By ShowMeStepByStepPublished Updated
Based on a video by LRN2DIY.
A wall-mounted TV looks clean and frees up the space a stand would eat. The catch is doing it so the TV never comes crashing down. This walkthrough from Nils at LRN2DIY shows you how to mount a full-motion TV bracket the safe way, anchored into the wall studs instead of just the drywall.
You will find and mark the studs, bolt the mounting arms to the back of the TV, drill your pilot holes, lag the wall plate to the framing, and hang the TV. Nothing here needs a pro. With a stud finder, a drill, and a level, you can get this done in an afternoon.
New to finding framing behind drywall? Read our guide on how to use a stud finder first, then come back and mount that TV.
Once the TV is up, blinds are an easy next project with the same tools. Here is how to install window blinds, step by step.
Once you are handy with a drill and a stud, overhead work is the same idea. See how to install a ceiling fan for the mounting and wiring steps.
7 steps · about 9 minutes.Check off each step as you go and your progress saves automatically.
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.
Tip
Mark the center of each stud, not just the edges. That is where your lag bolts want to land.
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.
Tip
If the back of your TV curves, use the spacers in the kit so the arms sit flush.
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.
Tip
Have a helper hold the plate while you mark. Two sets of hands keep it from shifting.
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.
Tip
Wrap a bit of tape around the drill bit at the depth you need so you do not go too deep.
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.
Tip
Do not fully tighten the first bolt until all of them are started. That way you can still level the plate.
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.
Tip
Route your HDMI and power cables before you set the TV fully against the wall. It is much harder to reach after.
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.
Tip
Tuck any loose cables into a cord cover or channel for a clean, finished look.
Stanley
Stanley PowerLock 25' Tape Measure
The tape measure that has been in every toolbox for decades. Long standout, a blade that stays rigid, and stud-center marks at 16 inches.
Franklin Sensors
Franklin ProSensor 710 Stud Finder
13 sensors show the whole stud at once instead of guessing edges, with no calibration dance. The stud finder that ends the drywall lottery.
Klein Tools
Klein Tools 32500 11-in-1 Screwdriver
Eight bits and three nut drivers in one cushion-grip handle, so one tool covers most home fixes. The multi-driver tradespeople actually carry.
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Quick reference
5 questions, answers, and one-line explanations. Tap to expand.
1.Why can a TV mount not just screw into drywall alone?
Answer: Drywall cannot hold the weight and pull of a TV
Only the studs behind the drywall can carry a TV's weight without tearing loose.
2.What is the first thing you do to find where to anchor the mount?
Answer: Run a stud finder across the wall to locate studs
Locating the studs first tells you where the mount can actually bite into framing.
3.Why drill pilot holes before driving the lag bolts?
Answer: To let the bolts bite cleanly and avoid splitting the stud
A pilot hole a bit thinner than the bolt lets it thread in without cracking the wood.
4.What is the safest way to protect the screen while attaching the mounting arms?
Answer: Lay it face-down on a soft blanket or its box
Working on a soft surface face-down keeps the screen from scratching or cracking.
5.Why start each lag bolt by hand before running it in with a drill?
Answer: To keep from cross-threading the bolt in the hole
Starting by hand catches the threads straight so you do not cross-thread the bolt.
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