I wanted a few wall-mounted tablets running home-automation dashboards, but every "on-wall" tablet mount I found was **$180 and up**. So I built my own. The mounting hardware comes out to **about $5 per tablet**, the tablet snaps right onto the wall and charges while it's there, and it pulls off cleanly whenever I want to use it in my hand.
It's dead simple: a recessed channel magnet on the wall, two steel plates stuck to the back of the tablet, and a short right-angle USB-C cable for charging off a USB light switch. That's it. They look clean and they just plain work.
## Parts list
1. Tablet — ~$32 (Walmart) onn. 8" Tablet, 2024 model, 32GB, Android 15. I got clean refurbs for $32 each and they're surprisingly fast. [Link: walmart.com]
2. Wall magnet — ~$17 for a 6-pack (~$3 each) Neodymium channel magnet, **65 lb pull**, 3.25 x 1/2 x 1/4" rectangular pot magnet. Part # MCLN-325TH
I tested 80 lb, 65 lb, 45 lb, and 25 lb pull versions. **The 65 lb is the sweet spot** — not too hard to pull off, and not a violent snap when you put it back. The 80/95 were too aggressive; the 25 was too weak. [Link: magnet4sale.com]
3. Steel plates for the back of the tablet — ~$9 for a 16-pack
SALEX replacement metal plates, 16-pack. Big enough, and I trusted the 3M tape they ship with. I use **2 per tablet**. The 3M is holding fine so far. (I keep liquid nails on standby as a permanent backup in case the tape ever lets go — that would deface the tablet forever, so it's a last resort.)
[Link: amazon.com]
4. Light switch with USB ports — ~$26
These are real rocker switches — they don't look like it, but they're not those mushy push-button ones. Behind it I dropped in a **Shelly dimmer**, replacing my old X10 dimmer, and it works great with LEDs. - [Link: ebay.com]
- Legrand / Pass & Seymour TM83USBWCCV4 Decorator: [Link: amazon.com]
I didn't do inductive charging on this build. - **Alternative USB switches:**
- [Link: auselectronicsdirect.com.au]
- Tuya smart Wi-Fi touch switch with USB + USB-C: [Link: expert4house.com]
5. Short USB-A to USB-C cable
aceyoon 2-pack coiled USB-C cable, 90-degree (right-angle) USB-A to USB-C. The right-angle end keeps it tidy against the wall. [Link: amazon.com]
So what does it actually cost? The honest breakdown, because I know someone will ask:
- The **mount itself** — what replaces the $180+ commercial on-wall mount — is just **1 channel magnet (~$3) + 2 steel plates (~$1)**, so roughly **$4–5 per tablet**. That's the headline number.
- The tablet (~$32), the USB light switch (~$26), and the cable are things you'd need anyway for any wall-mounted, always-charging tablet setup. They're not part of the "mount" cost.
So: ~$5 for the actual mounting hardware, vs. $180+ for the off-the-shelf equivalent.
Notes / lessons learned
Magnet strength matters more than anything.** 65 lb pull was the Goldilocks zone for an 8" tablet. Heavier tablets may want a bit more. Two plates per tablet - spreads the hold and keeps it from pivoting. - The 3M tape has held fine, but if you're nervous, plan a permanent adhesive backup.
inductive charging - Done right, the cable disappears entirely and the whole thing feels like magic. That's the supernova version.
[Link: readyware.net]
