Help installing a TV mount. What screws should I use?

Wkmg

Hi, I’ve got a TV mount arriving in the next few days and I’d like to fix it to the wall myself. It’s a very heavy duty mount as it allows a lot of swivel and can extend 70cm off the wall if needed. My TV weighs 20kg and the mount weighs the same again! The wall I’m planning to fix to is plaster over brick (old fashioned, no plaster board, the base plaster is about 15mm thick from memory, recently skimmed but I think the base plaster is from ca 1930). What screws should I be using? Do I need any wall plugs etc? I am a novice at DIY but have had no problem putting up curtain poles and other simple things. 

FaceHead

You'll get different views, as people have their own personal preferences, based on what they've had success with. 

The mount should come with fixings, so a sensible approach is to use what you're given. Just make sure you have the right size drill bit for the plugs they supply (probably 10mm for a grey plug, but the instructions should be quite clear)

My personal preference is these:

https://www.screwfix.com/p/easydrive-countersunk-concrete-screws-7-5-x-100mm-100-pack/3839h.

They don't need plugs so there's one less thing to go wrong. It's just drill a 6mm hole and screw the screw in (with a T30 driver). 

Wkmg

Thanks. I’ll wait and see what hardware comes with it. If nothing appropriate I’ll pick them up. 

RegForme

Wkmg said:

Hi, I’ve got a TV mount arriving in the next few days and I’d like to fix it to the wall myself. It’s a very heavy duty mount as it allows a lot of swivel and can extend 70cm off the wall if needed. My TV weighs 20kg and the mount weighs the same again! The wall I’m planning to fix to is plaster over brick (old fashioned, no plaster board, the base plaster is about 15mm thick from memory, recently skimmed but I think the base plaster is from ca 1930). What screws should I be using? Do I need any wall plugs etc? I am a novice at DIY but have had no problem putting up curtain poles and other simple things. 

I agree with FaceHead, that the bracket will likely come with the correct fixings for a plaster over brick. However, if you don't like the look/feel of the supplied fixings (some are very poor) then I've found the Fischer TV bracket fixing kit is very good for those big extending brackets : https://www.amazon.co.uk/fischer-530755-Bracket-Fixing-Metal/dp/B07QZZVLQY/

stuart45

When you fix into brickwork it depends on the quality of the bricks. Some of the bricks used for internal walls were really poor quality on the older houses, while others were no so bad. 

grumbler

stuart45 said:

Some of the bricks used for internal walls were really poor quality on the older houses

And lime mortar between was even worse quality

Murmansk

Do it like the Victorians did - over engineer it! Lots of 6mm holes, red Rawlplug Unos and then lots of screws and put washers under their heads where they meet the metal of the mount. As long as you get a "feel" that the screws are mostly going in really firmly you will be OK. 

Failing that, resin fixings, you'd be able to hang an elephant off them. Slight exaggeration but a couple of 8mm studs 110 long with resin fixings is enough to hold a kitchen cabinet full of plates. 

Wkmg

It came with four 9.5cm long 10mm lag bolts ant the appropriate plugs. I don’t think it’s going anywhere!

Alanp

I’ve just put up a tv mount using 10mm bolts supplied with it, it’s very solid and isn’t going anywhere,  make sure you check for cables/pipes before drilling..