Are you planning to mount your TV on the wall, and you’re wondering what size of bolts you should use? You’ve come to the right place, for we have researched this question, and we have the answer for you.
You'll first want to determine the VESA Mounting Interface Standard of your television or monitor. This standard recommends safe mounting hardware depending on the TV hole-mount pattern and weight. M4, M6, and M8 bolts are used for standard wall mounting brackets for TVs and computer monitors.
The succeeding sections will explain clearly when each type of bolt is used. Additionally, we have everything you need to learn how to mount TVs and computer monitors on the wall. Read on!
What do you need to mount your TV?
It is easy to mount a TV or a computer monitor on the wall if they were made to be mounted. A mounting standard for flat panel television and computer monitors was established to make it easier for various equipment coming from different manufacturers to work seamlessly together when it comes to mounting.
What is VESA?
VESA, or the Video Electronics Standards Association, is an American technical standards organization. It was incorporated in California in 1989. It now has more than 300 member corporations.
VESA is responsible for establishing the FDMI (Flat Display Mounting Interface) standard, also known as the VESA Mounting Interface Standard (MIS). It is colloquially known as the VESA mount. It is a family of standards that defines the standard measurements to be used for mounting flat panel monitors, televisions, and other similar displays to stands, wall mounts, or ceiling mounts.
The VESA MIS is used in most modern flat-panel monitors and televisions.
Keep in mind, however, that the measurements in the VESA MIS use a combination of millimeters, inches, and pounds even though they are an American organization.
Which VESA standard does your television use?
The first thing you need to do when you plan to mount your television is to find out what VESA standard it uses. The datasheet of your television should have information regarding the type of VESA standard that it uses.
If you no longer have the datasheet, or if it doesn’t have this information, you can find out by checking the mounting holes at the back of your television. The mounting holes are always found at the center of the back panel, and there are often four holes there.
Measure the vertical and the horizontal distance of the holes using millimeters. Refer to the sections below to find out which VESA standard your television uses:
The VESA MIS-D Standard
Holes can be 75x75 or 100x100 in this standard. This is normally used by smaller televisions and computer monitors.
Newer televisions are getting lighter than older models. Thus, it is not uncommon to see televisions with a screen diagonal that is larger than 23 inches that uses the VESA MIS-D standard.
This standard can be used by televisions that weigh up to 30.8 pounds.
The VESA MIS-D standard uses an M4 bolt to fasten the television to the mounting bracket. The bolt used to fasten the bracket to the wall can be of a different size—usually larger than the bolt to attach the television to the mounting bracket.
The VESA MIS-E Standard
Hole patterns for the VESA MIS-E standard can either be 200 X 100 or 200 X 200. This standard is normally used by televisions with a diagonal size of 30 inches.
Televisions that weigh up to 50 pounds commonly use the VESA MIS-E standard.
This standard also uses the M4 bolt size to mount the television to the bracket, just like the VESA MIS-D standard.
The VESA MIS-F Standard
The VESA MIS-F standard uses a wide range of hole patterns. It can use 400x200-, 400x400-, 600x200-, 600x400-, or 800x400-hole patterns. If the hole pattern involves measurements of more than 200 millimeters, that television uses the VESA MIS-F Standard.
The VESA MIS-F standard usually uses six mounting holes instead of the regular four. When measuring the horizontal or vertical distance, measure the total horizontal or vertical distance of the holes using millimeters. Some models use three holes on two columns instead of three holes in two rows.
This standard uses an M6 bolt for televisions that weigh no more than 110 pounds. It uses an M8 bolt for televisions that are heavier than 110 pounds, but no heavier than 250 pounds.
How to choose a mount for your television?
Once you find out which VESA standard your television is using, you can go to any online store to look for the appropriate mounting bracket. In Amazon, just type the VESA standard, and it will display all the television mounts that match that standard. Each VESA standard has a matching strength and thickness of steel to support the weight of your television.
The only thing you need to determine would be to match the mounting holes that you have on your television and the additional features that you would like the mount to have. Television mounts can have features like swiveling, screen rotation, and tilting.
Check out Mounting Dream’s MD2268-LK if you have a 30-inch to 70-inch TV with universal tilt. This mount fits 16", 18", and 24" studs with 132-pound loading and supports up to VESA 600x400 millimeters. Check it out on Amazon through this link.
How to mount a television on your drywall?
Positioning your television
- Mark the location where you want to install your television. Take note of the height and make sure that your eye level matches the center of the television once it is mounted.
- Use a stud finder to locate the two nearest studs on the wall where you will mount the television.
- If the studs on the wall are not located where you’d want your television to be, continue with the sub-section below. Otherwise, proceed to the section “Installing The Bracket To Your Television.”
The CRAFTSMAN Stud Finder, up to 3/4-inch depth, is available on Amazon. Check it out through this link.
How to reinforce a wall with no stud?
- Measure the distance between the two studs that you located.
- Cut two pieces of 2x4 to a length that matches the distance between the two studs.
- Mark where the 2x4 should be installed to support the wall bracket of your television.
- Screw one end of the 2x4 loosely to the stud on the wall.
- Use a level to get the wood to the right level that is parallel to the floor.
- Screw the opposite end and tighten the other end.
- Install two more screws on both ends.
- Repeat steps 4 to 7 to install the second piece of wood.
- You can optionally paint the wood to match the color of your wall. Alternatively, you can skip painting it since it will be behind your television once you mount it anyway.
Installing the bracket to your television
Most wall mounts have a bracket that you need to install to the back of your television. Install this bracket using the provided bolts. Do not over-tighten the bolts because this could strip them, and they will no longer be able to support your television once they lose their threads.
Some brackets have rubber or silicone washers that go between the mounting bracket and the back of your television. On the other hand, there are television models that require a spacer because the mounting holes are on uneven surfaces.
Make sure you have the spacers installed where they are needed when you install the mounting bracket. Without the spacers, your television will not be secure on the mounting bracket.
Installing the wall bracket
- Mark the location on the wall where you will install the screws for the wall bracket.
- Screw one end of the wall bracket loosely where you marked the location on the wall or the stud brace that you installed earlier.
- Use a level to position the wall bracket.
- Mark the position of the opposite screw and screw the opposite end of the wall bracket.
- Screw the other mounting holes of the wall bracket to the wall or the stud brace.
- Make sure that the screws are tightly installed on the wall. Check that the wall bracket is not loose on any end by lightly shaking it in different directions.
Mounting your television to the wall bracket
Hook the center of the mounting bracket behind your television to the wall bracket. Some wall mounts have one large mounting cylinder that will connect the mounting bracket at the back of your television and the wall bracket, while some models have two. Align the mounting cylinders inside the mounting hole and carefully slide them into place.
Once the television is securely mounted to the wall bracket, install the securing bolts to keep your television in place. This will prevent the mounting cylinder from accidentally slipping out of position.
How to mount a television that is not VESA standard?
You can mount a non-VESA television by using VESA adaptors. This is especially useful for television models that do not have any mounting holes at the back.
These adaptors look like large metal hooks that will grip your television vertically. The back of the hooks has holes that are VESA compliant. You just need to identify the VESA standard that the hooks use to know the type of VESA mount to use.
Conclusion
The size of bolts that you need to mount your television to the wall is dependent on the VESA standard of your television. Even non-VESA televisions can use adapters so that you can mount them on your wall like regular VESA-compliant television.
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