Mounting your TV on the wall is the best way to go about it for more than one reason.
Instead of having it on a TV stand or an entertainment center, installing your TV on the wall will save you space. Apart from that, there are places where it’s impossible to fit a TV stand. Putting your TV high up on the wall is impossible without a mounting bracket. You might also find it challenging to place a TV above the fireplace without installing it. That is not where the benefits of wall mounting end. On top of that, some mounting brackets provide an extensive range of motion for your TV, allowing you to watch it from everywhere around the house.
A standard TV mounting on drywall costs some bucks. Now, if you prefer your TV mounted above your fireplace or on a brick wall, or if you need your wires hidden, you will be spending that much more.
Luckily, you don’t have to be a full-on handyman to mount your TV. Installing your TV yourself is one of the most rewarding DIYs around. If you’re in the mood for saving some bucks and a DIY TV mounting, let’s get started!
How to Mount my TV on the Wall
- Tools you’ll need:
- Power Drill
- Stud Finder
- Screwdriver
- Level Tool
- Bracket (TV Mounting Bracket)
- Pencil and Painters tape
1: First things first, you need a TV mounting bracket. A mounting bracket (called mounBracketacket, too) is what attaches your TV to the wall and keeps it there for years to come. Depending on your viewing needs, there are a variety of TV mounting brackets you can choose from. Here are the main ones:
- Tilting Bracket: Bracketacket provides a 10-20 degree forward leaning range for the TV. This helps prevent sun glare. If your TV is mounted higher than average, or if you have a puppy or a crawling baby, a tilting bracket can be just the one you want.
- Swivel Bracket: As the name suggests, you can turn the TV screen to the left or right to have a better angle with this amount.
- FBracketacket (low profile): A fixed bracket goes only as far as holding your TV on the wall. It provides no range of movement.
- Full-Motion Bracket: This one does it all. You can swivel the TV to the left and right, push the TV in and out, and in some full-motion brackets, even tilt it down. If you have a large house and a family who loves watching TV, this one’s for you.
2: Next, you need to choose a spot where your TV is mounted.
- Try picking a location that’s not exposed to sunlight.
- Think of what accessories you’ll need to connect to the TV after mounting.
- Consoles and DVD players might need a space of their own.
- Consider the possibility that you might want to hang a floating shelf or an entertainment stand under the TV at some point. So, pick a spot that has enough room under it.
- Account for the outlet. It’s best to mount your TV with an outlet close by (ideally, right behind where the TV will go), so you won’t need an extension cord or any wire concealment.
- The height of the TV installation is a personal preference. That being said, it’s suggested that you mount your TV where it’s centered on your eye level. If you feel like that’s too low, a more general rule of thumb is to have your TV installed where the bottom edge won’t be higher than your eye level while seated.
You can cut a piece of cardboard and hold it against the wall to feel how your TV would look after mounting.
3: When it comes to the actual mounting, brick or concrete walls can take quite the weight. Screw them in. Drywall, however, is a little trickier. TVs are heavy, and drywall is weak. Studs are what keep it together. When something is hung on drywall, its hanging point is screwed through the drywall and into the studs. Studs are typically made of wood but can be metal as well. Metal studs are a bit trickier; you’ll do well to use snap toggles when mounting anything on metal studs since they provide better support. A stud finder makes it possible to locate the studs behind the drywall for the screws to go.
- Hover the stud finder over the wall until it detects a stud.
- Spot two adjacent studs. Measure the length between the top and bottom screw holes on the TV mount—Mark two spots on each stud according to the measured distance.
- Use your level tool to make sure the marked spots are level.
- Hold your mount against the wall where it’s supposed to be installed, and double-check if it’s level.
- Partially drill into the marked spots (make pilot holes) to make the actual drilling easier.
- While holding up the mount, drill the mounting screws into the wall to secure it tightly.
- Feel free to hang from it yourself to get a sense of how much weight it supports.
4: Finally, you need to mount your TV onBracketacket. First, following the manufacturer’s instructions, take the part of the mount that attaches to the back of the TV and carefully fasten the screws. Then, lift the TV (ideally with a helper) and mount it onBracketacket.
5: Enjoy!
Wire Concealment
Wires being black and walls being light, it’s safe to say not everyone prefers to see their TV cords hanging. There are two main ways of hiding your TV cords.
1: On-wall Wire Concealment
In this method, wires are fished through plastic cord covers attached to the wall.
- Buy on-wall plastic cord covers.
- After the mounting is done, peel off the back of the plastic cord cover and carefully stick it to the wall. Do it so that it goes from the back of the TV (where the wire comes out) right next to the outlet.
- Clamp the TV wire along with any other wire into the cord cover.
- Close the cover.
This one’s more of a DIY. It’s easy to remove or relocate and is ideal when you don’t want to damage your wall too much.
2: In-wall Wire Concealment
If you’re going all-in for a neat look, hiding the wires in the wall might be the better option here. With that said, this one’s a little tricky, so that you might need some professional help. Note that in-wall wire concealment is only possible to do on drywall. Also, if you’re planning on mounting your TV above the fireplace, it’s not a good idea at all to try and hide your TV cords inside the wall. The wires are likely to melt and cause a disaster. Many videos provide you with a step-by-step guide to hiding the TV wires inside drywall.
If you’re here and have decided that you’d prefer a professional do your TV mounting while you relax, or if you don’t feel like a DIY, Fixtman is here for you. As mentioned earlier, a simple TV mounting on drywall can easily cost more than $100. Well, it doesn’t have to. If you’re looking for a foolproof TV mounting where everything is level, in the right spot, and seamlessly done, look no further. With our affordable pricing and open availability, we will make sure you’ll be smiling after we’re done with your TV.
