This is a guide on how to hang a TV on to a wall, what you’ll need to do it, and how much it would cost if you hire a professional.
This article will outline the work needed to mount a TV to a wall, by using a number of different fittings and brackets. It will also review any problems and pitfalls that may occur while mounting a TV in such a way.
The average cost to hang a TV is between £50-£120. This price range can change depending on what type of installation is needed, what type of material the wall is made from (e.g. brick, plaster, stone.), and how long it takes an installer to complete.
In order to hang a TV from a wall, you will need a number of tools and items. These will include:
You will need to drill into a brick or stone-based wall in order to securely fix the TV mount. It is possible to flat-mount a smaller TV onto a plasterboard wall by using the right fixings, but this is not recommended, and this article will detail the work required to mount a TV to a solid brick wall.
You will need to find a suitable bracket for your TV. Generally, flat-screen TV’s up to a size of 47” can be fitted to an arm-type bracket which allows for a great deal of movement of the TV as well as tilt and swing. TV’s which are larger than this usually require flat, static brackets which only allow for a few degrees of tilt and no positional change.
Flat-screen TV’s have fittings on the back of them that comply to Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) standards in the form of a series of holes set in a particular pattern and at set distances, and conforming to similar holes in brackets. This means that a bracket will likely fit your TV, but check before you buy.
TV mounting brackets are usually sold as a kit, which includes the actual bracket, instructions, and all of the fittings that you will need to attach the bracket to the wall, and the TV to the bracket. The wall fittings will include the recommended screws and wall plugs for a brick wall, and you should not deviate from using these.
Most brackets come complete with a wall-drilling guide, so use this to mark out the drilling holes with a pencil directly on the wall. Or, even better, attach the drilling guide to the wall with a little masking tape and drill through it. Use your tape measure to find out the recommended height for your TV to be at eye level from where ever it’s being viewed from.
Next, drill the pilot holes into the wall. These holes ought to be slightly smaller than the bolts you’ll be using. Once you’ve finished drilling the pilot holes, you need to drill the actual holes. Be aware that these holes shouldn’t be thicker than the plug. The recommended sizes are usually mentioned in the fitting instructions, so stick to these sizes.
You can now place your mounting bracket on the wall and start to tighten the screws to about three-quarters of the way in. Ensure the bracket is level before tightening any of the screws. You can use a spirit level that’s included in the box or your own personal spirit level. When the bracket is level, you can tighten the screws all the way.
Once the bracket is fixed securely to the wall, you can seek assistance in lifting the TV while you fix the bracket to the back of the TV. Larger TV’s with flat mounting rather than an arm mount, usually hang from the bracket and are then secured with tightening screws.
We have hundreds of homeowners each day checking the prices on YourJobCost before hiring a tradesperson. That way they've already got a good idea of how much they should be quoted.
Here is a list of commonly asked questions regarding hanging a TV.
The entire job will entail fitting a bracket to a wall, and then fitting the TV to the bracket. With the right tools available, the whole job should not take longer than two hours. If you have a large TV (55-inches upwards), then you will probably require help in mounting the TV to the bracket.
Sometimes the desired location for the TV wall mount is above the fireplace. In this case, it’s imperative to get it right; otherwise, it may result in the TV getting broken, either during the fitting procedure or by the heat of the fire.
All gas, electric and wood fireplaces generate heat, which radiates through the wall and although electric and gas don’t create ash or smoke, the heat from these types of fireplaces can harm a TV if specific precautions aren’t followed. It’s always recommended using a bracket that stands the TV away from the wall to prevent heat damage. You should also ensure that in drilling through, you do not puncture the flue.
There is no special height at which to mount your TV, and this will depend upon where you are viewing it. If you are viewing from a sofa, on the opposite side of the room, you may want it lower than if you are viewing it from something higher such as a bed. Nobody wants to glance up or down constantly when watching TV. Generally, it’s recommended that the middle of the TV screen to be at about 40 inches (1.02 metres) above ground level.
Yes, you can mount any sized screen on to a plasterboard stud wall or a dry lined wall with the proper kind of bracket and fittings. There are specialist brackets have a wide footprint to carry the load that enable you to find the studs while still preserving the screen position.
In this case, you will need to mount the TV on a solid wall and chisel out a groove to chase the cables into the wall. To finish the hole, you would normally fit a brush plate to cover the slot and the cables. These are usually available in either white or metal or chrome finish.
