, or fine grey swarf, means a metal stud. Metal stud walls are common in flats, new-builds and anything refitted since the 1990s, so don't assume timber just because it sounds hollow.

1 each · Stud detector

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · Small magnet

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

MT-03Check for cables and pipes, and find your stopcockCables and pipes can run almost anywhere behind a wall, not just in the usual safe zones, so use a cable and pipe detector before you drill - then still treat the wall as if something is there. Detectors miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, behind metal-backed plasterboard, or hidden by a metal stud frame, which also confuses cheap detectors. Before you drill, find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns freely, 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.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

MT-04Fix into solid brick or blockDrill straight into the marked point with a 6mm masonry bit, going about 45-50mm deep. Push in a red or brown wall plug, then drive a 40mm No.8 wood screw into the plug until the bracket sits flush against the wall.

1 each · Masonry drill bit, 6mm

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

4 each · Wall plugs, red/brown

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

4 each · Wood screws, 40mm No.8

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

MT-05Fix into a timber studOnce you've found the centre of the stud, drill a 3mm pilot hole to stop the wood splitting. Drive a 35-40mm wood screw straight into the centre of the stud - timber alone holds this light fixing well, so you don't need a plug.

1 each · Pilot drill bit, 3mm

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

4 each · Wood screws, 35-40mm

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

MT-06Fix into a metal studNever use a plain wall plug or an ordinary wood screw in a metal stud - it strips straight through 0.5mm steel. Use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor rated for the weight of your bracket; either is enough for a light tablet or smart display holder. If the mount feels loose or pulls forward when you plug in a cable, fix through to a timber noggin or through to the masonry behind if there is one.

4 each · Self-drilling metal-stud fixings

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

MT-07Fix into dot-and-dab plasterboardDot-and-dab has a 20-50mm gap of adhesive dabs between the plasterboard and the masonry, so a short fixing only grips the board itself. Use a long fixing, around 75-90mm, that passes through the plasterboard and the dab and into the solid masonry behind. Drill a pilot hole first to check the exact depth needed, then plug and screw as you would for solid masonry.

4 each · Long fixing screws, 75-90mm

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

4 each · Wall plugs, red/brown

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

MT-08Fix into lath and plasterLath and plaster is brittle and can crack if you drill without support behind it, so find a timber lath or stud first with your detector. Drill a small pilot hole and fix a wood screw into solid timber where you can. If you land between laths, use a fixing suited to soft, uneven plaster, and keep the load light, as lath and plaster doesn't hold much weight.

1 each · Pilot drill bit, 3mm

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

4 each · Plaster-rated fixings

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

MT-09Fit the bracket and attach the deviceScrew the mounting plate to the wall using the fixing method for your wall type, checking it stays level as you tighten each screw. Clip or screw the tablet or smart display holder onto the plate, following the maker's instructions. Give it a firm tug before letting go, to check it's properly secure.

1 each · Screwdriver

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

MT-10Dress the cable and tidy upRun the charging cable neatly down the wall using small cable clips or a slim cable channel, then plug it into the socket. Sweep or vacuum up any dust or debris from drilling and wipe the wall down. Step back and check the device sits level and feels secure.

5 each · Self-adhesive cable clips

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

Some links may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Save this as a project

Back to all guides