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How to Mount a TV on the Wall

Home/Resources/Furniture & Decor/Mounting a TV on the Wall
DH
Written & researched by Derek Holt Home & Appliances Editor
Updated August 2026
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Mounting a flat-screen TV is a one-to-two-hour DIY job that most people can do with a drill, a level and a helper, for the cost of a $20 to $60 bracket. The physics are unforgiving in one respect only: the mount has to transfer the TV weight into wall framing, so finding studs and using the right bolts is what keeps the set on the wall. There is no permit or licensed trade involved unless you are running in-wall power, which does have code rules. Cable and mount are pure DIY; a hidden power outlet is where you may want an electrician.

How to Mount a Flat Screen TV — Ask This Old House

Step-by-step: mounting a flat-screen TV

  1. Confirm the mount fits your TV. Check the VESA pattern (the hole spacing on the back, e.g. 400x400mm) and the weight rating against your set. A mount rated below your TV weight is a non-starter.
  2. Choose the height. Center of screen near 42 inches for a seated room. Mark the intended center on the wall with painter's tape.
  3. Locate the studs. Use a stud finder, confirm edges with a finish nail, and mark centers. In US framing they are 16 inches on center. Position the bracket to catch at least two.
  4. Level and mark the holes. Hold the wall plate at your height, level it, and mark the bolt holes over the stud centers.
  5. Drill pilot holes. For 5/16-inch lags into wood, drill a pilot about 3/16 inch, roughly 70 percent of the shank, at least 2.5 inches deep.
  6. Bolt the wall plate. Drive the lag bolts through the plate into the studs, snug and firm without stripping. Give it a hard pull to confirm it will not move.
  7. Attach the arms to the TV. Bolt the mount arms to the VESA holes with the correct screws and spacers. Too-long screws can damage the panel, so use what the mount supplies.
  8. Hang the TV with a helper. Lift together, engage the arms on the wall plate, and confirm the safety catch or lock is seated.
  9. Level and dress the cables. Fine-tune tilt, then route cables through a channel or cover.
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Tools and materials

You need a drill/driver, stud finder, 2-foot level, socket or wrench for the lags, and the mount kit. A TV wall mount often frees up the surface a console once held, so if you are rethinking the whole media wall it is worth pairing the mount with the right storage and seating below it, which is why our bookshelf and shelving picks and accent chair roundup are useful companions when you plan the room around a wall-mounted screen rather than a bulky stand.

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Mistakes that bring a TV down

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Safety and when to call a pro

The mounting is DIY. The place to bring in a licensed electrician is any in-wall power relocation: fishing a new outlet behind the TV or running Romex is governed by electrical code and permits in most jurisdictions, and low-voltage HDMI is fine to run in-wall but line-voltage is not something to improvise. A heavy TV over a play area is a tip-over concern, so favor a fixed mount and rated hardware there. Codes and permit rules vary by locality, so check yours before touching household wiring.

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More from this hub: Furniture & Decor · Hang a heavy mirror · Anchor furniture to the wall · Build a console table · Best accent chairs · How we rank

Straight Answers

Frequently Asked

Can you mount a TV without hitting a stud?

You can, but only with the right hardware and a clear understanding of the trade-off. Into a stud, standard lag bolts carry a large safety margin for any consumer TV. Into hollow drywall with no stud behind the bracket, you must use heavy-duty steel toggle bolts rated well above the TV weight, and even then a fixed flat mount is safer than a full-motion arm, because an extended arm multiplies the pull-out force. Whenever a stud is anywhere near your desired height, shift the mount a few inches to catch it. It is the single biggest factor in whether the TV stays up.

How high should a TV be mounted on the wall?

For a seated living room, aim for the center of the screen at roughly 42 inches from the floor, which puts it near eye level for someone on a sofa. That usually means the bottom edge of a 55-inch TV sits around 24 to 30 inches up. Mount it higher only if you sit farther back or the TV is over a fireplace, and know that a fireplace mount often lands too high for comfort. Tilt mounts help correct a high install by angling the screen down toward the viewer.

What size lag bolts do you need to mount a TV?

Most consumer mounts ship with 5/16-inch lag bolts around 2.5 to 3 inches long, and those are correct for wood studs. The bolt must pass through the drywall, typically 1/2 inch, and still bite at least 1.5 to 2 inches of solid wood, so measure your wall thickness before trusting the included hardware. Drill a pilot hole about 70 percent of the bolt shank diameter to prevent splitting the stud, and snug the bolts firmly without stripping the wood. Over-torquing crushes the stud fibers and weakens the hold.

Is it safe to mount a TV over a fireplace?

It can be, but two problems are common. First, heat: a wood-burning or high-output gas fireplace can push mantel temperatures past what electronics tolerate, so check the surface temperature during a full fire before committing. Second, height: the screen usually ends up too high for comfortable viewing, which strains the neck. A pull-down mount that lowers the TV for viewing solves the height issue, and a mantel that deflects heat forward helps with the first. If the wall gets genuinely hot, choose a different location.

Can you mount a TV on a metal stud wall?

Yes, but not with lag bolts, which need wood to bite. Metal studs are thin steel channels, so you use toggle-style anchors or specialized snap-toggle bolts sized for the TV weight, engaging the steel and the drywall together. Because a single metal stud is less forgiving than wood, spread the load across the widest bracket footprint you can, favor a fixed mount over a heavy full-motion arm, and stay well under the anchor rating. If you are unsure the wall is metal-framed, a magnet on the drywall over the stud line confirms it.