Overview
The steps to mount a TV sound like a fairly daunting task at first to the average weekend handy-person. A bit of research and effort should go into making sure that you have the right style and size of mount for your TV, and that you’ve got all of the right tools. Outside of that, however, mounting a TV is really just your average weekend afternoon activity. With the right help and the right strategy, all you will need is a couple of hours out of your day to unwrap, install and mount the new addition to your living room, bedroom, rec room or home office.
This article will explain in detail how to mount your TV on wood studs which is the most common installation type today. The mounting hardware you purchase from the store is meant for wood studs only. If you are looking to mount into metal studs, concrete, tile stone or brick, you will need to consult a professional service such as Geek Squad.
What you will need to mount your TV
Time:Â 2-4 hours
Tools Required: Mounting kit, Power Drill and Bits, Screwdriver, Level, Stud sensor/finder, Tape Measure, Socket Wrench, Pencil. Optional: Additional Screws and Drywall Anchors, Extension Cord. (Please note the above tools are for drywall surface and wood stud installation only. Additional tools are required for concrete, tile stone and brick)
Number of Steps:Â 10
It is recommended that you have someone helping with this installation. Depending on how large your TV is and how heavy the mount is, you may need one person to lift the TV and another to help centre and affix it to the wall.
Please note: If you wish to conceal any wiring, you will need to invest in a few other tools, such as a concealment kit, wire fish tape, a drywall saw and a chisel. Wire concealment is not covered in this blog.
Prior to installation, be sure that you understand any environmental hazards in the area where the mount will be placed, as well as any building or strata by-laws that may affect your decision to mount your television.
Steps to Mounting your TV
The following steps take you through the process of mounting your TV from start to finish:
Choosing where to mount your TV
Step 1 / 10
We should start with the absolute basics here. Have you thought about where you’d like to mount your TV? Before buying your TV and the mount for it, make sure that you’ve answered some really important questions, such as:
- What kind of surface am I mounting in? (ie. drywall, wood frame, brick, etc)
- Can the mount that I’m looking at be installed on that surface?
- Can my wall support the total weight of the mount and the TV?
- Do I have enough power outlets nearby to support mounting here?
- Is the TV I’m buying too big (or small) for my viewing space? (see the table below)
When choosing your spot, make sure that you have minimal glare and good visibility from your seating area. Consider whether you’ll have any challenges watching TV at different points of the day if the sun shines directly on it for parts of the afternoon.
Here is a quick chart of optimal viewing distances for 4K Ultra TVs by size and distance from screen:
| Screen size | Viewing distance range for 4K Ultra HD TVs |
| 40″ | 3.3-5.0 feet |
| 43″ | 3.6-5.4 feet |
| 50″ | 4.2-6.3 feet |
| 55″ | 4.6-6.9 feet |
| 60″ | 5.0-7.5 feet |
| 65″ | 5.4-8.1 feet |
| 70″ | 5.8-8.75 feet |
| 75″ | 6.3-9.4 feet |
| 80″ | 6.7-10.0 feet |
| 85″ | 7.1-10.6 feet |
Choosing the right TV
Step 2 / 10
You may already be past this step, especially if you want to mount a TV you already have. Be sure that you take the weight, size and mount compatibility of your TV. Nowadays, all TVs should be mount compatible, but may not support all types of them. Your TV’s user guide should be able to steer you in the right direction around the types of mounts you can use.
TVs can be mounted on different surfaces Fas long as you have the right hardware.
Choosing the right Mount
Step 3 / 10
Choosing the right mount doesn’t need to be a tricky process, though it may be with the number of choices you have out there. When considering your wall space and the needs for your mount, you should ask yourself a few questions, like:
- Will my TV support this style of mount? (Consult step 2)
- Do I need the mount to swivel around?
- Can the mount I’m looking at support the weight of my TV?
- Can it installed on the surface I want to mount my TV to?
- Do I need a mount with a large size range in case I choose to upgrade or downgrade in the future? You can find some really flexible and dynamic options out there, like this Insignia mount made for 47-80 inch TVs.
It feels at times that there are just as many mounting options out there as TVs themselves, but starting with these questions should help you pare down the number of options you have. From there, it should be easy to pick out the right mount.
Dealing with your wiring
Step 4 / 10
Wires are always a touchy subject. Since you will be mounting your TV high up on a wall, you will have to think about what to do with the wires that come down. Some homeowners don’t mind keeping them visible, since it gives them easy access to hooking up and unhooking different devices. We’ve spoken to some homeowners that have gone to the lengths of thinking about building entire false walls to hide their wires and others that have. You don’t have to go those lengths but if you do want to hide your wires, you should think about purchasing an in-wall wire management system to ensure the cleanest look possible without adding an extension to your home. You will need some additional tools for this which we outlined in the introduction.
Some in-wall wire management systems include:
Preparing the surface to mount your TV
Step 5/ 10
Once you have established the location where you would like you mount your TV, use a stud finder to locate the best spot to mount your TV. It is really important that you use a stud finder that’s appropriate not only for the surface you are mounting on, but the type of wall. If you are mounting on a shared wall or one adjacent to a bathroom, take extra care to ensure you don’t begin drilling into water supply lines, for example. Be sure to mark all of the right areas with a pencil and then bring out the mounting bracket to help you establish the right spots and distances for your pilot holes. Keep your level in sight and ready to use at all times to ensure that your pilot holes and mounting scheme aren’t lopsided.
Attach the mounting bracket to the wall
Step 6/ 10
Once your pilot holes are drilled and you’re ready to start installing the mount itself, attach it to the wall with the screws and anchors provided, if applicable. If you’re mounting your TV to an unusual surface (like brick,) you may need to visit your local hardware store to get special mounting screws.
While mount hardware kits should come with the right screws and anchors for usual installations, you may prefer a longer drywall screws and higher gauge drywall anchor if it’s something you’ve done with previous home projects. Before going outside the box, please ensure that your mount (and TV) is capable of accepting any non-stock standard hardware before you start drilling larger pilot holes. Hardware inside your mounting kit will have been selected purposefully to ensure that you are not going to damage your TV, for example, by having screws too short or too long for the mount.
Prepare your TV
Step 7/ 10
Next, you will need to prepare the TV itself for the mount. Remove the stand if that’s how it sits right now and ensure you’ve left the right length for your mounting screws. Here is where you will also want to think about the way the TV will sit and whether it makes more sense to attach all of the wiring to your TV right now. For swivel mounts, you may have enough access to attach wiring after it’s stationed. However, with stationary mounts, you may not have as much luck to do more than plug in an HDMI cable here and there.
With the assistance of your helper, lift the TV into place and hold it there while you (or your assistant) lock the mounting mechanism into place.
Secure your TV
Step 8/ 10
Once you’ve lifted the TV in place, follow the next steps in the mounting manual to affix it firmly into place. All of the heavy lifting is now done and you are now in the home stretch.
Connect all power and inputs (if necessary)
Step 9/ 10
If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to connect all of your power and inputs.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy!
Step 10/ 10
By now, you have probably spent the better part of your day mounting your TV. The last step is simple and your reward. Grab a snack, grab the remote control and enjoy your hard work!
Congratulations on successfully mounting your TV!
One big thing to keep in mind with your new mounted TV is that this is a permanent addition to your home, so you have to be sure that you’ve picked the right place and the right mount.
If you also aren’t that confident with your handy-person skills, you can always rely on your friends at Geek Squad. In fact, members get an amazing deal for TV mounting. If you’re an active Home Member, you get access to 50% off in home Geek Squad services like TV mounting!
