How to Mount a TV or Shelves Safely
How to identify your wall type, choose the right fixings and bracket, avoid hidden pipes and cables, and mount a TV or shelves safely.
A TV or a loaded shelf has to stay on the wall for years. Whether it does depends on what the wall is made of, the fixings you choose and what is hidden behind the surface. Here is what to know before you drill.
The quick answer
- Find out what your wall is made of before buying fixings
- For heavy TVs and shelves on plasterboard, check the underlying wall structure and follow the bracket maker's load-rated fixing requirements; do not assume cavity fixings alone are suitable
- Check for pipes and cables, and avoid drilling directly above, below or beside sockets and switches
- Make sure the bracket matches your TV's size, weight and fixing pattern
- Rented home? Ask your landlord before drilling
Identify your wall
| Wall type | How to tell | Fixing approach |
| Solid brick or block | Hard, cold, heavy knock, red or grey dust when drilled | Masonry drill bit and wall plugs or masonry anchors |
| Plasterboard on studs | Hollow knock, white dust, studs about 400 to 600mm apart | Screw into studs, or use rated cavity fixings |
| Lath and plaster | Older homes, uneven, crumbly, wooden strips behind | Find the timber studs, as fixings into plaster alone are weak |
| Tiled wall | Tiles over plaster or board | Tile drill bit, tape to stop slipping, no hammer action |
Hidden pipes and cables
Cables often run vertically or horizontally from sockets and switches, and pipes can run anywhere. A detector helps but is not foolproof, particularly on foil-backed plasterboard. Avoid drilling in line with sockets and switches, and stop if you are unsure. Drilling into a cable or pipe is dangerous and expensive.
Choosing a TV bracket
- Fixed: sits flat to the wall and suits rooms where you always watch from the front
- Tilting: angles the screen down, which is useful if it is mounted higher
- Full motion: swings and turns, but needs the strongest fixings because of the leverage
Check the bracket's VESA pattern matches the holes on the back of your TV, and that its weight rating is above your TV's weight.
Getting the height right
For seated viewing, the centre of the screen is usually most comfortable at roughly eye level when sitting. Above a fireplace is popular but often too high for comfortable viewing, and heat can affect the TV. Plan where cables will run before marking the wall.
Shelves
- Floating shelves need strong fixings, because all the load sits on concealed rods
- Brackets should go into studs or solid masonry for anything heavy, such as books
- Use a spirit level and mark all holes before drilling
When to get help
If the TV is large, the wall is plasterboard or old lath and plaster, or you are in a rented home, it is worth having it done properly. Send a photo of the wall, the item and where you want it, with your postcode.
Frequently asked questions
Can plasterboard hold a TV?
Sometimes, but only with a suitable bracket and independently verified load-rated support in the wall structure. Full-motion brackets increase leverage; if the wall or fixing capacity is uncertain, use a competent installer. Standard wall plugs in plasterboard alone are not suitable.
Can you hide the cables?
Cables can be run in a surface trunking channel or, in some walls, behind the plasterboard. Mains sockets behind a TV should be installed by an electrician.
Can you mount a TV above a fireplace?
Often, but check the height is comfortable and the TV maker's guidance on heat.
Related guides
We mount TVs, shelves, mirrors and curtain poles across West London. Call 07444 262522.