How we mount a TV so it stays on the wall
The 45 minutes between the van pulling up and you sitting on the couch, step by step.
1. Walk the wall
Where you sit decides the height. For a sofa, the centre of the screen lands around 42 inches off the floor, roughly seated eye level. Above a fireplace it has to go higher, so we recommend a tilt or pull-down mount and check the heat over the mantel with a thermometer before drilling. We also find the nearest outlet and decide where the cables will run.
2. Find the framing
Most HRM homes have wood studs 16 inches apart, some newer ones 24. Downtown condos have concrete or metal studs. Older peninsula homes have plaster over wooden lath. We find studs with an electronic finder and confirm with a small pilot hole behind the bracket plate, where the hole disappears. A bracket held by drywall plugs alone is how TVs end up on the floor, so we never do it.
3. Choose the anchors for the wall
| Wall | What holds the bracket | Time | Add-on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drywall on wood studs | 2.5 to 3 inch lag bolts into two studs | 45 to 60 min | Included |
| Plaster and lath | Longer lags into studs, toggles where the lath runs between them, slow drilling so the plaster does not crack | About 1 hour | $20 |
| Concrete or metal studs | Sleeve anchors into concrete, snap toggles for metal studs, dust collected as we drill | 1 to 1.5 hours | $59 |
| Brick, stone or tile | Hammer drill, sleeve anchors into the brick itself, never the mortar; diamond bit for tile | 1 to 1.5 hours | $79 |
4. Hang the bracket and test it
The plate goes up level, checked with a laser line and a bubble level. Then Vlad hangs his weight off it. If it moves at all, it comes off and we start again. Only then does the TV come out of the box.
5. Hide the wires
- Paintable on-wall channel, $49. A slim raceway from the TV down to the outlet. Paint it the wall colour and it disappears. Works on every wall type, including brick and concrete.
- Inside the wall, $119. HDMI and other low-voltage cables go through two small plates and run inside the drywall cavity. Drywall on studs only.
- Inside the wall with a recessed power kit, $219. Power cords are not allowed inside walls under the electrical code, so we add a recessed in-wall power kit: an outlet behind the TV fed from the existing outlet below. Code-compliant, no electrician, nothing visible.
6. Pick the right mount
- Fixed, $59 from us. Sits closest to the wall. Best when you watch straight on and the outlet is not behind the TV.
- Tilt, $79. Angles down a few degrees. The right choice above a fireplace or for any TV mounted high.
- Full-motion, $119. Pulls out and swivels. Corners, open-plan rooms, and any time you want to reach the ports.
Your own mount is welcome. We check its VESA pattern and weight rating against the TV before it goes up, and tell you if it is not safe.
7. TV on, level, clean
Two people lift anything over 65 inches. Safety screws go in, the tilt is set, up to three devices are connected, and the picture is checked. Then the wall is vacuumed, the packaging goes into the van, and you look at it before you pay.
Ready? Pick your TV size and wall and the calculator gives you the exact price.