A wall-mounted TV is hard to move once it is up, so the useful decisions all come before the first hole is drilled. Use this TV mounting checklist before you buy a bracket or book a fitter. It covers the four things that decide where and how the screen can go: the TV itself, the wall, the height and position, and the cables and power. It also covers the permissions that can rule a wall out altogether.
1. Take the numbers off the TV
Most of what you need is in the manual or on the label on the back of the screen. Write it down before you buy a bracket.
- Weight without the stand. The bracket, and the fixings into the wall, must be rated for at least this.
- VESA pattern. The spacing of the four mounting holes on the back, given in millimetres, for example 300 x 300. The bracket has to list it.
- Where the mounting holes sit. On many TVs they are not in the middle of the screen. You need this later to turn your chosen screen height into a bracket position.
- Where the sockets face. Ports that point straight backwards need a gap behind the screen for the plugs. A very slim flat bracket may leave no room for them.
- The bolts and spacers that came with the TV. Keep them together. They are often needed to attach the bracket arms.
2. Find out what the wall is made of
The wall decides which fixings will hold. It can also rule out a spot completely, so check it before you settle on a position.
- Knock along it. A hollow sound that turns solid at regular intervals suggests plasterboard on studs. A solid sound everywhere suggests brick or block. Solid and hollow patches with no regular pattern often mean plasterboard stuck onto masonry with adhesive dabs, known as dot-and-dab, which is common in newer flats.
- Look at the other side. If the room next door shares the wall, is it a cupboard, a bathroom or a neighbour’s flat? Party walls and walls onto communal corridors may have rules attached (see section 5).
- Note chimney breasts and alcoves. Chimney breasts are usually solid but can have flues or crumbly brickwork near the edges.
- Look for old fixings and repairs. A patched area where a previous bracket was may not be sound enough to fix into again. If an old bracket has left a cluster of holes or torn board, our guide on whether to repair or replace damaged drywall explains the options.
- Mark where cables and pipes are likely to run. Hidden cables often run straight up, down or across from sockets, switches and other electrical points, and pipes may run from radiators or a bathroom on the other side. Avoid planning a bracket directly in line with any of these. Detectors help, but they are not reliable on every wall type, so the final check belongs with whoever drills.
How each wall type is fixed is covered on our TV mounting page. For this checklist, you only need to know which type you have, so you can buy the right bracket and give the fitter accurate information.
3. Measure the height properly
Most people mount a TV higher than they would choose after a week of watching it. Working it out from your own room, rather than a rule of thumb, avoids that.
| Measurement | How to take it | What it decides |
|---|---|---|
| Seated eye height | Sit in your usual seat and have someone measure from the floor to your eye level | Roughly where the centre of the screen should be for straight-on viewing |
| Viewing distance | Measure from the seat to the wall | Whether the screen size suits the room, and how much any angle matters |
| Furniture below | Height of the media unit, soundbar or fireplace surround, plus a gap | The lowest the bottom edge of the screen can go |
| Screen centre to mounting holes | From the TV’s manual or measured on the back of the set | Where the bracket goes once the screen height is set |
A few situations change the answer:
- Bedrooms. If you watch lying down, a higher position with a tilting bracket can be more comfortable than seated height.
- Above a fireplace. This puts the screen well above eye level and close to a heat source. Check the TV maker’s guidance on heat before choosing that spot.
- Open-plan rooms and corners. If you watch from more than one place, a full-motion bracket may suit. Measure that the arm has room to swing without hitting a window reveal or a door.
To test the position, cut a piece of cardboard (or tape an outline) to the size of the screen, fix it to the wall at your chosen height and live with it for a day or two. It shows the height, the glare from windows at different times of day and how much space the screen takes up, all before any holes are drilled.
4. Plan every cable before the bracket goes up
Once the screen is on the wall, it is awkward to add a cable you forgot. List everything that will connect to it:
- Power for the TV, and for a soundbar if you have one.
- Aerial or satellite lead, and where its wall socket is now.
- HDMI leads for a set-top box, games console or streaming device, with enough length to reach once the screen is up. If you are using a full-motion arm, leave extra slack.
- A network cable if you would rather not rely on Wi-Fi.
Then decide how the cables will be finished. Surface trunking painted to match works on any wall. Hiding aerial and HDMI leads inside a hollow wall depends on the wall type and what is in the cavity. The mains lead is different: it should not be pushed into the wall to hide it. If you want no power lead showing, a new socket behind the screen is electrical work, done through our socket and switch installation service. Arrange it before or alongside the mounting, not after.
5. Check you are allowed to fix to the wall
- Renting. Check the tenancy agreement or ask the landlord in writing before anything is fixed to the wall. Some landlords agree on condition that the holes are made good at the end of the tenancy.
- Leasehold flats. Leases often have rules about fixing into structural, party or communal walls. Read yours or ask the managing agent.
- Fire-separating walls. In blocks of flats, walls to corridors and neighbouring flats may be part of the building’s fire separation. If you are not sure, ask the building manager before planning a cable route through that wall.
- Offices and shared premises. The landlord or facilities team may need to approve the position and fixing method.
6. What to have ready on the day
- The bracket, still boxed, rated for the TV’s weight and VESA pattern.
- The TV’s own bolts and spacers, and the manual.
- All the cables, trunking and any wall plates, already bought.
- The area in front of the wall cleared, with the media unit built and in place so the height can be checked against it. If the unit is still flat-packed, our guide on when professional furniture assembly is worth it can help you decide whether to build it yourself first.
- The position marked, or the cardboard template still on the wall.
- For a very large screen, a second pair of hands available to help lift it onto the bracket if the fitter asks.
Before you book
If you would like the screen fitted for you, send the TV model, the bracket you have or plan to buy, a photo of the wall with the area around it, and your chosen height. If you are still working out the height, send your seated eye-height measurement instead. Mention any socket you want behind the screen, and whether an old bracket needs taking down first. That is everything needed to confirm the fixings and the likely scope of the job. Voltify Contractors’ TV mounting service covers brick, block and plasterboard walls, cable tidying and old-bracket removal.
