Mount a TV on the Wall

Cleaner look, more floor space, no special skills. The risk is missing the stud — that's the one thing you must get right.

Difficulty: Medium Time: 45–90 min Cost: $30–$120 (mount)

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Find studs — drywall anchors will not hold a TVEven heavy-duty anchors are not rated for the dynamic load of a TV. Always mount into studs.

Tools

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Stud finder (good one — ~$25)
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Drill + pilot bits sized to your lag bolts
For typical 1/4" lag bolts: 3/16" pilot bit. For 5/16" lags: 7/32". A 1/8" bit is too small for 1/4" lags and risks snapping the bolt.
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Level (24"+)
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Socket wrench / ratchet
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Tape measure + pencil

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1

Find the studs

Run the stud finder across the area where you want the TV. Mark both edges of each stud. Studs are usually 16" apart on center. Double-check by drilling a tiny pilot hole.

Tip: No stud finder? Knock the wall — a solid sound means stud, hollow means cavity. Or look for outlets/switches; they're screwed to studs.
2

Mark mount position

Center of TV should be at eye level when seated — usually 42-48" from the floor to TV center. Hold the mount bracket against the wall, level it, mark all four screw holes.
3

Pre-drill and bolt the bracket

Drill pilot holes about 65–75% of the lag bolt's shank diameter (e.g., 3/16" pilot for a 1/4" lag in softwood studs). Going to half-diameter risks splitting the stud or snapping the bolt head. Drive lag bolts with a ratchet — they should feel solid pulling into the stud.
4

Attach mount arms to TV

Screw the two vertical arms onto the back of the TV using the included hardware (don't use longer screws than provided — they can damage the TV).
5

Hang the TV

Two-person job. Lift the TV onto the wall bracket — most mounts have a hook-and-lock system. Tighten any safety screws at the bottom.
6

Manage the cables

Either run an in-wall HDMI/power kit (~$30, 30 min more) or use a cable raceway down the wall.