The wall-mount installation sequence

Decide where the screen should sit before anything is fixed. Consider seated eye level, the distance from the main seating, and light sources that could cause glare. A common starting reference is to place the vertical centre of the screen close to seated eye height, then refine for the room. Higher positions — above a fireplace, for instance — usually need a tilting mount to bring the picture back toward the viewer.

Confirm two figures before committing to a mount. The VESA pattern is the spacing of the threaded holes on the back of the TV, given in millimetres (for example 200 × 200 or 400 × 400); the mount's bracket must match it. The weight rating is the load the mount is designed to hold; it must exceed the actual weight of your panel with margin. Screen-size ranges on packaging are a rough guide only — the two numbers are what matter.

On a stud wall, the plate should fix into the timber, not the plasterboard alone. Use a stud detector to find the centre of each stud and confirm the finding by checking the spacing — studs commonly run at regular centres. On masonry, mark solid fixing points clear of any services. Confirm rather than trust a single reading, and be alert to concealed cables and pipes.

Hold or offer up the wall plate at the planned height, level it, and mark the fixing holes through the plate. Measure twice — a small error here is magnified across the width of the screen. Check the marks are level relative to each other, not just to a nearby edge, since floors, ceilings and skirtings are rarely perfectly true.

Drill the marked points using the bit size the mount manufacturer specifies for your wall type, then fit the correct fixings — coach screws into timber, appropriate anchors into masonry, and rated cavity fixings only where the manufacturer permits. Tighten so the plate is firm and flush without crushing the wall surface, and confirm the plate remains level as the fixings draw it in.

Attach the TV-side brackets or arms to the rear of the panel using the screws that match your VESA pattern. Where the recess is deep, the mount may supply spacers — fit them so the bracket seats correctly without straining the panel. Do not over-tighten into the threaded inserts; they are set into the TV's housing and can strip if forced.

Lift the panel and locate its brackets onto the fixed wall plate. This is a two-person task on all but the smallest screens — a controlled lift protects both the panel and your back. Once located, engage any locking mechanism, catch or safety screw the mount provides so the TV cannot lift off the plate accidentally.

With the panel located, connect power and signal cabling and route it tidily. Decide in advance between surface trunking and in-wall routing; in-wall power runs are subject to electrical regulations and may require a qualified electrician. Leave enough slack for any tilt or swivel movement so cables are not tensioned as the screen is adjusted.

Finish with checks. Confirm the panel is level now that it is loaded, that every fixing is fully seated, and that any locking feature is engaged. Apply gentle, even pressure and watch for movement at the plate. If anything shifts, flexes or feels under-supported, stop and reassess the fixings and substrate rather than leaving it in service.