Planning, process & cost
How to mount a TV on the wall with hidden cables
The cables have to go somewhere. The question is how much wall you are willing to open.
There are three ways to hide TV cables. You can route them inside the existing wall, which suits stud walls best. You can build a media wall, a new framed wall face with a service void behind it that hides every cable and box. Or you can use slim trunking painted to match the wall, which is the least invasive. A media wall gives the cleanest result and the most flexibility, because cables can be changed later without opening plaster.
Option one: inside the existing wall
On a stud wall, cables can usually drop inside the cavity from behind the TV to a socket or outlet plate lower down. Noggins between the studs can get in the way and need drilling through. On solid brick, hiding cables means chasing a channel into the wall and replastering, which is messier and more permanent.
Mains power should not simply be pushed through a wall behind a TV. Any new socket should be installed by an electrician.
Option two: a media wall with a service void
A media wall is a timber framed, boarded wall built out from the existing one. The gap behind it becomes a service void, with conduit running from the TV position to a cupboard, shelf or recess where the boxes live. The TV mount is fixed into timber built into the frame for exactly that purpose.
Because the conduit stays accessible, you can swap cables or add a soundbar later without damaging anything. This is one of the most common reasons people choose a media wall.
Option three: surface trunking
Slim trunking run from the TV down to the socket, painted to match the wall, is quick and fully reversible. It suits rented homes or anyone not ready for building work. It is not invisible, but done neatly it is far tidier than loose cables.
Fixing the mount properly
Whatever hides the cables, the bracket must be fixed into something that can carry the TV, especially with an arm that pulls it away from the wall. Masonry takes suitable anchors; stud walls need the bracket on studs or on timber added behind the board. Plasterboard fixings alone are not the answer for a large screen.
Choosing the right height and position
Most people mount TVs too high. For a sofa, the centre of the screen is usually most comfortable close to seated eye level. Above a fireplace, check the heat and whether you will be looking up for long periods. Decide where speakers, a soundbar and any games console will go at the same time, because each one adds cables that need a route. Planning it all together means every lead has a home and nothing ends up hanging below the screen.
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