When you move into an apartment, you want to make your new place as cozy and comfortable as possible. To best utilize the space in your apartment, you may want to mount your flat-screen TV on the wall. It’s actually easier than you might think to wall mount a TV in your apartment, and it can make your space feel more open and orderly. With just a few hours of effort, you can be enjoying a movie on your wall-mounted TV.
Things to do before you mount a TV in your apartment
There are a few things you’ll need to do before you mount a TV in your apartment to ensure the process goes smoothly.
Check with your landlord first
Check your lease agreement before you start to mount your TV. The lease will usually state whether you can make holes in the walls and what repairs or fixes you must make when you move out of the apartment, like covering nail or screw holes. Wall mounting a TV will require just a few small holes which are easy to spackle and paint over when you move, leaving no more damage than if you hang pictures on the walls.
After you check your rental agreement, it’s a nice gesture to check with your landlord about mounting your TV in your apartment. Reassure the landlord you’ll cover the holes with spackle and paint when you move out, which will increase your chance of getting your security deposit refunded.
Choose the best location to mount your TV
When you’re ready to mount your TV, you want to evaluate the space in your apartment and determine the best location for hanging your TV. This depends on the room’s layout, such as the seating in the room and the location of the electrical outlets on the walls. You can conceal the cords, but you still want to mount the TV conveniently close to the outlet.
The most comfortable viewing alignment is usually around or just above eye level, which will likely be about 45 to 60 inches from the ground to the bottom of the mount. This depends upon the size of your room and the distance from the TV to the furniture.
You can have a couple of friends help you easily choose the best location for your TV. Sit in the seat from which you will watch TV, have your friends hold the TV against the wall, and test various positions to determine the ideal placement for the TV.
Alternatively, you can simply cut a piece of cardboard to the size of your TV and tape it to the wall. Sit in the viewing location, and move the cardboard around until you determine the best spot to hang the TV. Once you choose the ideal placement, trace light lines on the wall with a pencil to mark the four corners of the desired location of the TV.
Choose your wall mount
Many flat-screen TVs come with mounting kits containing brackets made for that particular TV. If your television did not come with mounting accessories, you will want to make sure the mounting kit you purchase is compatible with your TV size and model. For example, the brackets will have a maximum weight limit and some TVs have curved backs which require a specific mounting kit.
It’s important to ensure that the kit you choose can support the weight of your TV, because if you use incorrect mounting brackets your TV can fall from the wall, potentially damaging both the wall and the TV itself. It is a much better choice to spend a little bit more money and purchase an adequate mounting kit than to risk damaging your TV.
You may prefer an articulated wall mount that tilts and swivels, to give more flexibility and a better viewing experience from the angle and direction in which the TV faces. If you decide you don’t want the additional mobility, you can buy a simple immovable TV mount.
How to wall mount a TV in your apartment in 7 steps
Follow these steps when mounting a TV in your apartment.
- Locate wall studs
Use a stud finder to find two studs in the area where you are going to mount the TV. Use a pencil to lightly mark the outside edges and centers of each stud. When mounting your TV, it’s very important to find the wall studs and install the mounting bracket directly into the studs. If you attach the bracket to just drywall, it may not be strong enough to hold the weight of the TV and the device is much more likely to detach from the wall.
- Mark bracket holes
Place the mount against the wall and use a level to ensure it is straight on the wall. Mark with a pencil the drill holes where you will attach the mount to the wall. Your kit will specify the locations in the mounting bracket where the screws belong.
- Drill bracket holes
Pre-drill the holes into the studs, using a drill bit slightly smaller than the screws in the mounting kit.
- Attach bracket to the wall
Use the hardware in the kit to attach the bracket to the wall. Ensure that the mount is level once attached to the wall.
- Attach the bracket to the TV
The other half of the bracket gets attached to your TV. Protect the TV by laying it face-down on a towel or cushioned surface, then attach the other half of the mounting bracket to the back of the TV, following the instructions in the mounting kit.
- Attach the TV to wall bracket
Now you simply attach the bracket on the TV to the bracket mounted on the wall. This is usually easiest to accomplish with two people, to ensure the TV doesn’t get dropped or damaged.
- Conceal cords
While optional, you can hide your cords with cord channels so they don’t show. This simple fix gives a much cleaner and more orderly look to the mounted TV and only takes a few extra minutes to complete.
Frequently asked questions
Using a drill is the most effective way to mount a TV, but there are a few other options you can consider if you do not want to drill holes. Consider using adhesives for wall mounting including double-sided mounting tape, adhesive screws, or brick clamps. The effectiveness of adhesives will depend on the weight of the TV, and are not always a safe option.
It is possible to mount a TV without damaging the walls, but you should always test the product you are using before committing to ensure there is no damage to your apartment surfaces.
If there is any damage to your apartment walls from mounting your TV you will want to use spackle and paint to make any cosmetic repairs. Damage left when you move out could result in a deduction from your security deposit.
There are a few options to hide the wires for your mounted TV in your apartment. The most common options are cord clips and zip ties.
Mounting a TV in your apartment can add space and style to your room. This simple project that takes just a few hours adds a modern decorative touch to your living space.
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