TV Wall Mounting in Westminster

From box to wall, one step at a time

Every mounting visit follows the same order, and the order is what keeps the screen on the wall.

1. Weigh the TV. Its weight, VESA hole pattern and width are noted, and the bracket has to be rated for at least 1.5 times the weight.
2. Find the wood. A stud finder gives a first guess; a thin probe hole where the plate will sit gives the proof.
3. Outline the screen. Painter's tape shows the picture size on the wall before any hole is drilled.
4. Fasten the plate. Pilot holes, lag bolts into the studs and a level on the plate.
5. Hang the set. The TV hooks on and the safety screws go in.

What the numbers show

1. 1Stud center line The bolt is aimed at the middle of the stud, where the wood is thickest.
2. 2Stud spacing The line runs across two stud bays, from the first stud to the third; with studs usually about 16 inches apart, a wide plate bolted into the outer two studs gets two solid fixing points about 32 inches apart.
3. 3Washer and head The washer spreads the clamp load over the plate.
4. 4Threads in the wood The threads bite into the stud and end inside it.
5. 5Depth in the stud The bolt goes deep enough into the wood to hold the load, never only into the surface.

Flat against the wall, or angled down

In a Westminster tract house with a standard ceiling, a fixed mount is the first choice for a screen at eye level. A tilting mount earns its place above a console or opposite a bright window, where a few degrees keep the glass from throwing the light back.

What the numbers show

1. 1Lag bolt in the stud Each bolt passes through the plate and the wall surface and ends inside the stud, so the TV hangs from the framing.
2. 2Rails on the plate An upper and a lower rail take the brackets; the plate is leveled before the last bolt is tightened.
3. 3Brackets on the TV Two brackets screw into the mounting holes on the back of the set and hook over the rails; the mount is rated for at least 1.5 times the weight.
4. 4Locking screw A small screw at the foot of a bracket keeps a bump from lifting the TV off the rails.
5. 5Gap to the wall The gap leaves room for plugs; a fixed mount cannot be adjusted once the TV is hung.

Studs that do not line up with the picture

Studs usually sit about 16 inches apart, but a room that has been remodeled seldom keeps the pattern from corner to corner. A plate that spans two studs while the picture stays centered is the first answer. When the layout will not allow it, a backer board screwed across several studs gives the plate a solid face.

• Wide plate reaches two studs.
• Backer board spreads the load over three or more.
• Strap toggles are a last resort for a light set, never a substitute for wood under a large one.

What the numbers show

1. 1Steel channel The channel lies flat behind the wall surface and is longer than the hole is wide, so it cannot pull through.
2. 2Plastic straps The straps hold the channel in place while it is tightened, then snap off flush.
3. 3Machine bolt The bolt threads into the channel from the room side and clamps the plate.
4. 4Span across the board The channel spreads the load across the wall surface, which is much weaker than wood.

Dressing the cords

The simplest finish ties the cords in a short bundle behind the set, with the outlet low and close. A slim surface raceway painted the color of the wall tidies the run without opening the wall. Hiding the wires inside the wall is a separate job with its own price and its own rules: a standard power cord never goes in a wall, only an in-wall rated kit does, and a new outlet is work for an electrician.

TV Wall Mounting — common questions