How To Mount A TV On A Brick Wall

If you’ve ever hung a TV to a wall then you know it’s not that hard to do. It’s actually the TV mount that you secure to the wall and not the TV itself. That gets hung onto the TV mount later. The important thing is securing the TV mount to the wall securely so that it’s strong enough to hold the weight of the TV. If you do it wrong the weight of the TV will rip the mount right off the wall. Generally your TV mount will provide you with all the screws and mounting hardware required to do the job. But what about if the wall is brick?

Most TV mounts come with everything you need for wood studs and drywall. Bricks complicates things a little bit, but honestly, it’s not that much harder to do. It’s the same basic concept as with studs only there’s some bricks you’ll have to drill through and the mounting screws are a little different.

In this article we’ll discuss the best way to mount a TV on a brick wall along with a list of everything you’ll need to do it. We hang TVs on brick walls all the time and it’s always been a quick and easy process.

Mount A TV To A Brick Wall In 4 Easy Steps

Mounting a flat screen TV to a brick wall is a very simple 4 step process. All you need is a couple of tools and a flat screen TV mount that’s made for the size TV you have. I’ll go over each step in more detail later but here’s a brief summary.

1. Determine the placement of your TV. I generally center my TV on the wall and then mark the height. Planning where the TV will hang is important part of installing the mount.
2. Mark exactly where the mount will go and level it. Then mark holes and drill.
3. Fasten the TV mount with masonry screws.
4. Install your TV brackets and hand the TV to the mount.

That’s it. The entire process is very simple. It actually takes more time figuring out the perfect place to hang the TV then it does to actually mount it. Here are a few more things to consider:

• The cord and outlet. If you’ve got a TV then you’ll have a power cord and sometimes a cable line. I like to install an outlet behind my TV because it hides the cord. This gives the install a cleaner look and my TV has WiFi so I don’t worry about a cable line.
• Accessories. If you’ve got speakers or a sound bar that goes with your TV then consider where they’re going too when you figure out the TV placement.

I should also mention that this method is for solid brick walls built with cement. If you have a stud wall with thin brick veneer then the mounting method will be different.

What You’ll Need

There are only a few things you’ll need to do the job:

Assess Your Brick Wall Condition

With this installation method your hanging the weight of the TV mount and TV entirely from the brick wall. This is for real brick walls only that are built using brick and cement.Not thin brick veneer. And the condition of the brick matters.

If your brick wall is old and brittle then it may not be able to hold the weight of your TV. Once you determine and mark the location of the TV mount inspect the area to make sure your bricks aren’t brittle or breaking. You’ll be able to see if the bricks are string enough to hold the TV. If you can break them with your hand then they may not be strong enough.

In the case that the bricks aren’t strong enough to hold the TV then I recommend pointing the area. Most bricks are weak because of the mortar and not the bricks themselves. But if you’ve got both brick damage and bad mortar it’s not that hard to break out the old bricks and install new ones.

Making sure your brick wall is strong enough to support the weight of your TV is a very important step and shouldn’t be avoided.

Step 1: Determine The Placement Of Your TV

Normally we mount the TV in the center of the wall horizontally but this can vary a lot depending on the layout of your home. When it comes to your TV placement there’s really no right or wrong answer, just hang it where it makes the most sense for where you like to watch TV. But I just like the look of a TV when it’s centered on the wall or chimney so that’s what I like to do.

I measure the width of my wall to find the center point and make a mark. Then I figure out the height? Here are some recommended heights you should mount a TV based on it’s size. But again, this is just a recommendation. If your mounting it above a firebox then it’ll be higher than normal. And some people may just have a preference for a high or low TV placement. Put it where you like it best. But for a house flip or staging these are the measurement I use.

Another thing to consider when mounting your TV is the location of the outlet and Cable/Ethernet. I like to mount my TV so that the outlet is near the top of the TV and to the center. This way you don’t see any cord and the TV can be tilted however I like.

make sure if your installing a new outlet for the TV that you don’t put it where the TV mount goes. I’ve seen this done in the past and it’s a pain to redo. When you install the outlet high it’ll easily clear the mount.

Flat screen TV mounted to an outside brick fireplace.

Step 2: Drill Mounting Holes

Now that you’ve marked exactly where you want to hang the TV, it’s time to drill the mounting holes. This is where the process is a little different than mounting a TV on a standard stud wall with drywall.

Hold your TV mounting bracket on the wall exactly where you want it and mark the holes. Some hardware kits come with a template but I like to use the actual mount. If the template isn’t perfect it could mess up the hole placement so I don’t use it.

Mortar is a little easier to drill than brick but it’s not as strong. Although it should be strong enough to hold the TV as long as it’s in good condition. I don’t really care if I’m drilling into brick or mortar so wherever the mount falls is fine.

Use a level to make sure the mount is perfect but also use your eye. I like to line up the TV with the line of the bricks. Even if the bricks are off a little bit I want the TV edges to line up with the bricks. Even if that means the TV is a little off that’s OK with me because you won’t notice it. However if the TV is perfect and the bricks are off you’ll see that the lines don’t match. Trust me it’ll look weird.

You have to use a special masonry drill bit to make the holes. I like to use a 3/16″ Tapcon bit. They’re the same manufacturer as the screws I use so it makes things easier.

I use a hammer drill to drill my holes into the brick. You only need to drill as deep as the screws are long. A regular drill will go through brick and mortar too but the hammer options makes it much easier.

Most TV mounts require 4 screws but check your directions. If the TV is really heavy it may require 6 or even 8.

Step 3: Fasten With Screws

Once all four holes are drilled I hold the TV mounting bracket in place and start screwing. I like to add a washer to the screws before I drive them in. The washer helps hold the bracket more securely because it provides additional surface area.

For this step I like to use my screw gun.

Keep installing screws until they’re all in place.

Don’t over tighten the screws. Just drive them in until they’re tight. You don’t want to strip the or make them spin in the brick. Over tightening can weaken the hold.

Step 4: Add The Brackets To The TV

The mounting kit will come with brackets that screw into the back of your TV. Most come with a variety of screws in different sizes meant for different TVs. Find the screw that’s right for your TV and screw them in. Don’t over tighten.

I do this step by hand with a screwdriver until the screws are all snug.

Step 5: Hang The TV

Lift the TV up so that the mounting brackets hook onto the top edge of the wall mount. If you have a heavy TV I would get some help.

Make sure you pay attention to the wires when your mounting the TV onto the wall mount. If wire get in the way they could get snagged in the track. I like to disconnect the wires until after the TV is mounted.

Once the TV is mounted make any adjustment you need to. Some mounts can turn vertically and horizontally.

Flat screen bar TV mounted to a interior brick wall.

Interior vs. Exterior Brick

It doesn’t matter if your brick wall is inside the home, above a fireplace or on an outside covered patio. The installation methods we’ve gone over here are exactly the same. But there are some other considerations you should think about.

When your doing an exterior installation make sure it’s covered and in a place where the TV won’t get wet. This may sound pretty obvious to most of you but believe me there have been a lot of ruined TVs that were mounted in areas that got wet. Rain doesn’t only fall straight down. In a heavy wind rain can fall almost completely sideways so think about that when figuring out the placement.

Also consider animals. Small animals will eat exposed wiring so I’d recommend covering the wires or sheathing them in something that can’t be chewed on.

Summary: How To Mount A TV On A Brick Wall

If you’ve ever hung a TV to a wall then you know it’s not that hard to do. It’s actually the TV mount that you secure to the wall and not the TV itself. That gets hung onto the TV mount later. The important thing is securing the TV mount to the wall securely so that it’s strong enough to hold the weight of the TV. If you do it wrong the weight of the TV will rip the mount right off the wall. Generally your TV mount will provide you with all the screws and mounting hardware required to do the job. But what about if the wall is brick?

Most TV mounts come with everything you need for wood studs and drywall. Bricks complicates things a little bit, but honestly, it’s not that much harder to do. It’s the same basic concept as with studs only there’s some bricks you’ll have to drill through and the mounting screws are a little different.

I hope this article helps you mount that new flat screen TV to your brick wall. If you have any questions or comments e-mail us any time. We’d love to hear from you.