How to Mount a Flat-Screen TV

Television mounting is the quickest way to reclaim floor space and upgrade your living room aesthetic. Done well, the TV sits perfectly level, hides its own cables, and stays securely anchored to the structural frame of your house. Most DIYers fail because they rely on drywall anchors rather than finding the studs. Never trust a wall mount to drywall alone; the weight of the TV and the torque of the arm will eventually pull it out. Take the time to locate the center of your studs, and you will have a rock-solid installation that lasts for years.

1. Find Your Studs First. Use an electronic stud finder to locate the center of the wall studs behind your drywall. Mark these locations with a pencil, then use a level to ensure your marks form a perfectly vertical line.
2. Bolt Arms to Back. Lay your TV face down on a soft blanket or rug to prevent screen scratches. Bolt the two vertical mounting arms to the threaded holes on the back of the TV using the hardware kit provided with your mount.
3. Mark Perfect Alignment. Hold the wall plate against the wall at your desired viewing height. Use a bubble level on top of the plate to ensure it is perfectly horizontal before marking the pilot hole locations.
4. Drill Pilot Holes Deep. Drill pilot holes into the centers of your marked studs using a drill bit slightly smaller than your lag bolts. This prevents the wood studs from splitting when you drive the heavy bolts in.
5. Drive Lag Bolts Home. Drive the lag bolts with washers through the wall plate and into the studs using a socket wrench. Tighten them firmly until the plate is flush against the drywall, but do not crush the drywall surface.
6. Lock TV in Place. With a helper, lift the TV and hook the arms onto the wall plate. Once centered, tighten the safety screws at the bottom of the arms to lock the TV to the plate.