Field guides · Topic
Installation Tips
19 guides filed under Installation Tips, newest first, from the Express Mounting crew.
19 guides Updated Sep 2026
Field-tested techniques for the installs that are not textbook: plaster walls, metal studs, concrete, apartments, and the judgment calls in between. The same playbook our crew uses, written down - including when drywall alone is safe.
19 guides
Installation Tips guides
Installation Tips · 25 min read
Will Your Wall Mount Fit Your New TV? What 2024-2026 Specs Show
Same size, newer model: the VESA pattern carried over in 171 of 206 cases. One size up, it changed 65% of the time. What to check before a Black Friday TV upgrade.
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Installation Tips · 10 min read
Apartment TV Mounting in Los Angeles: Renter-Safe and Quake-Aware
TV mounting for LA apartments and rentals: landlord rules, deposit-safe anchoring, lath-and-plaster walls, anti-tip straps, and what it actually costs.
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Installation Tips · 11 min read
Condo & High-Rise TV Mounting in Miami: HOA Rules, Metal Studs and Concrete
How TV mounting works in Miami condos and high-rises: HOA approval, building contractor rules, freight elevators, metal-stud weight caps, concrete walls.
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Installation Tips · 10 min read
How to Mount a TV Above an Electric Fireplace (Safely)
How to mount a TV above an electric fireplace: why it's lower-risk than gas or wood, the one vent check that matters, height, mount type, and a heat test.
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Installation Tips · 10 min read
How to Hide TV Wires In the Wall (In-Wall Cable Concealment Guide)
How to hide TV wires inside the wall the code-compliant way: in-wall power relocation kits, NEC rules, the tools you need, and when to call an electrician.
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Installation Tips · 10 min read
How to Mount a TV in an Apartment Without Damaging Walls
Renter's guide to mounting a TV in an apartment without losing your deposit: no-drill options, landlord-safe stud mounting, and damage-free cable hiding.
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Installation Tips · 11 min read
Drilling into Brick vs. Stone Veneer: A Safety Guide for TV Mounting
Solid brick takes Tapcons in the face or mortar joint, whichever lines up with the mount holes. Veneer can't hold a TV alone: anchor into what's behind it.
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Installation Tips · 11 min read
How to Find Studs Behind Plaster and Lath Walls: 6 Methods That Work
Electronic stud finders misread plaster. The magnet method finds lath nails reliably, plus 5 backups (test hole, probe, outlet box, knock, trim).
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Installation Tips · 13 min read
How to Mount a TV on Metal Studs: Toggle Bolts for Condos and High-Rises
Lag bolts strip in thin steel studs. 1/4 in SnapToggles rated 265-300 lb each are the fix: how many to use, the step-by-step, and big-TV setups in condos.
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Installation Tips · 12 min read
TV Height From the Floor: Chart by TV Size and Room, Plus Calculator
Center the screen at 42 in from a sofa and 42-50 in from a bed. Bottom-edge marks for 32-85 in TVs, a room chart and a calculator for your own seat.
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Installation Tips · 13 min read
Do You Need Studs to Mount a TV? When Drywall Alone Is Safe
Usually yes. Drywall alone holds a TV up to about 32 in and 30 lb, on a fixed mount with 4+ rated toggles. Bigger TVs and full-motion arms need a stud.
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Installation Tips · 15 min read
TV Mounting on Stone, Brick & Uneven Surfaces in Atlanta | Difficult Wall Solutions
Mounting a TV on stone, stacked stone, brick or river rock: the bits, anchors and backer plates that hold, and the price (your size rate + $99 masonry).
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Installation Tips · 15 min read
Toggle Bolts vs Lag Bolts for a TV Mount: Sizes by Wall Type
Wood stud: 3/8 x 3 in lag bolts. Metal stud: 1/4 in SnapToggles through the steel. Brick: 3/16 x 2-3/4 in Tapcons. Drywall only: toggles, max 32 in, 30 lb.
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Installation Tips · 16 min read
VESA Size Chart by TV Size, Screw Sizes and How to Check Your TV
VESA by TV size for 2024-2026 TVs: 43-50" mostly 200×200, 55" most often 300×200, 65" 400×300, 75" 400×400, 85" mostly 600×400, plus screw sizes.
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Installation Tips · 11 min read
How to Mount a TV on Concrete or Brick: Tapcon Sizes and Steps
Under 75": 3/16 x 2-3/4 in Tapcons into solid concrete or brick. 85"+ or full-motion on poured concrete: wedge anchors. Hollow block differs. Steps inside.
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Installation Tips · 10 min read
How do you mount a TV without drilling?
Mount a TV without drilling: floor stands, tension poles and console stand bases that hold, and why adhesive strips, hooks and suction mounts never do.
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Installation Tips · 14 min read
Mounting a TV over a fireplace: safe or risky?
Is a TV over a fireplace safe? Yes, if the wall stays under 100°F at full burn, the mantel gives 6-12 in of clearance, and the mount tilts or pulls down.
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Installation Tips · 14 min read
What size TV can I mount on the wall?
Wondering if your TV is too big to mount? Express Mounting shares what size TVs are safe to wall mount and what to consider before installing.
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Installation Tips · 18 min read
How to Mount a TV: Step-by-Step Guide for Every Wall Type
After 9,747+ professional TV installs since 2015, here's the exact 8-step process that works on drywall, brick, plaster, fireplace, and concrete walls.
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