Wall Mounted TV with Hidden Wires Tutorial
Do you have a flat screen TV? Do you have children? Wish you could mount your TV on the wall for space and safety? Or have you already mounted your TV, but the wires are visible and hang below your screen? GASP—not the dreaded visible wires syndrome!
Today I have a tutorial to show you How to Install a Wall Mount for your TV AND How to Hide those Unsightly Wires in a cable management system. SANUS sent me their Full-Motion TV Wall Mount and In-Wall Cable Management to use for this tutorial. Before you start thinking that you can’t do this, or that you have to hire an electrician to run power behind the TV, you don’t! And this is a very easy DIY project! The SANUS In-Wall Cable Management System is the coolest product. It allows you to hook up to an existing outlet elsewhere (within 60″ horizontally from your TV)! (Per FTC regulations, you should know that this is a sponsored post for SANUS, but I approached them after researching TV mounts and cable management systems. )
Genevieve Gorder has some good information about why you want to use a SANUS mount in this short video:
Why did I want to use the SANUS mount? Here’s just a few reasons:
You can pull your screen out from the wall or press it back to just a few inches away. (The arms extend a full 20″. Further than shown, because our cables are too short to fully extend.)
The power cord plugs into an ultra low profile in wall cable system. All wires are hidden behind the TV.
The TV can also extend and swivel from left to right. This allows us to be able to watch TV from the adjacent room! Which means the kids can eat pizza AND watch a movie because they can safely sit at the kitchen table and view the movie in the living room. Score one for Mom! No more pizza stains on the rug or sofa.
Ready to learn how you can easily mount your flat-screen TV on the wall AND hide the wires? Let’s get to it!
Materials:
(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)
- SANUS Full-Motion TV Wall Mount
- SANUS In-Wall Cable Management
- Tape measure
- Painter’s tape
- Stud finder (included in the box, but I like using a bigger one) or view 5 ways to find a stud without a studfinder
- Pencil
- Level (also included, but I prefer a bigger one)
- 1/2″ Socket wrench
- Drywall saw (possibly a multi-tool if you have paneling on your walls)
- Flat head & phillips head screwdriver
- Drill
- 7/32 wood drill bit
- Flashlight & mirror (or smart phone with camera)
Instructions:
This tutorial will show how to install the mount and cable management system in drywall. If you have walls that aren’t drywall, please contact SANUS customer service for help selecting a product for your home.
Decide where you want to mount your TV. Locate the closest studs to the TV. Typically studs are 16″ apart (on center).
Determine the height you want your TV to hang. View the SANUS HeightFinder page to get exact measurements for hanging the wall plate. Mark the dimensions from the HeightFinder page onto your wall.
Tape the SANUS Wall Plate Template on the wall centered on the desired location your TV will hang. Level the template.
Locate the studs you marked earlier and drill holes through the wall into the studs (2 on top and 2 on bottom) using the 7/32″ drill bit.
Attach the wall plate to the wall using the 1/2″ lag bolts and washers.
Center the Wall Cut-out Template for the cable management system in between the wall studs inside the wall plate. Level the template and trace around it.
Drill holes into the four corners of the traced template. Use a drywall saw to cut between the holes.
To keep the drywall from dropping into the wall, tape over the cut out before you complete your cuts.
Use a flashlight and mirror or your smart phone to take a picture in the wall. Make sure you have a clear shot down to the baseboard level.
Tape the cable management template just above your baseboard directly below the upper cut out. Level the template.
Repeat the same steps to cut out around the template. When cutting through wood paneling you will want to use a power saw, like a multi-tool.
Feed your cables that attach to the back of your TV through the back of the upper cable management system. (The upper unit has a regular electrical outlet receptacle.) Press the management system into the wall.
Use a flat head screwdriver to tighten the wings that will secure to the inside of the drywall.
Locate and pull the cables and the PowerConnect cable through the bottom cut out. Connect the PowerConnect cable connectors together and press firmly until you hear them click.
Thread the additional cables through the back of the lower cable management system.
Press the in wall cable management system into the wall and tighten the wings using your screwdriver.
Time to prep your TV for mounting!
Remove the TV stand from your TV. Some flat-screen TVs have screws on the back that will release the stand.
SANUS includes several TV screws with the wall mount kit. Locate the screws that fit your TV. Use the shortest ones you can to avoid damage to your screen.
Attach the TV brackets to your TV using the screws and washers.
Locate the arm assembly and press it into the wall bracket as shown below:
Attach the arm assembly to the wall bracket with provided screws (two on top and two on the bottom). You’ll find it a lot easier to tighten the screws if you have a hex bit for your screwdriver. The provided hex wrenches are a little more difficult to turn close to the wall.
The TV mount should look like this:
Get the assistance of a Pretty Handsome Guy (or a friend) to help lift the TV and rest it onto the arm assembly.
Attach the provided “click caps” to the TV bracket to secure the TV to the arm assembly.
Plug the TV into the receptacle behind the TV and attach the cables to the TV.
Neatly fold the excess cables and use a zip tie to hold the cable in place. Tuck the excess cables into the arm assembly.
Attach the cable covers to the arm assembly with the smaller hex wrench.
Plug the PowerConnect power cord into the lower cable management box. Plug the other end into the closest outlet (not to exceed 60″ horizontally.)
You’re done and it’s time to enjoy your favorite shows! Look Ma’, no wires!
In the meantime, I’m off to finish watching Mad Men (yes, I’m a little behind on my viewing.) Anyone else still watching that series? I love Joan because she rocks the curvy look ;-).
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for SANUS. I was not told what to write or say about the SANUS products. I am very particular about the brands I mention on my blog. This is a company I approached because I read great things about their products. You can rest assured that I don’t mention products or brands on my blog that I don’t like. I will always disclose if you are reading a sponsored post or product review.
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This is perfect timing! We just inherited my boyfriend’s brother’s large flat screen. Thanks to out long narrow living room the wall is the only place to put it without sacrificing seating, plus my boyfriend’s 2 year old son makes wall mounting the best of ideas. Please pick me!!
This is awesome! I have recently been researching flat screen mounts to get our on the wall. I hope I win this!!! Either way, your tutorial makes me feel much better about my hubby and I hanging this ourselves (which we planned on anyway)!
I like how they offer a system for managing cords and don’t have to stare at the unsightly wires. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve started looking into mounting the TV to the wall. This product looks like just the thing.
This looks great! Just what we need in the den of our new (to us) house! Thanks for the detailed description.
Thanks for the tutorial and giveaway!
Question, how would one use this over a fireplace where there isn’t a clear shot down to the baseboard?
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for the question. Please call us at 877.894.6280 or email us at [email protected] with your contact info and someone from our SANUS Care department will be happy to assist. Thanks again!
This is really great. I have two tv’s that need mounting!
I always wondered how people hid the cords. Now I know! Amazing, since I have a dislike for seeing cords.
I need this! I did something similar but it’s not nearly as nice.
Full motion mount……drool.
Definitely need this with our 18 month old running around!
I so need this for our family room!!
I have a different brand in-wall cable management system that I installed 5 years ago. Absolutely love it! (I did have issues installing it because my house was built in 1907 and a fire block and plaster chunks were in they way.) I work in residential construction and encourage everyone to think about these. I’m entering and if I win will give it as a gift to a family member. I have no need for another one in my house. We have 5 new homes going up right now & sending all of those homeowners towards this giveaway.
Love the full motion option; it would be amazing to see the TV from the kitchen while I’m cooking dinner!!
Can’t wait to mount a TV like this! Was hoping to avoid a large piece of furniture in a small room. This solution is perfect so we don’t have to see the wires!
Oh Brittany, this is awesome~! What a great tutorial as well. You don’t want to know the hideous job of a TV “mount” is currently in use. lol I love that it extends out 20″ and moves side to side. Congratulations on the new Sanus mounting system in your house as well!!
I have hated the looks of wall mounted TV’s until this. Got to have this one. Thanks for the detailed instructions. You make it look doable!
I made a mess installing mine on the wall. Time to do it right.
This is a great tutorial – I’m always really concerned about the TV falling over, since it’s on a wheeled cart. If little ones visit we try to keep them out of the TV room since I’m worried they will try to push the cart & it’ll fall over. So perfect timing – I’m glad you’ve done some research on it and it looks great. I like that you can hide the cables away so easily, too.
That is one incredibly cool system Brittany! Great tutorial & what a wonderful giveaway!
This would give me more room and no danger of the television tipping over. Great giveaway!
WOW Love this idea and the way to hide the wires!!! Perfect for a living room or great room mount. Think my son is going to love this for his open layout cabin on the river, can hide all those ugly wires now. Love how they include templates to make it even easier. WTG Sanus systems for a GREAT IDEA!!!!
This is a fantastic giveaway and an awesome product! Thank you for giving me the confidence I need to do the installation myself.
I would love to win this! My family so needs one of these 🙂
This is very cool. If never heard of this company. Thanks for the info!
I have already been looking at the Sanus. I have three small children and safety is a huge priority. It would also be nice to keep them at the dining room table for Friday night movie night.
I have to get my flat screen off my coffee table. It’s been sitting there for 5 months – i spent all my budget on thie nice TV so now I really need Sanus ! Thanks !
I never knew we could mount the tv and hide the cables like this without a pro installer! I SO want this!
I really, really love this. The kit seems to include everything you need. Definitely going to research more and probably buy. Thanks for the great info.
I would love this! I hate seeing all of the cables going every which way from our tv. This looks perfect!
I love the fact that all the wires are hidden in the wall. We have resisted moving to a wall mount because of the ugly wires hanging below the television. This looks like the perfect solution! I also like the fact that it would make it safer for my grandchildren than having the t.v. on the stand.
This is awesome! I hate the cords that show on our tv now. I’m constantly trying to push them behind some trim!
This hidden wire system looks great. We already have the paintable cord covers on the cords strung from the outlet to the TV horizontally but it’s a mess going vertically to the wall mounted system. This would make it look so much better.
love love love this ! I am so hoping I can do this in my bedroom soon !
We could remove our tv stand and it would give us more space in our living room
This would be perfect for our family room – 3 grandkids running around make me nervous for big tv’s and oh to not see all the cords would be heavenly! Thanks for sharing
How beautiful and yet amazingly simple! This would do wonders for my cable mess.
I always thought it was magical when someone hid all the cords in the wall, but you really make it look do-able! This system makes it look so clean and finished too!
Love the look of a cleanly mounted tv, but never wanted to have to do any electrical work. Love that this option is not hard wired to an outlet!!
I’d love to hide the wires. They’re ugly! I’ve been thinking of doing something similar but it looks like Sanus is the best option. What a great idea! Thank you for sharing.
This would be great for a room in our home that we use for movies only- so that it feels like a theater to save money watching movies at home
Cords drive me nuts!!! I’d love this solution. So chic.
We used to have a tv mount with an arm, and it was AMAZING! Then when we moved we were given one that just tilts and I hate it. We’re in the market for a new TV so getting a new wall mount and cord management system would be awesome!! Thanks for the giveaway!
This is awesome! We have our TV mounted on the wall but haven’t been able to tame the cord clutter. This looks like what we need!
Wow! I didn’t know you could do that!
We want to mount them so they are safer for the kids
I have toddlers twins, so mounting the TV would surely be a safety improvement in my house!
Awesome tutorial thanks!
I would love this in our master bedroom. We don’t have a lot of space, so this would be a great space saver! Thanks for the chance!
I think this SANUS mount and cable management system is incredible. I would LOVE to win it!
I’ve been wanting to do this for some time now, thanks for the great tutorial
I love the clean look! The fact that you don’t have a Tarzan tangle of wires staring you in the face while trying to watch TV…AWESOME! and even I could do it. I am also in love with the tilt feature. Thanks for cluing me in to this product and for the great tutorial.
I have been looking at the Sanus TV mounting system for our new home. It’s good to hear a first hand account of how easy the installation is. Thanks for the review.
I want to hide the cords..I swear I have learned the most amazing things on this site and it turns out to be pretty simple..I always use to leave it all up to the hubby to do..I would love to mount my TV!!! it would look awesome
This is amazing. Will be trying soon!
Why don’t you learn how to add a 15 amp recepticle behind the tv? I’ve seen that SANUS item before and although it claims to NEC certified, if there was a failure and a house fire resulted from it, I can foresee your home’s insurance company not only giving you shit for this but maybe even not covering the claim. Home improvement stores carry a variety of topical books so the best thing to do (short of hiring a licensed electrican to do the job) is to pick up a book or two on basic wiring and learn the right way to do this. The SANUS item appears to merely be a fancy extension cord that is run through your wall and that is a big no-no according to the NEC.
Thanks for the great summary on how to mount your TV. A couple of other tips to keep in mind:
(1) When installing wiring in the wall, make sure it has a CL2, CL3 or Riser rating on the cable jacket. These are the only type of cable that are allowed to be inside the wall and you want to make sure your install is both Electrical and Building code compliant.
(2) When purchasing a mount, don’t go off the general TV measurements on the mounting box. You will want to look for something called the VESA spread on the TV and match that same measurement on the mount you purchase.
(3) If installing in a wall shared with the garage, you must firestop any holes made between the garage and the living space so that wall will keep it’s required fire rating. Otherwise you will be required to bring these holes up to code if you ever sell your house
(4) It is actually an electrical code violation to pull the TV power cord through the wall. To be code compliant you must use a power transfer Kit like what is shown here or simply have a licensed electrician install an AC outlet behind your TV.