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How to mount a tv bracket to side of a cabinet in caravan?

Hi guys, have a caravan and a previous 24invh TV was not big enough to watch from other end of the van.

Purchased a lightweight 32inch 12v model but the existing bracket won't (a) take the vesa pattern for mounting and (b) even if it did would not extended far enough to have the tv in the middle of the "aisle for viewing".

I have purchased a really nice and very well made bracket that weighs 6 kg that is perfect for the job.

The TV weighs 6 kgs also.

As it is designed to be moved with pivotal arms etc I am concerned the weight and movement would lead to degradation of the hole in the cabinet over time. I have attached photo of the existing installation with a not that light armature for the 24" set.

Appreciate your advice

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EricL

Hello @stormtigers

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about mounting your TV.

I propose thinking about lowering the mount ever so slightly just under the interior shelf of the cabinet. In this manner, there will be no need to remove or dismount the electrical controls inside the cabinet. The old mounting holes can be filled with filler then sanded over and painted to the same colour as the cabinet.

To mount the new arm on your cabinet, I suggest placing an extra piece of timber inside the cabinet such as the 42 x 19mm 1.2m DAR Pine Standard. The sequence will be to to mark the new mounting holes of the TV bracket, place the extra pine piece at the back and drill pilot holes through the cabinet and through the pine piece. The purpose of the extra pine piece is to re-enforce the mounting bracket and spreading the load along the cabinet wall.

I propose using a nut and bolt configuration with washers. This will prevent the screws from tearing out in case you run into rough terrain and the TV mount shakes. Your TV along with the mount is around 12kg which is roughly equivalent to five standard bricks. Just keep this in mind when choosing your nut and bolt set, I advise getting the biggest ones you can find that will fit the new mounting bracket so that it will be secure.

Let me call on our experienced members @twocutekelpies, @Peggers, @Dave-1 and @Nailbag for their recommendations.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

Nailbag

Hi @stormtigers as a caravan owner I know how soft the cabinetry timber is. The greatest strength actually comes from the outer skin. What @EricL is an ideal solution that will provide double depth fixing for the mounting screws.

The thing you have to remember in your favour is that the only time the TV should be mounted to the bracket is when you're camped as I'm sure you know. So there is no real agitated load on the bracket or fixings. I installed in a mates van a double articulating arm for his 27" TV to gain a greater reach after a 90deg turn to their dining table. Thats more length and weight you're going to encounter and his mount is rock solid without any reinforcement.

Regards, Nailbag

Dave-1

Good Morning @stormtigers

I really like @EricL 's solution as something that is solid and doable, @Nailbag's suggestion about only having it out when camping is something Id probarly learn the second time lol (first time Id break something)

The only other option would be to hang it from the ceiling tho that brings a bunch of other engineering issues to mind.

If you want it at the same height as the existing one would you be able to do @EricL's suggestion on the other wardrobe side?

Dave

stormtigers

Thanks gentlemen, that's what I was thinking as well, a backing plate to effectively double the width of the panel and hence a more "distributed surface.

The bracket holes are not that large (see image) but it is as strong as an ox and gave the extra inches I needed to bring the 32 inch TV around to the center of the aisle. I dismount the TV when travelling for the reasons you all suggested,

I actually kept the original boxes they came in and sit them back in there either side of the mattress.

Unfortunately Dave it is a hybrid with a poptop roof. I am sure there possibly is somewhere strong enough for it up there but getting it fastened could be a whole different shooting match. I did think of that option but discounted it.

The product guide suggest suitability for mounting to wall studs or concrete anchor bolts so I think EricL's idea of a pine "stud stand-in" inside the cabinet is probably the goto solution. Do you think 19mm is thick enough along with the standard cabinet width for the bolts to pass through and be fastened inside the cabinet ? Is my image basically agreeing with what you are suggesting ?

By the way the manufacturer recommends that the mount is suggested for connecting to a a wall stud or using concrete bolt anchors

Dave-1

Morning @stormtigers

Yeah i would say 19mm is thick enough, you could also attach a wider piece of timber that the bracket is screw to on the outside and then do @EricL 's suggestion on the inside, distributing the pressure points over a much larger surface area.

Dave

Nailbag

Hi @stormtigers that double articulating bracket will easily be supported by placing that 19mm trimmer inside the cabinetry as per @EricL original suggestion. Only drill pilot holes in the outer cabinet layer so that when the screws bite in to the trimmer, it will be pulled in tight like a sandwich.

Nailbag

stormtigers

EricL had suggested nut and bolt as opposed to wood screws.

Having done similar yourself @Nailbag which do you think is better suited ?

Biting into the wood with screws does concern me on the laminatird material of the cabinet albeit that any slight chipping won't be see as it would be hidden by the bracket..

It would seem both ways have mutual outcome but would nut/bolt/washer give less long term risk of wearing inside the materials and act more like an anchor bolt through use of nut/washer ?

Hope that makes sense

Nailbag

I don’t think in this scenario it really matters. Screws will be neater on the inside. And if you go with @EricL @suggestion of bolts, nuts and washers use nylon lock-nuts.

I would also glue the timber batten to the inside of the cabinet.

Nailbag

stormtigers

Can I just say thank you to the people who have taken the time to respond and advise.

All I can say is where were you when I was a youngster and trying to hammer/nail stuff together without really knowing what I was doling ?

Cheers one and all and thank you

R4addZ

Hi @stormtigers

I gave this considerable thought and came to the conclusion there had to be a better way especially as it needs to be demountable for traveling.

My idea would be to drill holes through the side of the cabinet and insert some of these on the inside

https://www.bunnings.com.au/adoored-3-8-t-nut-leg-furniture-4-pack_p0101567

Then find a washer with the centre hole just bigger than these and a washer that the outside diameter is bigger than these (larger than the hole in the first washer). Put the washers in place on the outside at first and use a bolt to tighten them on the inside into the panel and then remove it and screw it through from the other side with the washers in place (bigger one next to the panel). These can be tightened to fix them in place. You can then simply buy some wing nuts to hold the bracket on to the protruding bolts. This way the whole assembly can be removed for travelling fairly easily and quickly.

R4addZ

Hi @stormtigers

On further thought, if you are happy to have the furniture fixings on the outside of the cabinet, you could just use a large washer on the inside to spread the load and achieve the same end.

stormtigers

Thanks for ideas. The TV with the mounting plate is detachable from the armature arrangement This alleviates any problems in having to remove everything from the surface mounted bracket during travelling.

The bracket and armature don't weight that much and can be retracted almost flush with the cabinet for travel.

But this idea is one I will keep in mind if I get tired of removing refitting down the track. Cheers for the help

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