Wall mounting a LCD/plasma TV

[mike]

I need to wall mount a Plasma TV that weighs roughly 16kg into a breeze block wall. Given the weight of the item would it be "unwise" to use standard raw plugs and screws like I would use to put up a should or a cabinet. Or should I be looking a something else?

[The Natural Philosopher]

I've hung heavier TV's om walls than that. Mind you when drilling a hole in the wall I was alarmed when a half brick fell out and daylight shone through.

A bit of mortar had the brick and the rawlplug back in, in no time

Remember the weight is not trying to pull the rawlplug out, unless the TV itself is rather badly designed. Weigh flat against the wall will represent shear only on the screw, so its nothing like the full weight doing the pull.

However, if you do end up with an oversized hole, whack in some car body filler and press the plug into that. That is as near a perfect as its possible to get for a screw And you can quote me on that :-)

[fred]

In article , mike writes

Given the value of the item and the fact that breeze blocks are a bit soft I'd be inclined to use something a bit meatier/longer.

Try hammer fixings:

?cId=1011508x80 or 8x100 would be my choice, codes 17286 & 19356 respectively. Don't buy these from B&Q as they are a real rip off there.

[mike]

you really think I need screws that long? If left unadvised I would have chose 50mm ones

[fred]

In article , mike writes

For a high value or heavy item yes. I would want to make sure the screws are in shear and have no risk of pulling in any other direction. In a situation like this I would discount any grip achieved in the first inch of a hole because:

1. If the wall is plastered then is it is only after the first inch you are in the wall proper.
2. The action of your hammer/sds drill may weaken the outer shell of the plaster/brick(*) causing a little cone to spall out (fail) in the future. If you accept my discounting the first inch then a 2" rawlplug only gives an inch of grip, 75mm hammer fixing gives 2" and so on, so it is worth going for the extra length of a 75mm at least.

Bear in mind that an 8mm hammer fixing does not use an 8mm screw, that is just the dim of the hole for the plug, the screw head will be no bigger than a 2x10 that you might use in your 2" rawlplug.

This is based on my experience with brick walls covered in an inch 100yr old plaster, you learn not to rely on that first inch from bitter experience :-)

(*) I know yours is breeze block, but I reckon if you were to pull on a well anchored plug sitting only 1" in a breeze block you would get the plug in your hand with a neat little cone of breeze block sitting on it.

HTH