How to wall mount a TV: studs, VESA, weight and safety

Mounting a TV is a one-afternoon job for many people, but the cost of a mistake is a damaged screen or a fall. This guide covers the checks that matter before any drill touches the wall.

Step 1: Confirm the mount fits your TV

Look at the back of the TV for four threaded holes. The distance between them is the VESA pattern, written as horizontal by vertical in millimeters. A 400 x 200 pattern means holes 400 mm apart across and 200 mm apart up and down. Screen size does not reliably tell you the pattern, so check your exact TV model in its manual or on the maker's support page, or measure from hole center to hole center.

Then check two more things:

1. Weight. Compare the mount's maximum load with your TV's weight. A mount can match the pattern and still be too weak.
2. Screws. Use the screws your TV maker specifies, and follow the mount maker's instructions for attaching the bracket to the wall.

Not sure which style to buy? See how to choose a TV mount.

Step 2: Find the studs

Studs are the wooden or metal uprights behind the drywall. Echogear says drywall alone cannot carry much weight, so the mount should anchor into a stud. It lists four ways to find one:

• Stud finder. Slide it across the wall and mark where it signals. Echogear advises against the cheapest models.
• Flashlight. Shine a light along the wall at a shallow angle and look for small dimples or bumps where screws or nails sit.
• Magnet. A strong magnet will cling to screws and nails driven into a stud.
• Outlet and tape measure. Outlets are usually fixed to a stud. Measure outward from one, since studs are commonly 16 inches apart, or 24 inches in some older homes.

Confirm each stud by checking it two ways, and mark the center of each one before you drill. Take care near plumbing and electrical wiring.

Step 3: Gather tools

The exact list depends on the mount, and the mount's manual is the final word. Plan on a stud finder or one of the alternatives above, a drill, a level, a pencil or painter's tape, and a screwdriver. Have a second person ready to help lift the TV onto the bracket. Fixed, tilting and full-motion options such as the Echogear EGLL4, EGLT3 and EGLF2 list their weight limits and supported VESA patterns on their product pages.

Step 4: Mount and check

1. Attach the brackets to the TV with the specified screws.
2. Hold the wall plate against the wall at your chosen height, level it, and mark the stud holes.
3. Drill pilot holes and fasten the plate into the studs with the hardware supplied.
4. Lift the TV onto the plate and lock it as the manual describes.
5. Give the mount a gentle test pull before you let go of the TV.

Plan your cables before the TV goes up. Routing power and HDMI is much easier with the wall open. See how to hide TV cables.

When to hire a professional

Call an installer if any of these apply:

• You cannot confirm studs, or the wall is concrete, brick, plaster or metal framing and you lack the right anchors.
• The TV is very large or heavy and you do not have a helper.
• The wall may hold wiring or pipes where you want to drill.
• You plan to run power inside the wall, which is electrical work. Use a licensed electrician.

Samsung's safety notice says a TV should be fixed to the wall or another sturdy surface, because a toppling TV can cause serious injury. It adds that anchors are not supplied and that you should ask a professional if you are unsure what to use.