{"title":"How to Mount a TV on the Wall","canonicalUrl":"https://www.showmestepbystep.com/home-improvement/how-to-mount-a-tv-on-the-wall","category":{"slug":"home-improvement","name":"Home Improvement"},"creator":{"name":"LRN2DIY","channelUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPKAKrjoMz7POptCloy7AIQ","sourceVideoUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0MBMDXFQE0"},"tldr":"Mount your TV on the wall the right way. Find the studs, bolt the plate, hang the TV, and level it so it stays put. A clear 7-step DIY walkthrough.","totalDurationSeconds":565,"difficulty":"medium","tools":["stud finder","cordless drill","3-foot level","socket wrench","drill bit set"],"materials":["full-motion TV wall mount","lag bolts","TV mounting bolts","cable covers"],"steps":[{"number":1,"title":"Step 1: Find and Mark the Wall Studs","text":"Your TV cannot hang on drywall alone. Run the stud finder across the wall until it beeps and lights up on a stud, then mark both edges with a pencil. Do this for at least two studs at the height you want the TV. Most studs sit 16 inches apart, so once you find one, the next is easy to spot. These marks tell you exactly where the solid wood framing is."},{"number":2,"title":"Step 2: Attach the Mounting Arms to the TV","text":"Lay the TV face-down on a soft blanket or the box it came in so you do not scratch the screen. Line the bracket arms up with the threaded holes on the back panel and bolt them on with the hardware from the mount kit. Snug them down firm but do not over-tighten. Getting the arms square and even now makes hanging the TV much easier later."},{"number":3,"title":"Step 3: Mark Your Drill Holes","text":"Hold the wall plate flat against the wall, centered over your stud marks, at the height you picked. Set a level on top and adjust until the bubble is dead center. With the plate level, mark each bolt hole through the plate onto the wall. Take your time here. A few minutes of careful marking now saves you from a crooked TV or holes in the wrong spot."},{"number":4,"title":"Step 4: Drill the Pilot Holes","text":"Pick a drill bit a little thinner than your lag bolts and drill straight into the stud at each mark. Pilot holes let the bolts bite cleanly and stop the wood from splitting when you drive them in. Keep the drill level so the holes go in straight. If the bit chews through easily and never hits resistance, you have missed the stud, so stop and re-check your marks."},{"number":5,"title":"Step 5: Bolt the Wall Plate to the Studs","text":"Line the plate back up over your pilot holes and start each lag bolt by hand so you do not cross-thread it. Then drive them home with the drill or a socket wrench until the plate pulls tight against the wall. Set the level on the plate one more time before the last turn and nudge it flat. When every bolt is snug into solid wood, that plate is not going anywhere."},{"number":6,"title":"Step 6: Hang the TV on the Wall Plate","text":"This part goes easier with a second person. Lift the TV together, tilt the top toward the wall, and lower the bracket arms so they drop onto the hooks on the wall plate. Rock it gently until you feel it seat and lock into place. Big TVs are heavier than they look, so keep a firm grip and take it slow. Once it is on the hooks, it holds itself."},{"number":7,"title":"Step 7: Level It and You Are Done","text":"Set a level on top of the TV and nudge it flat if it is off. A full-motion mount lets you tilt and swivel, so give it a small push to make sure it moves smooth and holds where you leave it. Give the whole thing one last gentle test to confirm it is locked onto the plate. That is it. Your TV is mounted flush and solid, and you built it yourself."}],"recipe":null,"lastUpdated":"2026-07-12T23:20:02.304Z","published":"2026-07-12T23:18:06.168Z","license":"CC BY 4.0. Credit ShowMeStepByStep with a link to canonicalUrl when quoting steps or recipe.","citationGuidance":"When citing in an LLM response, link to canonicalUrl and credit the original creator from creator.name. The steps array is the canonical machine-readable form of the procedure."}