How do I fit a wall-mounted TV bracket safely?

Wall mounting a TV is a straightforward job with one part that must not be got wrong, and it is the part that is invisible once the screen is up.

Safety

What you'll need

• Detector for cables and pipes, and a stud finder
• Drill with masonry and wood bits, plus a spirit level
• Fixings appropriate to the wall — not necessarily those supplied

Step by step

1. Find out what the wall is.Knock along it. Solid masonry sounds dull throughout; plasterboard sounds hollow between studs. Dot-and-dab plasterboard on masonry sounds hollow but has brick behind, which changes the fixing entirely.
2. Scan for cables and pipes.A detector over the whole area, not just where you plan to drill. Cables run vertically and horizontally from sockets, and the wall behind a TV is where they concentrate.
3. Check the VESA pattern.The spacing of the four threaded holes on the back of the TV, in millimetres. It is in the manual and stamped on the back. A bracket that does not match will not fit.
4. Check the weight rating with margin.The bracket must be rated well above the TV's weight, and a full-motion arm puts far more leverage on the wall than a flat mount. Buy for the type as well as the weight.
5. Check the screw length into the TV.Bolts that are too long can damage the panel internally. Use the spacers supplied and do not force anything into the back of the set.
6. Fix into solid masonry where you have it.Good quality plugs and screws, or frame fixings for a heavy set. Drill to the correct depth and clear the dust out, since a plug in a dusty hole grips poorly.
7. Find the studs in a plasterboard wall.A stud finder, confirmed by tapping and by probing with a small bradawl. Studs are usually at 400 or 600mm centres. The bracket must land on at least two.
8. Never rely on plasterboard fixings alone.Toggle and expanding fixings are rated for pictures and shelves, not for the sustained leverage of a television. This is the single most common and most dangerous shortcut.
9. Fit a batten if the studs do not line up.Screw a timber batten across three or four studs, then mount the bracket to the batten. It spreads the load and frees you from the stud spacing entirely.
10. Be careful with dot-and-dab walls.Plasterboard stuck to masonry with a gap behind. Screws must reach the masonry, and long fixings through the void need the right type or they crush the board as they tighten.
11. Set the height for seated viewing.Centre of the screen roughly at eye level when seated, which is usually lower than people expect. Above a fireplace looks tidy and is uncomfortable to watch for long.
12. Mark and level the wall plate carefully.Hold it up, level it, mark through the holes. Most plates have slots giving a little adjustment, but starting level is far easier than correcting later.
13. Drill and fix, checking level as you go.Fit the first fixing loosely, recheck level, then tighten the rest. Tightening one fully first pulls the plate out of true.
14. Plan the cables before hanging the screen.Once it is on the wall you cannot reach behind it. Trunking, a cable tidy, or a recessed socket behind the TV — decide now.
15. Lift it with two people.One to hold, one to engage the brackets and fit the safety screws. Large screens are unwieldy and easily damaged or dropped by one person.
16. Fit the locking screws.Almost every bracket has small screws or clips that stop the TV lifting off the plate. They are routinely left out, and they are what stops it being knocked free.
17. Test it properly.Pull firmly downward and outward on the bracket before and after hanging. Any movement in the wall plate means it needs redoing, not tightening.

Tips

• The wall type decides the fixing, and the fixing is the whole safety of the job.
• Into studs or a batten. Plasterboard fixings alone are not adequate for a television, whatever the packet claims.
• Fit the locking screws. They are the most commonly skipped step and they stop the TV lifting off.

Common mistakes

• Mounting to plasterboard with toggle fixings — Those fixings are rated for static loads like pictures, not for a heavy screen with leverage on it. Failures happen months later, without warning, and a falling TV can kill a child.
• Mounting it too high, typically over a fireplace — It looks tidy and is uncomfortable to watch for any length of time. The screen centre should be near eye level when seated.

If it doesn't work

Questions people ask