Installing the interactive flat panel on a wall

An interactive flat panel is typically installed at the room’s focal point, such as at the front of a classroom or meeting space.

Selecting an appropriate location for the interactive flat panel is crucial for ensuring the best possible experience with the product. Consider the following factors as you choose a location:

Consider the general height of the user community when you choose the height for the interactive flat panel.

SMART recommends that you mount the interactive flat panel so that its top is 6' 5" (1.9 m) from the floor.

Be sure the wall you’re installing the interactive flat panel on can support the weight of the interactive flat panel and mounting equipment. If it can’t, consider using a SMART wall stand to transfer some of the weight from the wall to the floor (see smarttech.com/accessories).

In some situations, you may need to request an engineering analysis to determine if the wall can support the interactive flat panel.

Wall flatness

Although a wall might appear to be completely flat, it might have a degree of variation, depending on how it is constructed. Installing the interactive flat panel on a wall with a large variance can lead to issues with the interactive flat panel’s touch system, and in extreme cases can damage the interactive flat panel. The area of the wall where you will mount the interactive flat panel should be no more than 3/16" (5 mm) off plumb horizontally and vertically.

To evaluate the wall’s flatness

1. Place an object that has a long flat edge of at least 3' (1 m), such as a meter stick or level, across the wall where the interactive flat panel will be mounted.

2. Look along the object to find places where there is a gap between the object’s edge and the wall’s surface.

3. Measure any gaps to see if they exceed 3/16" (5 mm). If a gap is wider than 3/16" (5 mm), this indicates the wall is not flat enough for mounting an interactive flat panel.

4. Repeat steps 1–3, this time placing the object’s flat edge diagonally across the wall in the other direction (if you previously placed the object diagonally from the top‑left to the bottom‑right, place the object from the top‑right to the bottom‑left).

   Tip 

   Gaps located at the center of the object indicate a concave wall, while gaps located on both ends of the object indicate a convex wall (consequently, the object may make a “rocking” motion). Walls with a significant degree of concavity or convexity may require the use of shims with the mounting hardware.

Wall type

The type of wall affects how you can mount the interactive flat panel. The following table identifies wall types and provides guidance for mounting.

Wall type	Details
Drywall over wood studs	Can be load or non-load bearing Can carry weight when constructed as a load-bearing wall Mounting must attach to three wood studs Pilot holes should be drilled into the wood studs. These holes should be no larger than the diameter of the screw’s body to ensure the screw’s thread gains as much traction in the wood studs as possible
Drywall over steel studs	Commonly non-load bearing Can not support the wall-mounted interactive flat panel without additional support (for example, a wall stand that helps support the interactive flat panel’s weight) Mounting must attach to the steel studs
Solid concrete	Can be load or non-load bearing Can carry weight when constructed as a load-bearing wall Must have at least 3" (7.6 cm) between adjacent fasteners
Concrete masonry unit or brick	Can be load or non-load bearing Can carry weight when constructed as a load-bearing wall Use only one masonry or brick fastener per block Do not anchor mounting hardware in mortar or grout
Modular panels	Can be load or non-load bearing Can carry weight when constructed as a load-bearing wall If non-load-bearing, might not support the wall-mounted interactive flat panel without additional support (for example, a wall stand that helps support the interactive flat panel’s weight)

Engineering analysis

An engineering (structural) analysis may be necessary for determining if a wall can support the interactive flat panel. Get an engineering analysis if:

• You can not find the wall’s studs using appropriate tools, such as a stud finder

• You are unsure of the wall’s construction and the person in charge of the building can not answer your questions

• The wall is not connected at both the floor and ceiling

• The wall is a modular panel system

• The wall is also bearing the weight of additional hardware or furniture (such as cabinets or bookshelves)

• There are special zoning requirements (for example, earthquakes)

• The wall exceeds typical construction practices (for example, taller than 8' or 2.4 m)

The mounting hardware required for installation varies according to the type of wall onto which the interactive flat panel is being mounted.

Tools commonly used in the installation of an interactive flat panel include:

• Drill and drill bits

• Level

• Stud finder

• Screw drivers

• Tape measure

• Hole saw

Although interactive flat panels don’t include the tools used for installation, the installation instructions list the tools you’ll need.

It is always best to mount the interactive flat panel on a wall. If the wall can’t support the interactive flat panel’s weight, you can use additional hardware to transfer some of the weight to the floor.

SMART offers two wall mounts for SMART Board interactive flat panels: WM-SBID-501 and WM-SBID-502. Most interactive flat panels can use the WM-SBID-501 while the WM-SBID-502 is for larger and heavier interactive flat panels. These mounts can be purchased separately or as part of a SMART Wall Stand Kit (WSK‑Single or WSK‑Dual).

These wall-stand kits are not free-standing mounts; they still require a wall that can support the interactive flat panel’s weight.

If you choose a third-party option rather than one of SMART’s mounting options, be sure the wall mount can accommodate the interactive flat panel’s dimensions and support the interactive flat panel’s weight as well as the weight of any attached accessories.

Mount the interactive flat panel following the included installation instructions. In addition, consider the following:

• Mount the interactive flat panel vertically (90° relative to the floor plus or minus 5° for tolerance) and in landscape orientation. SMART doesn’t support mounting the interactive flat panel at other angles or in portrait orientation.

  

• Use the SMART wall mount (see SMART wall mount and wall stand) or a third-party standard VESA mounting plate.

• Use M8 bolts to fasten the wall bracket.

  Bolt length	20 mm + x mm < M8 < 45 mm + x mm where x is the combined thickness of the wall bracket and washer
  Fasten force	97.36–177.01 in-lb. (11–20 N·m) Caution  Do not over-tighten the bolts.

  Note 

  SMART recommends M8 × 30 mm mounting bolts for standard installations where the total wall mount bracket and washer thickness is less than 7 mm.

• Because the receptacles might not be easily accessible after you mount the interactive flat panel, consider connecting cables for power, computers and other input sources while the interactive flat panel is still in its packaging (see Connecting power, cables and devices).

• Before turning on the interactive flat panel for the first time, clean the camera windows and reflective tape following the instructions in Cleaning the camera windows and reflective tape.

If you mount multiple interactive flat panels side by side, install them as shown in the following diagram. This ensures the interactive flat panels’ cameras don’t interfere with each other.