Mounting your TV on the wall has many benefits, from creating a cleaner aesthetic and improving your viewing experience to saving space, but there are quite a few things to consider. Every house is different and constructions standards and materials can vary from wall to wall. While some people opt to do the job themselves, many people in St. Louis choose to hire us to take care of this sometimes complicated project for them.

With a standard drywall install, the following tools are needed under PERFECT conditions. It’s not unusual to need multiple other tools to complete the job:

  • Stud Finder: There are many options out there. For standard drywall installs, you’ll want to make sure you’re hitting the stud behind the drywall, using anchors is not ideal and you’ll also want to have an idea what else is behind the drywall (electric, plumbing, etc.)
  • Drill: Once you determine where the studs are, a drill is needed to drill your pilot holes. Often times a separate impact drill will be needed to drive the lag bolts in.
  • Drill bits: depending on the size of your lag bolts, you’ll want to use a drill bit that is smaller than the diameter of your bolt
  • Level: Don’t trust your eye or the cheap level that comes with the mount, use a good level so you know the finished product is perfect
  • Painters Tape: We like to use painters tape to mark out the height of the TV, the studs, and the mount attachment points. When determining the height of the TV you’ll often need to coordinate 3 to 5 measuring points to ensure its properly aligned from left to right and top to bottom
  • Socket set or screwdriver: Different mounts have different systems for how the TV is secured to the wall bracket, you’ll also need a screw driver to attach the brackets to the actual TV
  • A Strong Friend: Once the wall bracket is secured and the proper height and the mounting brackets are attached to the TV, you’ll need a friend to help you mount the TV. A 55” TV or below can be a one person job, but over that, TVs become to cumbersome and heavy so help will be required

If your wall isn’t drywall, you’ll need a whole host of other tools from hammer drills to masonry bits or special anchors for steels studs (the provided hardware will not work with these).

Below are some recent projects we’ve completed that offer their own unique situations.

Standard Drywall Installation

This is about as simple as it gets. The client was completing a basement remodel and wanted to upgrade their TV setup up. We implemented a 75” Samsung Q70A display and paired it with the SONOS ARC and Sanus Arc mount. To add low end, we also installed a SONOS Sub. The power was routed behind the TV in a recessed box.

We ALWAYS go with an articulating mount, the slim mounts we use still get the TV tight to the wall, but even if articulation isn’t needed, the ability to do so and get behind the TV later to unplug a device is so much more convenient.

Samsung Frame on Plaster Fireplace

The Samsung Frame is an awesome solution. When not in use, the TV doubles as wall art and Samsung offers a deep catalog of different images that can be displayed from Monet to Rembrandt. The Frame comes with it’s own unique mount and is very tricky to mount as it is two separate pieces that need to be mounted perfectly level with one-another as well as a specific width apart. Installing this on plaster added another layer of complexity but the end result was awesome.

TV Mounted in Built in Bookshelves

This client had built in bookshelves and we were able to implement an articulating mount that pulled the TV away from the wall so it wasn’t so recessed. In addition to getting the display aligned to the proper height, we also implemented a SONOS Arc for room filling sound.

TV Mounted to Brick Fireplace

Prior to calling us, this client had their TV sitting precariously on the mantle and the cords were draped to the black box on the lower left (those aren’t speakers, they’re cabinets with black frames sitting in front of them). Mounting the TV to brick requires a hammer drill and masonry bits to ensure the display is properly secured. We routed the cables behind the mantle and into the recessed space in the cabinet. In order to keep it as clean as possible we installed cable raceway to hide the cables as much as possible. Overall the end result turned out very nice!

TV Mounted to Plaster Fireplace with Brick Surface Behind It

This was another situation where the TV was sitting on the mantle with tons of visible cables. We mounted the TV properly and also installed a SONOS Beam, the little brother to the Arc. The client also had several other components connected to the TV so we re-routed the cables to ensure the setup looked clean when not in use. Below is a before picture.

TV Mounted to Previous Exterior Wall With Floating Shelf

This client had just moved into her new home and wanted a clean setup for her living room. The room had previously been a sunroom that was finished so the TV was actually being mounted to an exterior wall. Her main request was no visible cables and she wanted her husband’s XBOX and components to be hidden in the shelf.

This was a perfect example of unknown complications that can arise on a simple TV mount. Since the wall was previously an exterior wall, the drywall had been hung directly over the siding, plywood sheeting of the home, and insulation board. This added a layer of complexity for ensuring we hit a stud as well as the routing of the cables.

View behind the drywall

A power bridge was implemented to get the power to the TV and the brush plate (seen at the bottom of the recessed box) is where the HDMI cables were routed through. The end result was a cable free install with the XBOX out of view when not in use.

TV Mounted to Tile Fireplace

This was another situation where the homeowner had previously had their TV sitting on their mantle. Thankfully there was already power installed behind the TV location but mounting to tile can be very tricky.

The first step was to find the studs, then we used a tile saw to cut through the tile to expose the stud. Once all 4 mounting points were identified we proceeded with securing the mount at the proper height.

The mount is securely in place and ready for the TV

We’d like to think Dustin and Steve are looking at us and wondering how we pulled that off…

Outdoor TV Setup – Brick Wall

This client was a huge sports fan and desperately needed an outdoor TV to watch the game at night. Previously, they would open the back door of the house and sit in just the right spot so they could view their living room TV from the screened in porch.

There was very little room/places to mount the display, but we were able to mount the TV below their kitchen window on an articulating mount and paired it with a SONOS Beam. We are an authorized SkyVue dealer and found this to be the right solution for them.

Outdoor TV Setup – Gazebo

This client has a beautiful gazebo on their deck and were looking for a way implement an outdoor TV that would be as seamless as possible with the current architecture. We built a custom mount that would ensure the TV would be safely secured while not impacting the view of the yard.

The supports of the mount were painted white and the mounting surface itself was painted black. The large coverage area in the back ensured an extra level of protection from the elements and all visible components blended in with the rest of the structure. When viewed from the yard. The black essentially disappeared and all you could see was the white supports.

The perfect outdoor oasis for a night game.

Outdoor TV Setup – Dual TVs and Full Sonos Outdoor Audio Package

This client was satisfied with just one outdoor TV, they needed two! In addition to the dual outdoor TVs we implemented a full outdoor audio solution with a SONOS Beam paired to one of the TVs and a SONOS Amp powering 4 additional outdoor speakers. Now music, movies, or sports can be bumping throughout the whole setup with incredibly simple app control.

Dual TruAudio outdoor speakers under the covered outdoor kitchen.

Dual TruAudio landscape speakers were installed on either end of the pool. All powered by SONOS.

Business TV Mounting Solutions

VHS also offers a wide range of technology solutions. Below are recent projects that were completed for businesses. From conference rooms to Firehouse management systems, we can do it all.

Proper prep work for a perfect video wall implementation.

Dual screens give the ability to display different content on both screens.

VHS is partnered with FeatherShark, the industry leaders in Firehouse management and IT support. Their LiveDash solution gives precious information in real time to fire districts and the communities they support.

TV Mounting Service – Closing

In closing, you can absolutely mount your TV yourself, however, if you’re not confident in placement and final product please give us the opportunity to earn your business. If your setup looks like the TV below (actual client photo), we can definitely help you out!