Key takeaways
Mounting a flat-panel TV is a DIY project if you can do it safely
Three types of wall-mount brackets allow you to position the screen in different ways
The best TV position is at eye level sitting in a comfortable chair
DIY facts
Skill level: Intermediate
Cost: Free (if materials are provided with TV), up to $200
Installation time: 2 hours
Tools + materials required:
VESA-compatible wall mount
Tape measure
Screwdriver
Adjustable wrench
Utility knife
Drill
Level
Socket wrench
Stud finder
Masking tape
Stepladder
Hanging a new TV may seem like the perfect weekend DIY project. But lifting and mounting 65-inches of expensive electronics on a wall isn’t as easy as it looks. Finding the right hardware to install your device—then hanging it safely and at the proper height—takes some know-how. If you’re set on doing it yourself, follow our step-by-step guide, then sit back and enjoy the show.
What’s a TV wall mount?
Mounting a 55-pound flat-screen TV is not like hanging a painting. Hoisting a large device from a ladder should only be attempted by someone with the proper strength, stability, and tools.
TVs also require special, reinforced hardware for wall hanging. A standard rating, called a VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association) number, can help you choose the correct mount for your television.
TVs with a VESA 75 rating, for example, will match any VESA 75-rated wall mount. This means that the mount will match the mounting-screw locations on the back of the TV and is rated to support the flat-panel’s weight. VESA ratings are typically located in TV product manuals.
Types of TV mounts
Don’t be confused by the wide range of wall-mount models. There are just three basic types of mount brackets—available on all VESA-rated hardware—that allow you to hang and position the TV screen in different ways.
Low-profile mounts. The simplest type of wall mount, low-profile hardware attaches the device close to the wall with minimum clearance between the TV and wall. It allows a small amount of positioning right or left but doesn’t provide much room to adjust the screen. Low-profile mounts range from $15–30.
Tilting mounts. These mounts allow the TV to be located higher on the wall and tilt slightly downward. It’s good for people who watch from the floor or a couch. A tilting mount may allow some side-to-side movement. Although it’s attached to two wall studs, the hardware may allow some adjustment of viewing position. Expect to spend $20–50 for this mount.
Full-motion mounts. The most flexible of the three, full-motion mounts allow a TV to both tilt and reposition horizontally. More expensive mounts may nest inside a recessed wall box that allows positioning closer to the wall and provides a place to run attachment wiring. Full-motion mounts can range from $40–200.
Positioning the TV
Looking up at a TV can be tiresome. That’s why most flat-screen TVs are best viewed at eye level and tilted less than 45 degrees to the right or left of center. In large rooms with large screens, the TV can be mounted higher on the wall, tilted downward, and viewed from a greater distance.
For a large, flat-screen TV, it’s important to secure the mount to at least two wall studs. For a small-to-medium-sized TV, the mount may not span two studs, so attach it to one and secure the other stud with a drywall anchor, a heavy-duty hollow-wall anchor, or toggle bolts. Cinder blocks or concrete walls require concrete wall anchors.
Pro tip: A 55-inch or smaller flat-screen TV can be mounted on drywall or plaster with a low-profile wall mount designed for no-stud mounting.
How to hang a TV, step-by-step
Installers prepare to hang TV after mounting hardware on wall and TV back.
To start, make sure you have help holding the TV against the wall while choosing its best viewing position. You’ll also need assistance lifting the TV onto the mount after the wall plate is secured to the wall.
First, mark off an outline of the TV on the wall where you want it positioned. Holding it in the desired position, mark the top and bottom of the TV with painter’s tape. Use a level to check that the top and bottom tapes are even. Then, mark the TV’s right and left edges with painter’s tape.
Next, install the mount hardware to the back of the TV following the manufacturer’s instructions. Screw holes might be hidden with plastic buttons. Remove the buttons. Most mounts come with spacers that should be used between the mount and the TV if mounting holes are recessed or the back of the TV is not flat.
Now, take measurements on the TV to correctly position it on the wall. Attach the wall plate to the mount you just installed on the TV. Then, measure the distance from the top of the TV to the top of the wall plate. On the wall, measure that same distance from the tape marking where the top of the TV should be down to where the top of the mounting plate will go. Mark this spot on the wall with a longer piece of tape. Make sure it’s level.
Then, transfer the wall plate measurements to the wall. Center the wall plate on the mount on the back of the TV. Then, record the distance from the left end of the wall plate to the left end of the TV. Transfer this measurement to the wall by measuring from the tape marking the right end of the TV towards the center. Mark this location with a piece of tape. Place a longer strip of tape vertically through this spot to represent the right edge of the wall mount.
Most mounts have some wall-plate adjustment that allows for positioning the screen right or left. Before removing the wall plate from the TV, take note of how far the wall plate can slide right or left from the center of the TV. This movement allows the wall bracket to be mounted to studs to the right or left of the desired viewing position. Once the TV is placed on the mounted wall plate, it can then be adjusted right or left for optimal viewing or aesthetic reasons.
Now, measure how far left and right the TV mount can slide on the wall plate. Remove the wall plate from the mount and hold it on the wall. Align it with the top painters tape you just leveled, then move the plate right or left to align it with the vertical tape placed on the wall. This is the basic position of the wall plate. Outline the plate with tape so you can look for nearby wall studs.
Use a stud finder to locate a stud inside the wall plate outline and mark its center line. Then, find studs on either side that are about 16 inches apart. If two studs are not located in the plate outline, move the plate right or left so two studs are under the plate’s mounting holes. You can reposition the wall plate right or left of center within the same slide distance you measured earlier, depending on how far the mount can move on the plate.
Re-check that the mounting plate is level. Move the plate so the slots align over the center of a stud. Then, use it as a template to mark screw locations on the wall.
Next, drill holes in the wall to attach the mount hardware. It should come with lag bolts (large coarse-threaded screws with a hex head that can be tightened with a wrench) or screws. Lag bolts require pre-drilled pilot holes in the studs. The manufacturer’s directions should indicate the size of the mounting-hole you need to drill.
Now that you’ve attached the mount to the wall, get help lifting the TV into position on the wall mount. If the TV is located high on the wall, you may have to adjust the downward tilt— and slide it left or right—for best viewing position.
Follow the manufacturer’s safety directions to lock the TV bracket to the wall mount. Congratulations, your TV is safely mounted!
Hide the wires
It’s not over yet. You still have some “spaghetti” to hide.
Your new TV system, at minimum, will come with a power cord and HDMI cable that connects the cable or streaming box to the TV. The easiest way to cover these wires is with inexpensive surface-mounted wire channels, available at home centers and hardware stores.
Most electrical codes do not allow a bare extension cord to be placed behind the drywall in the cavity between the studs. So, using surface-mounted wire channels is the only safe and legal way to hide this cord. These channels can be cut with a regular saw or sharp utility knife and are backed with adhesive so they stick on the wall.
When to hire a TV installation pro
If this sounds like a lot of work, let someone else do it for you. A handyman can help mount a wall TV. Most flat-screen TV retailers also install them. When you purchase the TV, ask about installation costs. Best Buy’s “Geek Squad,” for example, will install a wall-mounted TV for $150–200, depending on its size.
If you want to integrate this TV with other home electronics, a TV or home-theater installation expert can help. Their fees generally range from $75–700, or more.
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