What tools do you need to mount a TV on the wall?

The four tools, and why each one is on the list

Two notes on the drill. You need a drill, not an impact driver — an impact driver will happily over-torque a lag bolt and strip the hole in soft framing. And you need the right pilot bit: usually 1/8 to 3/16 inch for a standard lag bolt, and the mount’s instructions will name the size. Drilling the pilot hole too large is the quiet way to halve the holding strength. If you are deciding between tool types, our drill vs impact driver comparison covers it.

If you rent, settle this before you buy anything

A TV mount means four lag-bolt holes in the wall, roughly 3/16 of an inch across, in studs. That is not a nail hole, and it is not something a tub of filler disguises to a move-out inspector’s satisfaction.

Ask your landlord in writing. Many will say yes, some will say yes on condition you patch and repaint at move-out, and some will say no. If the answer is no or you would rather not risk the deposit, the alternatives that genuinely work are a floor-standing TV stand, a TV easel, or simply the stand the TV came with on a low unit. Adhesive strips do not hold a television — there is no renter-friendly no-hole method for this one, and anything marketed as such is worth treating with suspicion. Our guide to renter-safe repairs you can do yourself covers what you can patch convincingly and what you cannot.

The order of operations

1. Find the studs and mark both edges. Studs are typically 16 inches apart on centre, sometimes 24. A multi-sensor stud finder shows the whole width of the stud at once, which means you can mark the centre rather than guessing at it. Confirm with a second pass from the other direction.
2. Decide the height. The usual target is the centre of the screen at eye level when seated — for most sofas that puts the centre around 42 inches from the floor. Measure your own seated eye height; it is a better number than any rule of thumb.
3. Mark the bracket holes. Hold the wall plate up, level it, and mark through the holes that land on stud centres. Not the holes that are convenient — the ones on studs.
4. Drill pilot holes at the size the instructions specify, to the depth of the lag bolt. A strip of tape on the drill bit is a perfectly good depth stop. Mount hardware usually calls for a bit in the 3/16 to 3/8 inch range, which the cheapest mixed bit sets do not reach — see the best drill bit sets for home use.
5. Drive the lag bolts and check the plate is still level before the last half-turn on each.
6. Attach the TV-side brackets using the screws supplied with the mount, matching your TV’s VESA pattern. Do not substitute longer screws; they can reach the panel electronics.
7. Lift and hook on, with two people. Then route the cables and tidy them before you sit down.

What you must not mount into

• Drywall alone. No anchor sold for hollow drywall is appropriate for a television, regardless of its stated rating. The failure is not gradual.
• Plaster and lath without finding the lath joists. Common in older buildings and it needs the framing located properly; the plaster itself carries nothing.
• A wall with pipes or cables in it. Scan before you drill. Many stud finders have an AC-wire detection mode; use it, and be especially careful directly above or below an outlet or switch, where cables run vertically.
• Exterior masonry without masonry anchors and a hammer drill. A standard drill will not pilot a hole in brick or concrete, and a wood lag bolt holds nothing in it.

One last thing worth saying plainly: a TV that is not wall-mounted should be anchored to the furniture it sits on. Tip-overs are a genuine hazard in a home with children, and an anti-tip strap costs a few dollars.