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The short answer
Find your television’s VESA pattern and weight before anything else, then work out what your wall is made of. Solid masonry takes almost any mount. Stud walls need the bracket fixed into at least two studs. Metal stud or hollow block walls need specialist fixings and, often, professional installation.
A wall-mounted television looks better and frees a surface, and the failure mode is catastrophic and expensive. Choosing well is mostly about matching three numbers: the VESA pattern, the weight and what the wall can hold.
The three types
Fixed
Holds the television flat against the wall, typically 20 to 40mm away. Cheapest, tidiest, and it makes reaching the connections behind the TV difficult. Suits a screen at the right height with seating directly in front.
Tilting
Allows a downward tilt, typically up to 15 degrees. Useful when the television must go higher than ideal, for example above a fireplace, since it points the screen at the seating rather than at the ceiling. A small premium over fixed.
Full motion
Extends, swivels and tilts. The most flexible and the most expensive, and it protrudes further from the wall when folded. Worth it when seating is off to one side, when you want to watch from a kitchen as well as a sofa, or simply to reach the cables easily.
Full motion mounts put a great deal of leverage on the wall when extended. A mount rated for 30kg holding a 25kg television at full extension is applying far more force to the fixings than the same television held flat. That is why full motion mounts specify fixing requirements more strictly.
Measure before buying
- VESA pattern: the spacing of the four screw holes on the back, in millimetres, such as 200×200 or 400×400. It is in the manual and usually printed on the back.
- Weight: the television’s weight without its stand.
- Screw size: which the mount should supply, and it is worth checking the length, since screws that are too long can damage the panel.
- Recess depth: some televisions have recessed mounting points, which need spacers.
- Connection clearance: particularly with a fixed mount, check whether the HDMI ports face sideways or backwards, because backwards-facing ports on a flush mount are very hard to reach.
Mounts worth considering
Mounting Dream full motion TV wall mount for 32 to 70 inch televisions
Mounting Dream has a long track record in this category and the instructions and hardware are noticeably better than the generic alternatives. A high weight rating gives headroom, and the full motion arm makes reaching the connections behind the television straightforward, which matters more than people expect.
Amazon Basics full motion articulating TV wall mount
A sensible option for a mid-size television on a solid wall. The savings show in the finish rather than the function. Check the weight rating against your television with headroom, since an under-specified mount at full extension is where problems appear.
PERLESMITH tilting TV wall mount, low profile for 23 to 60 inch TVs
The right choice for a television above a fireplace or in a bedroom where it sits high. Tilt corrects the viewing angle and keeps the screen close to the wall. Low profile also means less visual intrusion when the screen is off.
USX MOUNT full motion TV wall mount for 42 to 90 inch screens
Large televisions need mounts designed for them, not the same bracket with a higher number printed on the box. Check your wall construction carefully at this size, because a 90 inch television on a stud wall requires the bracket to span at least two studs with correct fixings.
No stud TV wall mount for drywall, no drilling into studs
Worth knowing about for rentals and for walls where the studs do not align with where the television must go. Read the weight limits carefully, since they are considerably lower than stud-mounted brackets, and treat the stated limit as a maximum rather than a target.
What we liked
- Frees a surface and looks considerably tidier
- Tilting mounts fix the angle when mounted high
- Full motion makes cable access easy
- Correct mounting is very secure
What we didn't
- Wall construction decides what is possible
- Full motion applies large leverage when extended
- Cable routing usually needs planning
- Mistakes are expensive and dangerous
Installing it safely
Identify the wall construction
Tap it, use a stud detector, and drill a small test hole in an inconspicuous place if unsure. Masonry, timber stud, metal stud and hollow block all need different fixings.
Find the studs and mark their centres
On a stud wall the bracket must be fixed into at least two studs. Plasterboard alone will not hold a television.
Check for pipes and cables before drilling
A detector that finds live wires and metal pipes costs very little compared with the alternative.
Use the fixings appropriate to the wall
The ones supplied suit masonry in most kits. Stud walls need lag screws into timber; hollow walls need specialist anchors rated for the load.
Get help lifting
Televisions above about 50 inches are awkward rather than heavy, and dropping one during mounting is how most of them break.
Plan the cables before mounting
Trunking, in-wall routing where permitted, or a cable cover. Deciding after the television is up means taking it down again.
If you are not certain what the wall is made of or cannot locate studs confidently, pay for installation. A television falling off a wall damages the television, the wall and potentially whoever is beneath it, and the cost of professional fitting is small next to the screen.
How do I find my TV's VESA pattern?
Measure the horizontal and vertical distance between the four screw holes on the back in millimetres. It is also listed in the manual and often printed near the mounting points.
Can I mount a TV on plasterboard without studs?
Only with specialist anchors rated for the load, and the limits are much lower than stud mounting. For anything above a small television, fixing into studs is the correct approach.
How high should a TV be mounted?
With the centre of the screen at roughly eye level when seated, which is lower than most people expect. Above a fireplace is usually too high, which is why tilting mounts exist.
Is a full motion mount worth the extra?
If your seating is off to one side, if you want to watch from another room, or if you need regular access to the connections, yes. For a screen directly in front of a sofa, a fixed or tilting mount is tidier.
Do I need a mount rated well above my TV's weight?
Headroom is sensible, particularly for full motion mounts where extension multiplies the force on the fixings. Matching the rating exactly to the television leaves no margin.
How to choose
Measure the VESA pattern and the weight, then establish what the wall is. Pick fixed for a screen directly in front of the sofa, tilting for anything mounted high, and full motion for off-axis seating or easy cable access. Buy with weight headroom, fix into studs or masonry with appropriate anchors, and plan the cables before the television goes up.
