How to Mount a TV on a Porcelain Wall 

Mounting a TV, or anything at all on a porcelain wall can be quite a demanding task and the reason is not far-fetched. Porcelain is a very hard substance, so drilling holes into its surface could be difficult and there are high chances you end up with a broken or bent drill bit, or a chipped or cracked porcelain tile. However, drilling and mounting a TV on a porcelain wall is very possible but might only require a little more effort and attention.

In this article, we have carefully organized what you need to know about porcelain walls/tiles and mounting a TV onto the same.

What is a Porcelain Wall?

A porcelain wall or tile is a ceramic material that is often used to cover walls, floors, cabinets, and for other interior finishing. A porcelain wall/tile should not be confused with ceramic tile. Although they may be similar in look and essential constituents, they are different. A porcelain wall is simply a ceramic material with a different production process than regular ceramic tiles. It is only made of more polished clay and is heated to searing temperatures to give a harder, denser, and more durable material with a lower water absorption rate.

Mounting a TV on a Porcelain Wall

The first step in mounting a TV is drilling holes into the wall or location of mounting, but with porcelain walls, extra care must be taken because they are much harder and denser than regular wooden or brick walls. Porcelain walls are fragile and may chip or crack in the process of drilling.

If you are the typical DIY individual, we highly recommend that you do not DIY, but contact a professional because of the intricacies of mounting on Porcelain walls, but just in case you decide to do it yourself, below is a step-by-step guide on how to mount your TV on a porcelain wall:

Materials needed for installing a TV on a full motion Mount on Porcelain Wall

To mount a Tv properly on a porcelain wall, here are a few tools you will need to begin with:

• A handheld battery-operated diamond-tipped drill (unlike the regular 120-volt plug-in drills, porcelain walls require a diamond-tipped drill to prevent chips or cracks in the porcelain)
• A regular drill and drill bits (for drilling into the wall studs)
• Drill bit guide/water delivery system (for cooling the diamond bit and prevent sliding off)
• Stud Finder
• Spirit Level
• Measuring Tape
• Screwdriver
• A pencil
• A TV wall mount
• A TV bracket.
• TV screws and washers (your TV and TV mount come with their screws)

Step-by-step instructions on mounting a TV on a full motion Mount on a Porcelain Wall

Before setting up your TV, the most suitable TV mount must be selected. There is a wide range of TV mounts depending on your TV. After selecting the most suitable TV mount, and gathering all tools, proceed to follow the steps below:

Step 1: Unbox your mount

Step 2: Attach your bracket to the back of your TV

• Locate the four screw holes at the back of your TV.
• Grab your TV bracket and hold it in place, aligning the screw holes with the bracket.
• Pick up the appropriate screws by testing the size with the screw holes to see which fits. 
• Attach the appropriate washers to the screws, then proceed to screw them into your TV with your screwdriver or drill.

NB: Ensure that you do not over-tighten the screws to the back of your TV as this can cause a misthreading, stripping of screws, or snapping of the screw heads.

Step 3: Decide how high you want your TV and TV mount to be.

Your TV must not be too high or too low but centered on the wall for the best viewing experience. After deciding the height of your Tv on the porcelain wall, proceed to determine the height of your TV mount below the TV top. To do this, do the following:

• With your measuring tape, measure the length from the top of your Tv to the point where the TV mount rests on the TV bracket. (Note this measurement)
• Now, measure the length from the top of your mount to the point of attachment to the wall.
• Subtract your second measurement from the first, and this shows the distance from the top of your TV to the top of the mount.
• Now, locate how high you want the top of your TV to be, and measure downwards the exact measurement gotten from your subtraction. 
• Mark this point. This is where the top of your TV mount would be.

Step 4: Locate and mark the studs in the porcelain wall.

• Grab your stud finder and drag it along your marked point to locate the studs in the wall.
• Drag until it beeps, and with a pencil, mark the stud points.

Step 5: Align your studs with the mount.

• Grab your TV mount and place it against the porcelain wall.
• Align the mount with the stud markings so that each hole on the mount corresponds with a stud in the wall.
• Take down the TV mount and proceed to the next step.

Step 6: Drill your holes into the porcelain wall.

• Grab your drill guide/water delivery system and place it against the porcelain wall with the stud marking in the guide position of the drill guide.
• Fill up the water tank of the drill guide and close the switch. 
• Grab your diamond-tipped drill and place it between the guide position of the drill guide.
• Open the switch of the water tank and begin drilling your holes through the porcelain tiles. 
• Once through, gently and slowly remove your diamond-tipped drill.
• Now, using the regular drill and drill bits, drill into the studs beneath the porcelain tiles.
• Do this for all stud markings where your TV mount was aligned.

NB

1. Ensure a constant supply of water to the drill to protect the cutting edge from damage due to friction.
2. Ensure you maintain a constant speed and a long steady pressure when drilling with your diamond-tipped drill.

Step 7: Level your TV Mount on the porcelain wall

• Place your TV mount against the porcelain wall in alignment with your drilled holes.
• Screw in LOOSELY the screws with washers attached to them.
• Place your spirit level on top of the TV mount until the air bubble is between the vertical lines on your spirit level.  (This shows that the mount is horizontally level)
• Using your screwdriver or drill, drive the first screw more tightly into the porcelain wall.
• Check your level again to ensure the air bubble remains within the vertical lines.
• Adjust the mount accordingly and drive in all other screws tightly into the studs with your spirit level as reference.

Step 8: Place and screw your TV onto the TV mount

• Grab your TV and attach the ring on the bracket at its back to the ring on the TV mount. (This will lock it in place)
• There are two screw holes directly beneath the rings at the point of attachment. Screw them in using the appropriate screws and washers.

If you have carefully followed these steps, you will have successfully mounted your TV onto a porcelain wall.