How to Mount a TV on a Brick or Tile Wall

Brick and tile change the install entirely — wrong drill, wrong anchor, or wrong technique and you crack expensive material.

For brick: drill into the brick itself, not the mortar joint. Mortar isn't strong enough to hold a TV mount long-term. Use a hammer drill with a carbide masonry bit sized to the sleeve anchor's spec (usually 3/8" sleeve anchors for a TV mount).

For tile: the only way to drill without cracking is a diamond-tipped bit, no hammer mode, water cooling, and slow steady pressure. Mark with a permanent marker and stick a piece of painter's tape over the spot to keep the bit from skating. Once you've drilled through the tile, switch to a regular masonry bit for the substrate behind it.

On a tiled fireplace surround, the substrate is usually concrete board (Durock) over framing. Sleeve anchors work in concrete board but the holding power is limited — try to land at least one fastener in the framing behind it.

Never use plastic anchors for a TV mount in brick or tile. Stick with stainless steel or zinc-plated sleeve anchors rated for the weight, and bring extra anchors: you will crack one tile or hit a void in a brick, guaranteed.