Fixings you need for wall-mounted TVs

Quick summary

Bracket type matters

A flat or tilt bracket places most of the load close to the wall, so standard heavy-duty fixings often suffice. A full-motion, cantilever arm adds a lever, so the anchors must be stronger, the spacing wider, and the number of fix points greater.

Use the right materials

Near kitchens, bathrooms or coastal air, choose stainless or hot-dip galvanised screws and washers. Always respect the anchor’s load rating and the wall’s condition.

Understanding loads and VESA patterns

TV weight vs bracket class

Modern 55 to 75 inch sets often weigh between 14 and 35 kilograms, before you add the bracket. Flat and tilt brackets keep the mass close to the wall, so loads are mostly shear. Cantilever arms push the set away from the wall, so anchors see bending as well as shear. Choose a bracket whose rated capacity comfortably exceeds the TV’s weight, then select anchors to match the bracket’s worst-case load.

VESA hole patterns and how they influence bracket selection

VESA is the bolt pattern on the back of the TV, for example 200 by 200 or 400 by 400 millimetres. Make sure the bracket’s range covers your TV’s VESA, and that the wall plate gives enough width and height to land fixings in solid wall or multiple studs.

Dynamic loads and lever arm effects with full-motion arms

Extend a cantilever and the load increases rapidly. A 25 kilogram TV on a 50 centimetre arm generates significant moment at the wall. Spread the anchors further apart, use more of them, and favour higher-grade fixings that can cope with combined shear and tension.

Tools and materials you’ll need

Stud and metal detector, drills and bits, torque control and levelling

Carry a stud and cable detector, a suitable drill for your wall type, and the bits to match your anchors. An SDS drill helps in masonry, a rotary drill is better for plasterboard and timber. A torque wrench or a driver with a clutch prevents over-tightening. Use a long spirit level or a laser for alignment.

Anchors and screws, spacers and washers

Stock anchors by substrate: masonry plugs and coach screws, sleeve anchors, wedge or through-bolts, resin capsules or injectable resin with studs, cavity toggles and metal expanding anchors, specialist aerated-block anchors. Add washers, spacers or stand-offs to keep brackets square on uneven walls.

PPE and cable-management kit

Wear eye protection and gloves. Plan cable routes with brush plates or trunking, and use grommets if you pass leads through the wall. Keep a small tube of sanitary silicone for sealing penetrations in humid rooms.

Identify your wall construction

Solid brick or block, and poured concrete

A hard, dense wall gives excellent capacity. Avoid mortar joints and check for hidden chases. Concrete needs precise holes, correct drill sizes and embedment, then set to the manufacturer’s torque.

Plasterboard on timber studs or metal studs

A stud wall can carry a TV safely if you fix to the studs. Timber studs are ideal, metal studs need care and often reinforcement. Plasterboard alone is not a primary structure for heavy loads.

Dot-and-dab drylining over masonry

This is plasterboard bonded to brick or block with adhesive pads. There is a gap behind the board, so short plugs will spin. Fix through the board and cavity into the masonry.

Aerated or thermal blocks

Light blocks are easy to drill but crumble under point loads. Use specialist anchors or resin with mesh sleeves, increase embedment, and add fixing points.

Fixings for solid brick and block walls

High-quality masonry plugs with coach screws, embedment depth and plug size

Choose branded plugs sized to the coach screw, and drill clean holes in the brick face, not the mortar. Aim for a solid embedment, typically 60 to 80 millimetres in the brick or block for medium loads, more for heavy sets and wide plates.

Sleeve anchors and frame fixings, when to choose them

Sleeve anchors grip the hole along their length and suit uneven or hollow bricks. Frame fixings are handy when you need long reach through render or battening. Use them when you want predictable expansion and simple through-fixing.

Resin anchors for heavy loads or weak brick, avoiding joints and keeping edge distances

In crumbly or holed brick, injectable resin with threaded studs gives a strong bond. Drill, brush and blow the hole clean, inject from the back, spin the stud in, then leave to cure. Keep clear of edges and corners, and never set anchors in mortar.

Fixings for concrete walls

Wedge anchors and through-bolts, drill size, depth and torque

Concrete rewards precision. Drill to the exact diameter, clear the dust, set wedge anchors or through-bolts to the specified embedment, and tighten to the stated torque. This gives consistent shear and pull-out performance.

Resin anchors for close-to-edge or cracked concrete

If anchors must sit near an edge, or the slab is cracked, resin with studs reduces bursting forces and often carries approvals for such conditions. Use sleeves if voids are present, and respect cure times.

Verifying pull-out and shear capacities

Anchor data sheets list characteristic loads. Compare these with your bracket’s maximum applied loads, then apply a sensible safety factor. Where uncertainty remains, step up an anchor size or add fix points.

Fixings for plasterboard and stud walls

Best practice, fix into timber studs or install noggins or a backboard

Use a detector to find studs and fix the wall plate through to the timber with long wood screws or structural screws. If the studs do not align with the bracket holes, open the wall during refurb and fit horizontal noggins, or mount a painted timber backboard that spans multiple studs, then fix the bracket to the board.

Heavy-duty cavity anchors with realistic load limits

Where you cannot hit a stud, use high-capacity cavity anchors such as spring toggles, metal expanding anchors or high-capacity discs. Treat the published ratings as dry-wall values, then reduce expectations in old or damp boards. Do not hang a large cantilever arm on anchors in plasterboard alone unless the manufacturer explicitly permits it.

Spreading load with wider rails and more fix points

A wall plate that spans two or more studs, or a rail that gives six or more fixing positions, keeps stresses down. Use every fixing hole the bracket provides where practical, rather than the minimum.

Fixings for dot-and-dab (drylined masonry)

Long frame fixings through board and adhesive into masonry

Measure the cavity depth, choose frame fixings long enough to pass the board and void, then bite into the brick or block behind. Tighten until firm, not so hard that the board compresses or the plate bends.

Resin anchors with spacers or sleeves to bridge the cavity

Resin with studs works well if you sleeve the void so the stud cannot bow the board. Nylon or metal sleeves, or short sections of tube, keep the bracket clamped against the face without crushing it.

Identifying the dabs and landing in solid substrate

A tap test or a borescope shows where the dabs sit. Do not rely on them, they are local pads, not structure. Aim to land anchors in the underlying masonry.

Fixings for aerated blocks (Thermalite or similar)

Specialist light-block anchors and longer embedment

Use anchors designed for low-density block, often with coarse threads and longer embedment. The aim is to spread the load into more material.

Resin with mesh sleeves, reduced allowable loads, more fix points

A mesh sleeve holds resin in the soft block so it does not run. Expect lower load figures than brick, so increase both the number of anchors and the spacing.

Bracket types and what they demand from fixings

Flat or low-profile, tilt, and full-motion cantilever

Flat plates are forgiving and tidy. Tilt adds a little extra lever but still sits close to the wall. Full-motion arms need the strongest fixings, careful spacing and very accurate installation.

Cantilever means higher moment, so stronger anchors, greater spacing, more fix points

Plan the pattern with the arm fully extended in mind. Use bigger anchors where the bracket allows, keep fixings as far apart as the plate permits, and use every hole the manufacturer provides.

Using a load-spreader rail or batten for hollow walls

On plasterboard, a timber batten or steel rail fixed into multiple studs spreads the load and gives freedom to position the bracket precisely.

FAQs

Can I mount a 55 to 75 inch TV on plasterboard?

Yes, if you fix into timber studs or use a reinforced backboard or rail that spans several studs. High-capacity cavity anchors can work for flat plates and lighter sets, however studs remain the safer choice.

What anchors do I need for a cantilever bracket on brick?

Use sleeve anchors or resin-bonded studs with washers. Keep clear of mortar joints, set a generous embedment, and spread the anchors as far apart as the plate allows.

How many fixings should I use?

As many as the bracket provides, within reason. Four is the bare minimum on solid walls for smaller sets. Six or more is wise for wide plates and cantilevers.

Are GripIt or toggles enough for heavy TVs?

For plasterboard and flat plates, high-capacity anchors can be fine if the wall is sound and loads are moderate. For large cantilevers, tie into studs or add a structural backboard.

Do I need resin anchors in old crumbly brick?

Resin often performs better than expansion anchors in weak masonry. Clean the hole thoroughly, use sleeves if voids are present, and respect cure times.

How high should I mount, and can I drill above a socket?

Centre height is a comfort choice, often around eye level when seated. Avoid casual drilling directly above or below sockets unless a detector confirms a clear path. If there is any doubt, move the fixing line.