How to wall mount a TV and hide the wires: step by step guide
Here’s our step-by-step guide to mounting your television to the wall safely, plus our pick of some top TV wall brackets.
Where you position your TV in your viewing space can make a profound difference in how you enjoy it. And if you find that it’s simply not working on the stand or tabletop it’s currently on, then you might find all your problems solved by mounting your TV on the wall.
There are a variety of TV wall mounts and brackets on the market, designed for televisions of various sizes and weights. Most will accommodate TVs of up to 55 inches in screen size – but there are mounts out there that are made for larger televisions. The simpler options keep your TV fixed flush with the wall, while other articulated options will allow you to swivel your television horizontally, and tilt it up and down. Some even allow for a little rotational adjustment too.
Read on for everything you need to know about safely and successfully attaching your television to the wall – followed by our pick of a number of leading TV wall mounts and brackets. And you haven’t decided on the TV you’ll be mounting, don’t miss our in-depth best smart TV to buy guide.
- Thinking about upgrading your old TV? Read our Samsung QN95A TV review to see why we awarded it five stars.
How to mount a TV on the wall
- Get a measuring tape: you’ll need to make a note of some numbers. Firstly, measure your TV in width, height, depth, screen size and VESA sixes. Take a look at our how to measure a TV screen explainer to find out more.
- You’ll also need to know the weight of your television. You’ll find this in the TV’s product booklet, or you can look online if that’s long since vanished.
- Decide on where the TV is going to be installed. If it’s in an alcove, make sure your TV has a few inches of breathing space on either side. In the next section, we’ll tell you the best installation height.
- Buy a TV wall bracket. Make sure it's one that can accommodate your TV’s screen size and weight and is compatible with its VESA sizes. More on them in a bit.
- Get your drill, screws, bolts and wall anchors – and an assistant, as the TV will need support while being fixed to the wall. You can install TV brackets on all types of wall, but it’s important to use the right wall anchors for each type (brick, stud, drywall).
- Screw the mount to the back of your TV. There will be at least four bolt fittings – indeed, you might have the option of adding more.
- Mark out the holes you’re drilling lightly in pencil on the wall, and drill through each of them. Insert the wall anchors. Then, it’s a case of screwing the combined mount and TV into the wall, with your assistant keeping the television level and supported.
- Lots of TV wall brackets need their swivel/tilt axes loosening (often with a wrench that’s included in the pack).
There’s also another option: hire a professional to do it. There are lots of services out there, although some might not be currently offering home visits.
How high to mount a TV
This is vital to get right. The mistake often made is to mount the TV far too high – this is because you’ll likely be decision-making while standing up. Instead, you should think about your eye level when seated.
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As a general rule, TVs are typically best installed 42 inches from the floor. That measurement is from the floor to the centre of the screen; to calculate the distance from the floor to the bottom of the TV, divide its height by two, and then subtract that from 42 inches.
What is a VESA mount?
A VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association) mount size is essentially a series of standardised two-by-two bolt fittings that you’ll find across almost every TV bracket and mount on the market. These are listed as width-by-height measurements in millimetres – the most common VESA sizes are 200mm x 200mm, 400mm x 400mm and 600mm x 400mm. They generally vary according to size.
To find out your television’s VESA numbers, you’ll need to measure the distance between the bolt-holes in millimetres on the rear of the TV. All TV wall brackets and mounts in our round-up below are VESA-compatible, and the sizes are all clearly marked in the product specs.
How to hide the wires when mounting a TV
Wires can prove a serious eyesore for wall-mounted TVs, and it’s often what puts people off installing their television on the wall. Luckily, there are a couple of solutions to choose from:
- If there is a cavity behind your wall you can access, you can drill two holes into the stud or plasterboard – one behind the TV, and one directly below near to the floor. Through it, you can feed your televisions cables to the mains, and keep them off the wall.
- If DIY like this isn’t an option, you can invest in some form of cable concealment. Take a look at our pick of cable management ideas - none of them are costly, and you're bound to find something that works for your setup.
Wall brackets and mounts for different types of TVs
AmazonBasics Articulating TV Wall Mount Bracket (22-55-inch screens)
Best TV wall bracket for easy installation
This TV wall mount is from Amazon’s Basics lines, but doesn’t skimp on versatility – it can be swivelled a full 180 degrees horizontally, and can be tilted with 15 degrees of leeway. It can be pushed to a 6.6cm distance from the wall and can be extended up to 41.4cm. Amazon is making installation as easy for you as possible by supplying everything short of a power tool, from screws to wall anchors.
VonHaus Flat to Wall TV Mount (15-42 inches)
Best mount for small TVs
Despite the number of 50-inch+ TVs on the market today, the most popular size television in UK households is still a 32-inch TV. And if you’re after a wall mount for a smaller television, take a look at this no-frills option from VonHaus, which is designed for TVs from 15 to 42 inches in size. There are no swivel or tilt options, but there’s a spirit level built into the wall section, which should come in handy if DIY isn’t your forte. It also comes with a 25-year guarantee.
Invision TV Wall Bracket Mount (24-55-inch screens)
Best TVwall bracket for cable concealment
Here’s another articulated TV bracket, and one that also has a full 180-degree swivel range, along with a tilt of 13 degrees. We particularly like the cable concealment panels that are built into the section that attaches to your TV. Invision’s mount can sit 5.5cm from the wall, and almost 50cm when fully extended. You’ll find a range of differently sized bolts in the pack, but Invision also promises to supply you with the correct ones for your television if they aren’t included here.
Eono by Amazon Fixed TV Wall Bracket (26-55-inch screens)
Best fixed TV bracket
This bracket from Eono – one of Amazon’s subsidiary brands – offers a fixed, non-articulated connection. There’s no adjustability on offer here, but this mount is one of the stronger products on this list, being able to carry a maximum weight of 45.5kg. It’s compatible with televisions from 26 to 55 inches in size.
Perlesmith TV Swivel/Tilt TV Mount (32-55-inch screens)
Best TV wall bracket for perfectionists
This TV mount from Perlesmith uses a double-arm design that brings an extra level of versatility in how you can move and adjust the screen. Your television can be moved 45 degrees horizontally in both directions and tilted 12 degrees down and 5 degrees up. Perfectionists will love the fact you can also rotate the TV by 3 degrees until it’s perfectly level. Not only that, it will support an impressive 45kg.
Perlesmith TV Swivel/Tilt TV Bracket (32-55-inch screens)
Best TV wall bracket for rotational adjustment
This TV bracket is a lighter-duty option from Perlesmith, with a lower maximum capacity of 40kg. However, it has much of the same swivel/tilt options – plus 4 degrees of rotational adjustment – and also covers televisions of the same 32 to 55 inches. The chief difference we can see is this has a smaller range of VESA compatibilities. This bracket lets your TV sit 5.5cm from the wall, and 49.9cm fully extended.
Bontec Ultra Slim Tilt TV Wall Bracket Mount (23-55-inch screens)
Best slim TV wall bracket
Bontec’s wall bracket is a far simpler option than most on this list, but with a weight capacity of 45 kg, it’s still one of the toughest. It doesn’t give you any swivel option, but you’ve got 15 degrees of tilt to play around with. It’s also the bracket that will let you TV sit most closely to the wall on our list – a very slim 3cm (and 42.7cm fully extended).
VonHaus Ultra Strong Tilt TV Wall Mount (30-70-inch screens)
Best TV wall bracket for large TVs
Owner of a big bad TV and nervous about getting it on the wall? Take a look at the ultra-tough mount from VonHaus, which unlike most brackets, will take TVs larger than 55 inches in size. In what’s clearly a brand signature, there’s a spirit level installed into the wall section – and best of all, this bracket can withstand an impressive load of 75kg.
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