TV Wall Mount Sizing Guide: VESA, Weight, and Height

Step 1: Find your TV's VESA pattern

VESA is the standard for the four threaded holes on the back of a TV. The pattern is written as horizontal spacing × vertical spacing in millimeters: 300 × 200 means the holes are 300 mm apart side to side and 200 mm apart top to bottom. Roku, for example, lists 300 × 200 for the 55-inch Pro Series OLED and 400 × 200 for the 65-inch.

A mount's box lists the VESA patterns it supports, usually as a range, and your TV's pattern has to fall inside it. You'll find the TV's pattern in its manual or on the manufacturer's spec page, or you can measure between the hole centers.

• Screws vary by TV — M6 and M8 are common — and the right length depends on the model. Use what the TV's manual specifies; most mounts include a selection.
• If the back of the TV is curved or has bulging ports, use the mount's spacers so the bracket sits flat.
• Never force a screw that's too long. It can damage the TV's internals.

Step 2: Check the weight rating, with margin

Use the TV's weight without its stand, which is on the spec sheet, and pick a mount rated comfortably above it. Full-motion arms put more leverage on the wall than flat mounts, so leave extra margin there. For reference, Amazon's listing puts the 65-inch Roku Pro Series OLED at 35.8 pounds without its stand; big mini-LEDs at 85 inches and up weigh much more.

A mount's rating only holds if the wall does. A mount rated for 150 pounds, attached to drywall with the wrong anchors, is not a 150-pound mount.

Fixed, tilting, or full-motion?

Choose by where you sit and where the light comes from:

• Fixed (low-profile): the closest to the wall and the least expensive. Best when the TV sits at eye level directly in front of the seating.
• Tilting: angles the screen down a few degrees. Best when the TV has to go above eye level — over a console, or in a bedroom — or to dodge glare from a window or ceiling light.
• Full-motion (articulating): swings out and swivels. Best for corners, open-plan rooms you watch from two places, or easy access to rear ports. It sits farther off the wall when folded and puts the most stress on it.
• Gallery-style TVs like the LG G6 are designed to hang flush; check which mount the manufacturer recommends before buying a third-party one.

Step 3: Find the studs (or the right anchors)

In most U.S. homes with wood framing, studs sit 16 inches apart on center, sometimes 24. A stud finder, a small test hole, or a strong magnet that finds drywall screws will locate them. Most mounts for 55-inch and larger TVs have a wall plate wide enough to span two studs — use both.

Metal studs, brick, and concrete each need their own hardware: masonry anchors for brick and concrete, and anchors specifically rated for metal studs. Drywall anchors aren't a substitute for studs unless the mount maker explicitly approves them for your TV's weight. When in doubt, hire an installer; it costs far less than a cracked panel.

How high to mount a TV

Aim the center of the screen at your eye level when seated. For many sofas, that's roughly 40 to 45 inches off the floor, but sit down and measure your own. A small upward glance is fine; a big one is a sore neck over a two-hour movie, which is why mounting over a fireplace is usually a compromise.

A TV's VESA holes are rarely centered on the screen, so work it out in three measurements: the target height for the screen's center, the distance from the screen's center to the TV's mounting holes, and where those holes land on the mount's wall plate. Mark it all with painter's tape before you drill.

• Bedrooms: you'll usually sit higher and farther back, so a slightly higher mount angled down on a tilting bracket tends to work best.
• Over a fireplace: check the TV maker's guidance on heat, and consider a pull-down mount that lowers the screen toward eye level.
• Leave room below the TV for a soundbar and its cable.

Cables and power

Plan the cables before the TV goes up — it's much easier than fishing them afterward.

• Don't run a standard power cord inside the wall. Use an in-wall power kit made for TVs, or a paintable surface raceway.
• Buy HDMI cables long enough to reach with slack, especially with a full-motion arm. For 4K at 120Hz, use certified Ultra High Speed HDMI cables.
• Samsung's S95H offers an optional Wireless One Connect box (sold separately) that moves the inputs off the TV, leaving only power at the screen.
• Plug in and test everything — every input, the soundbar, the network — before you hang the TV.

Before you drill: a checklist

Run through this list before the first hole:

• The TV's VESA pattern is inside the mount's supported range.
• The mount's weight rating is well above the TV's weight without its stand.
• You have the right screw size and length from the TV's manual.
• Studs (or approved anchors for your wall type) are found and marked.
• The screen-center height is marked and checked from the seat.
• Cables, power, and soundbar placement are planned.
• Two people for the lift, and a pro for anything heavier than you can safely handle.