4 Things to Consider Before Mounting a TV on the Wall

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A wall-mounted television is a must-have for the modern home. It’s the screen you and yours will likely gather around the most, and the fact that it floats gives you more space for that surround sound system you’ve been dying to call your own. Buying a brand new TV can be a big deal, and where it’s going to live in your home is an equally important consideration, especially if you’re planning to wall-mount your new QLED or OLED.

Luckily, the TV buying world has had a few decades to make wall-mounting mistakes, so you don’t have to. To that end, we’ve put together this little list of obstacles to consider when mounting your TV. From selecting the right mount for your TV to considering sunlight and glare, we’ve done our best to highlight some of the most common pitfalls and what you can do to avoid them.

Drywall and studs haven’t changed much in recent decades, so the process of wall-mounting a TV hasn’t changed much either; Drive lag screws into one or two studs to secure the mounting plate to the wall, attach the plate’s hooks to the back of your TV, then hang it. Unfortunately, the process isn’t always that simple, especially when dealing with older homes and businesses.

Before the era of drywall, interior walls and ceilings were often constructed using lath (thin horizontal strips of wood nailed to studs) and several layers of plaster. Although today’s stud finders are better than ever, some devices can have trouble detecting studs if they’re behind slats, making it difficult to properly anchor a TV to some walls. Magnetic detectors tend to work best with slatted walls because the device will simply grab the nail heads where the slat has been attached to the studs. You can also use compatible toggle bolts if you can only find one stud or are mounting a TV to a section of wall without a stud.

Even if you are working on modern construction, you still need to pay attention to the plumbing and electrical lines located in your pole bays. (I used to install televisions for a living, and a co-worker of mine punctured a drain pipe in a nursing home. It was a bad day.) To avoid such a nightmare, determine in advance if you are working with a “wet wall” (a wall with plumbing behind it). Here’s a good rule of thumb: If there is a toilet, sink, or shower on the other side of the wall, at least one stud bay will have plumbing passing through it.

Owning the biggest TV your wall can accommodate is a great feeling. Every time you look at your 85-inch LED or OLED assembly, you’ll know you’ve used every inch of drywall space to give your new display a home. But before you start drilling pilot holes in your living room, you need to determine what type of wall mount you want to use. Generally speaking, low-profile, tilt-up-and-down mounts are safe to use for just about any size TV, especially if you can attach the plate to two studs.

If you can only touch one stud or none at all, you can always use toggle bolts to mount your TV; you’ll just want to make sure they’re designed to support the weight of your TV. But heed these words: Under no circumstances attach a full-motion wall mount using toggle bolts. There’s an argument to be made for using seesaws if you’re able to hit at least one amount, but we’d still suggest otherwise. The largest TVs require some of the largest full-motion mounts, and many of these products are imposing beasts.

Over time, the combined weight of the TV, stand, and back-and-forth movement can literally tear your TV off the wall if the main plate isn’t locked onto two studs. I’ve personally seen this happen, and it’s not a cleanup job anyone wants to take on. I also saw a great example of the opposite: two of my colleagues once mounted a TV using two suitable wooden studs. A severe storm demolished most of the client’s house, but the TV wall was spared and the TV itself didn’t move an inch.

The visual appeal of a wall-mounted TV is never more tarnished than when a nest of cables hangs from a disorganized entertainment center. It’s usually a case of putting the cart before the horse, and I’ll be the first to admit how easy it can be to forget all the wires you need to connect to your TV.

Fortunately, there are several ways to manage AV and power cables without breaking the bank. If you haven’t already installed a wall outlet where your TV will be mounted, one of the best cable management options is a wall power kit. There are many reliable brands that make these stylish DIY accessories that help you hide messy TV cables. If you don’t feel like drilling extra holes in your drywall, there are also many types of cable covers on the market, and you simply stick them to your wall with adhesive or shallow machine screws.

It’s also worth seeing if you can wirelessly connect any of your AV equipment to eliminate cables. For example, brands like Samsung and LG offer soundbars that can pair wirelessly with certain TVs via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. I’ve also had the chance to eliminate entire power adapters by using a smart TV’s built-in USB ports to power smaller gadgets like streaming devices, external DACs, etc.

The sun is no friend to any television screen. The sun also doesn’t care if its UV rays affect your dream TV setup. Luckily, we’ve all learned a fun fact about the sun: it rises in the east and sets in the west. So, if you plan to mount a TV on an east or west facing wall exposed to sunlight, you may be forced to deal with reflections and glare. Fortunately, TV manufacturers have been using anti-glare technology for a long time, and many current LED and OLED TVs are able to withstand a certain amount of ambient light.

Historically, mini-LEDs have been some of the best TVs for well-lit rooms because the backlight can often get brighter than opposing ambient sources. But anti-glare and diode technology are getting so good that even OLED TVs are able to overcome some levels of glare. I own an LG C5 Series OLED that lives in a well-lit living room with windows and I have no issues with glare. That said, mid-range and high-end TVs tend to be the best options when it comes to glare reduction and ultra-bright displays. If your TV doesn’t handle bright environments well, mounting it in a darker room might be your best solution.

We’re also not averse to easy solutions, like moving a floor lamp to another part of the room. Even slightly dimming your lights (if you have the option) can make a big difference if your TV panel is disrupted by glare and reflections. And if you don’t mind a cavernous space when watching a movie or show, you can always invest in a set of blackout curtains for sunny windows.