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Mounting a flat screen TV to your wall is an aesthetically pleasing experience that you're sure to enjoy. With the proliferation of flat screen, HD, and plasma TVs, more and more people have started mounting TVs to their walls. In fact, it's relatively easy and inexpensive. A sturdy wall mount need only set you back $50 or $60 dollars. For a detailed guide on how to mount your TV to the wall, read on.
Steps
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Obtain a correctly-sized bracket either online or at an electronic retail store. Any major electronic retailer should be able to help you with this purchase if you have questions. Generally, brackets come in a size range. This means you can buy a bracket that fits a range of TVs.
- For example, you might purchase a bracket that fits 32 to 56 inch (81.3 to 142.2 cm) televisions. Any flatscreen TV within this size range should fit the bracket, unless otherwise stated.
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Remove the base that comes with the TV if it is attached. If the base is not already attached when you open the box, do not put it on; you'll just have to take it off later.Advertisement
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Lay the TV on its face (glass down) on a soft, padded, flat item. If you have any reservations about laying your plasma TV glass-down on the carpet or floor, check the owner's manual for guidance. Some plasma screen manufacturers recommend working with the flat screen facing upright while attaching the brackets.
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Look for the four holes on the back of the TV. Those are where you will place the bracket you purchased. There might be three pieces to your mount. The two small brackets will attach to your TV.
- Remove any screws plugging the holes if necessary. Many TVs manufacturers plug their mounting holes with screws during assembly.
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Put the mounting brackets on the back of the TV, aligning them as stated in your mounting directions. Make sure that the brackets are facing the correct way when screwed to the TV.
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Use a screwdriver to tighten any remaining bolts. The bracket should be firmly bolted to the TV, without any wiggle room. You may need to use some washers that come with the bracket to get a tight fit.
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Find the wall studs. Mark the centers of the wall studs you will screw into. Wooden wall studs in all modern homes are 1.5" (3.8 cm) thick. Homes built in the 1920's and earlier are thicker, either 2" (5.1 cm) or 1 3/4" (4.4 cm) thick. You must screw every lag screw into a stud because a TV is much too heavy to be supported by drywall or plaster alone. Also, if the stud is wooden (some are metal), you must screw into the center. If you put it in near an edge, the wood could split and the lag screw would have almost no strength.
- The best way to find the studs is with a stud finder, which you may be able to rent, but they are cheap to buy.
- Stud finders, especially cheap ones, and especially if the wall is plaster and not drywall, are not accurate enough to guarantee that you find the exact center of a wall stud.Therefore, you need to drill a few 1/8" (0.32 cm) test holes where the stud finder tells you the stud is. You will know when they hit wood, and this is your only guarantee.
- Without a stud finder, you can knock on the wall until you find a hard spot, then drill holes to find the exact location of the wall stud.
- Using the wall bracket as a guide, holding it level with a small level, mark the spots to drill the holes. You may not need a level because very large brackets have a built in level.
Warning: Drill the test holes only slightly deeper than the thickness of the wall. There may be cables next to the wall stud that you could drill into
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2Drill pilot holes of the diameter given in the instructions.
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Place the mounting bracket on the wall and screw in the lag bolts using a socket wrench or plyers.
- To assure that it will be level, mount it with one lag bolt and check if it is level. Check if any pilot holes should be re-drilled.
- Cut two holes in your wall if you want to fish the cords through and keep them hidden. Be very care not to cut a cable when cutting into the wall.
- In the middle of the mounting bracket, cut a square hole. Your mounting bracket should have a square hole designed for this.
- One foot from the ground, cut another square hole into the drywall. This hole may be smaller than the first hole.
- Feed your cords into one hole and out the other. To guide the wires, drop a nut with a string tied to it from the top hole and pull it out at the bottom.
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Pick up your TV and hang it on the bracket. You may need a person to help you. Tighten the nuts or set screws that attach the bracket to the TV.
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Make sure that the bracket is sturdy and can hold the weight of the TV before you let go. Plug in your cables to their respective homes and turn on your power.
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Finished! Your TV has been successfully mounted.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionCan any flat screen TV be mounted on the wall?This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerAs long as the TV has VESA mounts that are the same size as your mounting bracket, you should be able to mount it. VESA mounts look like screw holes spaced in a square or rectangle on the back of your TV, so if you see these holes you can mount the TV.
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QuestionHow high should I hang my flat screen TV on the wall?This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerYou'll want the center of the TV to be at the eye level of the viewer. A good rule of thumb for viewers sitting on a couch would be about 42 inches high, but it can depend upon your furniture and your height what is ideal. If you know you'll have viewers of varying heights try to pick a number in the middle.
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QuestionHow can I hide the wires to my wall mounted TV?This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerThe easiest way, if you have drywall, is to punch a hole in the wall behind the TV and route the cables down to another hole directly below it, which is not as hard as it might at first seem. Take a look at How to Install a Flat Panel TV on a Wall With No Wires Showing .
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Tips
- Don't drill a hole to run wires in wall along the same vertical axis as an electric socket outlet or cable/satellite television face plate co/axle outlet, or you might drill the electric line or cable wire.Thanks
- Buying class 2- or 3-rated in-wall wires will save you time and money if you ever decided to move.Thanks
- A metal coat hanger works well for fishing wires through the holes.Thanks
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Warnings
- Make sure your TV is sturdy and will not fall when you finally let go.Thanks
- Wires and pipes can be hidden in the wall so drill carefully.Thanks
- You must use in-wall rated wires when hiding them.Thanks
- Running the TV power cord inside the wall as shown in these pictures does not comply with building and fire codes. It isn't safe.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- Plyers or socket wrench
- Screwdriver
- Level
- Knife if hiding wires
- Metal coat hanger/metal wire
- Stud finder
References
About This Article
Article Summary
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To mount a flat screen TV, first remove the base that comes on your TV, and lay your TV face-down on a soft, padded, flat surface. Next, screw on correctly-sized brackets to the back of your TV with a screwdriver. Then, use an electronic stud-finder to find the studs in your wall and mark their location in pencil. Once they’re marked, drill pilot holes into the studs. Finally, screw the mounting bracket into these holes, and hang the TV on the bracket. For advice on how to find the studs in your wall, read on!
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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 660,524 times.
Reader Success Stories
- "I had just bought a 40" TV today, and I did not know where the heck my holes were in the back of the TV to mount the brackets. They were covered with a black piece of plastic on all 4 holes. I am glad I found this site to help me find them." ..." more
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"I had just bought a 40" TV today, and I did not know where the heck my holes were in the back of the TV to mount the brackets. They were covered with a black piece of plastic on all 4 holes. I am glad I found this site to help me find them."
..."
more
"Very detailed information step by step, and was easy enough for me to follow and hang up a 65 inch w/o any help."
"It gave me a good idea on how to do it."
"Easy to follow instructions!"
