If you need to get your TV at the thoroughgoing height and ensure it continue there , rampart mounting is a great option . It come it up and out of stretch of untested children and pets , hides the cable television service , and makes it easier to fix it in your eyeline for the good viewing experience . You do n’t even needone of the skilful TVs , as most modern TVs add up with gentle paries mounting choice , even if you have to corrupt the saddle horse severally .
It ’s also a well idea if you need to supply one ofthe best soundbars , two to three frontspeakers , or a more talkative audio system of rules . Wall mount just give you so much room to work with .
Here are the best path to wall mount your TV from start to finish .
What height should my TV be on the wall?
You ’re go away to be clocking a plenty of hours with youreyes glued to this TV , so the height at which you ride it might be the most important determination you make . While there is some debate around whether high is better , the best location for most people is veracious at heart tier when sitting down . Think about it : No one likes to sit down in the front row of a film theater because looking up at the sieve is a stress on the neck . But it ’s also wise to find what “ seated ” means in the particular elbow room your television is in and how you ’ll be watching it .
For example : If you ’re going to be watching the biz sitting on cake stools or while play darts or syndicate , you ’re going to want to mount the television higher than you would if you ’re slouched on the lounge scarf out your latest fixation .
To bestride your TV at middle degree , take a place as you usually would on your preferred chair , stool , or couch , and have a friend or menage member measuring from the floor up to your centre horizontal surface , keeping in creative thinker others that might be catch the TV , too ( a twosome of column inch in tallness is n’t going to make a vast difference ) .
This elevation is hold up to be where the centre of your TV should be , not the top or bottom edges . Alternately , a in effect general superlative , accord to Samsung , is 42 - inch from the storey , which is roughly eye floor for someone who is 5 - foot 6 - inch marvellous . Whatever height you decide on , though , take a piece of painter ’s tapeline and stick it to the paries in the smirch where the nub will be . Then , have a seat and stare for a minute . If it feel comfortable , then you ’re proficient .
The size ofyour TValso is going to play a bounteous factor , as the height of the TV ( measured from the top border to the bottom ) divided in one-half is going to be the kernel . If you ’re mounting on the rampart above a small-arm of furniture , like an Ab cabinet , you just have to make certain that you set the snapper to give yourself enough clearance above the furniture . If your idealistic eye - degree height is 40 inches and you have a cabinet that stands 20 inches , take off the console height from your center - level meridian , which will give you 20 inch . Then , take the height of your TV , say 32 inches , and divide that in half ( 16 in ) to get the distance between the pith and the bottom edge of your TV . Since it ’s under the 20 - column inch space , you ’re good to go .
What about viewing distance?
If you have n’t already done your due software in determining what size TV you should purchase , some of that decision will come down to how big your room is and whether it provides enough space for you to sit down a comfortable distance from the screen , which will also bet a role in determining how you arrange your furniture .
To aid you decide what is good for you , you may check outour handy interactive guide , but a universal prescript of thumb is to assess the aloofness from your seat to your tv set in inches and multiply by 0.84 ( for example , 78 inches x 0.84 = 65.2 - in concealment ) . This should give you the dependable screen - sizing range .
If you have your pith set on a screen sizing already , however , there are severalviewing distance calculatorsthat show you the ideal posing distance you necessitate based on the TV sizing .
Picking a TV wall mount
If your tv set did n’t come with a wall mount or you no longer have it , you may be wondering where to get a mount from , and if the type you get even matters . There are a miscellany of options calculate on how you need your mount to officiate .
you could get alow - visibility model with a basic rock designif you do n’t have much blank to work with or want the TV to ride as close to the wall as it can . Or , if the television set is going to be move around to different angles ( more vulgar in a schoolroom or meeting room ) , you may want afull motion wall bracket . The good news is that most third - company mounts are affordable , generally around $ 20 to $ 50 , and design to check a wide form of video size and weights , so you should be able-bodied to find a compatible model .
Do keep in mind that some television will require you to expend the wall mount that comes with the readiness . In most cases , you ’ll actuallyhaveto buy a freestanding mount , but razor - thin bent like theLG G4 OLEDinclude a proprietary setting right in the box .
If you ’re especially keen on the most flush flavor possible , pay off a professional to mount your TV is a expectant option , albeit an expensive one . Alternatively , keep your eyes uncase for a new vacancy - mounted telly . We gotour first look at these Displace telly at CES 2025and they are very impressive .
There are also cap mount which are worth considering , and unique pull - out mantle pattern . Check out our purchasing guidefor more information .
What color should I paint the wall behind the TV?
TVs , specially 65 - inch models or large , tend to be the focal percentage point of any way you put them in . When choosing a bulwark color to go behind your TV , just as you would when painting otherwise , take into thoughtfulness the hues that will crop best with the elbow room . Painting with lighter , natural colors ( beige , ivory , ointment ) , for example , will not only make your room calculate bigger but will also make the TV stand out on the wall .
With charcoal , midnight blues , and darker people of color , however , the TV is going to blend in more when it ’s turned off , while also making it seem brighter and more vivid when it ’s on ; which many deliberate a more theatrical and immersive experience . If you do n’t desire to commit to a completely dark room , a well compromise is to just do an accent wall behind the TV .
How to use a stud finder the right way
Electronic stud finders are tricky little puppet . They can be one of the most helpful gadgets in the boxwood or the reason you put a dozen supererogatory holes in the wall . Here are four tip tohelp ensure they wo n’t trick you .
Step 1 : To be efficacious , stud finders need to be by rights calibrated . First , put the stud finder on the paries and turn it on . You ordinarily do this by weigh and hold in the gadget ’s main button . Let the stud discoverer read the denseness of the cloth ( this will only take a second or two ) , then slowly move it from side to side . Go back and forth over the wall a few times , starting from a dissimilar slur with each offer .
Mark each stud you discover with a bit of painter ’s mag tape . We recommend ascertain three and using a mag tape mensuration to make certain they are the same aloofness apart . For most modern homes , this measuring should be 16 inch from the mall of one scantling to the next .
stone’s throw 2 : Have you ever tried to run a rivet viewfinder across a ceiling with popcorn texturing ? Not only do you smash the texture , but the stud finder also does n’t work well . An easy path to whelm this problem is to station a small-arm of cardboard over the area you want to scan . The cardboard gives the stud finder a smooth surface to slide across and will let you to easy find the joists .
Step 3 : Before you drill holes , run your stud finder vertically up and down the wall to ensure no fire closure are running horizontally between stud bay . fervor mental block can make fishing wires down the rampart very difficult , even for experienced installers .
Step 4 : Stud finders can be horse around pretty easily . They ’ll often read a furrow in the dry wall as a stud poker . After you have marked your studs and where you require to practise your holes , you should use something to jab into the wall to check you in reality marked a stud .
We commonly use a belittled precision screwdriver , but a coat hanger or pianoforte wire will work fine . We would commend doing this by hand , rather than using a big businessman tool , as you will have a proficient flavor for what ’s inside the rampart . you’re able to also pink a small nail into the bulwark , and if you get past the wallboard without the nail “ fall in , ” you ’ve regain a studhorse .
The terminal dance step you should take before boring is to poke a trivial hole to the remaining and rightfield of where you want to drill and make certain you are still on the scantling . This will ensure you are revolve about on a stud and not just clipping its side ( and possibly hitting electric wiring ) .
Help! The studs are in the wrong spot — or there aren’t any
You found the perfect pip to mount a television receiver in your dwelling house . You ’ve read all of our crown on using a stud finder , and are quick to go . But after 20 minutes of scanning for studs , you ca n’t find any , the outcome are discrepant , or they do n’t line up with the templating on your wall mount . There are several solutions that do n’t require much , if any , extra work to fix this petty job .
whole tone 1 : If you ca n’t locate the studs with a stud poker finder , locate an outlet on the bulwark ( or any other fixture , like a inhuman air riposte ) . All outlets are attached to stud unless they were add after the paries was up ( not common ) .
By admit off the wall photographic plate , you could stand by a thin tool into the disruption between the side of the electrical box and the drywall , and then finger which side the stud is on . From there , measure over 16 inches and you should find another stud . Keep conk out 16 inch at a fourth dimension until you are in the field where you desire to climb on the TV . Then use a modest tool to poke a kettle of fish in the wall to see if a stud is really there .
Step 2 : What if you incur studs , but they do n’t describe up with the holes on your wall mounting bracket ? soft : Make holes in the rampart bracket . The serious means to do this is to use a whole tone drill act ( like anIrwin Unibit ) and a brawny drill . A good footmark drill bit will quickly cut through a brand rampart mount .
footprint 3 : If there simply are n’t any stud where you require to put on the TV , then you require to use some sort of hollow paries keystone . These can be super solid , but as a general rule , they should not be used with full - move or articulating saddle horse . This is because the force exerted on the wall bracket - arm when you pull the TV in and out can effectively rip the bulwark angle bracket straight off the anchorperson . Theis one of the in effect around , and a few of them can comfortably control new 55 - column inch boob tube on a single sheet of drywall .
Mounting a TV on drywall or sticking plaster without attaching it to a stud can be a very safe and reliable solution if you know the limits of the wall and the toggles . Professional home base theatre installers use these regularly . We get it on of other installers who overestimated the strength of the wall and ended up with a TV on the ground . In the end , if you are n’t well-off performing the install , consider hire a professional .
Please, hide all of the cords in the wall
Nothing ruins the flavor of a nice television set mounted on the wall quicker than a tangle of exposed telegram . Luckily , hiding cables inside the rampart is fairly cheap and easy . The simplest way to attain this is with an IWPE ( in - wall tycoon wing ) ora power relocation kit . These kits come with everything you postulate to run power up to your television while obliterate all of your signal wires ( some even come with a edit dick ) . You might be cogitate : “ Why not just dismiss an extension cord in the wall instead of installing an wall plug ? ” Well , it ’s in reality against National Electric Code ( NEC ) to drop a power corduroy or elongation corduroy inside the bulwark . It ’s also not legal to put low - voltage cables like HDMI inside the wall unless they ’re CL3 - rated for in - wall use , which is one reasonexpensive HDMI cables are worth buying .
You may not need the extra HDMI ports on your television receiver now , but you may need to append components to your house dramatic art organization in the hereafter . Put in extra HDMI cable and run them through the paries now so that you have them when you need them .
An IWPE is on the button what it voice like — an extension cord rated to go inside the wall . In the final stage , you will have an wall plug behind your TV , and what ’s shout out an intake down by the floor ( at the same height as your other outlets ) . To ply power to the kit , you unite an extension electric cord from an subsist retail store to the inlet . Confused?The pictures on this outfit explain it intelligibly .
Before you begin the induction , ensure your low - voltage cables arerated for in - wall use . The next thing to lie with about IWPE kit is that they come with a predetermined distance of electric wire , typically 6 to 8 foot . Also note that they should be used only in a unmarried stud poker bay , and they are not designed for use above a fireplace .
If you require to mount a telly above a open fireplace ( which we normally advise against ) , and there ’s no electrical retail store above the mantle , we recommend hiring a licensed lineman for the job . If there ’s a nearby outlet ( story horizontal surface ) , they may be able to solicit off the existing outlet to get power up to your fireplace . We also advise you to have the lineman run additional A / V cables for you . HDMI , coaxal , and talker wire are never fun to incline after a completed bulwark mount job , peculiarly when it ’s above a fireplace .
If you ca n’t cover cables inside the rampart , then try installing a paintable wire channel . Most of these merely stay put to the bulwark and allow you to hide out all of your cables inside , offer for a fair looking . Just know that when you remove the wire line , you will belike also slay the blusher .
Choosing the right cable length
It does n’t weigh if your tv set is going on a bulwark or sit on a stand — grease one’s palms long cable than you think you need . This is the most ignored man of advice we give people . Extra wire can be wrapped up , stuff in a wall , or otherwise hide out . If the cables are too shortsighted , you risk them falling out , simply not give , breaking , or worse yet , damaging your equipment .
For a typical prostrate - panel installing , with a tilting wall mount and equipment locate directly below the TV , 8 - foot cable will solve nicely . Twelve - foot cables will allow you to make connections before the telly is on the wall , or pull out the equipment once it is hooked up . If you ’re mount up a television set higher than normal ( the bottom of the average TV is between 36 inches and 46 column inch from the floor ) or using a full - motion saddle horse , you ’ll need 12 - foot cabling . If that seems exuberant , view this : On a typical full - motion mount with a 20 - inch arm , you will use 3 to 4 base of cable before even reaching the bulwark — that is , if it ’s decent routed to allow safe movement of the TV on the arm .
A terminal note on cables : adjudicate to avoid the kind with bulky connective . These types of cables might not fit right behind a slim television , or even plug in for that topic .
Leveling your TV correctly
Everything is cut back , drilled , assembled , tightened , and otherwise wrapped up . You ill-treat back to take a feel at your newly paries climb TV , but something is n’t right . The tv set is n’t spirit level .
What do you do ? Do you need to pull it down ? practise new gob in the wall ? Cry ? scream really intemperately ? likely none of the above . There is almost always a manner to charge a crooked TV . Just have it away that sometimes a TV will never appear even if the ceiling , storey , or mantle is n’t level ( so be sure that your view angle is n’t deceiving you ) . hold in these other areas before you go mad trying to rase the flavourless - screen boob tube .
Step 1 : Walk up to the TV as it hangs on the bulwark , grab onto the side , and then strain to draw it into being tier . No , really . Your success here depends on how snug the bolts are that concur the wall mount arms on the back of the television . If they are n’t overtightened , you should have a little wiggle elbow room to help level the telly .
Step 2 : Take the TV off the wall , relax the bolts hold the arm on the back of the goggle box , then push up / down on the arms as you tighten them back down . Put the goggle box back on the wall and see if it ’s level . If it is n’t , then do the same thing with the paries collection plate .
Step 3 : If you used up all of the squirm way available and it still is n’t tier , make more squirm elbow room . you may expend the step recitation bit we talked about earlier to round out the holes in the arms or rampart collection plate . This may give you the little extra space needed , just do n’t go too crazy and make the holes unserviceable . If you accidentally make the holes so big that bolt slip through , you’re able to always buy larger washing machine .
All of the peak listed come up from year of firsthand experience rise TVs on wood scantling , steel rivet , poultice , brick , from the ceiling , you name it . Some of these tips are common sense , but almost none will be regain in an pedagogy manual of arms . If you have the correct putz , a few hours , and longanimity , then you could mount your own TV . Do be sure to budget your clip suitably , though . A simple wall mounting job ( lean mount , wallboard , exposed wiring ) might take a professional only 20 minutes from unbox to finished install . A beginner should plan to learn the instructions , proceed conservatively , and free up an afternoon because , permit ’s confront it : breaking a tv set is never fun .
