Guide to TV Wall Mount Bracket Types

Choosing the best wall mount for your home

Television installers hanging large flat screen TV on wall

Jodi Jacobson / Getty Images

TV wall mounting brackets can vastly improve the aesthetics and design possibilities of a room. But there are so many to choose from. There are low-profile mounts (also called flat or fixed), tilting mounts, under-cabinet mounts, full-motion mounts, and ceiling mounts, and each has its own set of pros and cons.

Here we cover the advantages and disadvantages of each type of TV wall mount.

Low-Profile Wall Mount Brackets

What We Like
  • Easiest type of TV mount to install.

  • Cheap.

What We Don't Like
  • No tilting or left-to-right movement.

  • Can't adjust the TV after the mount is installed.

Typically, low-profile TV wall mounts brackets are the easiest to install and the lowest in cost compared to tilting and full-motion wall mounts.

The wall mounting process for a low-profile mount is only slightly more difficult than hanging a heavy picture on the wall. This ease of installation comes with a price: You cannot adjust the TV once it’s installed.

Low-profile mounts don’t tilt and they don‘t move up and down or left and right. This lack of movement makes switching out cables complicated. Since the TV does not articulate with the wall mount, you have to physically remove the TV from the wall to change cables.

Tilting Wall Mount Brackets

What We Like
  • Easy to install.

  • Vertical viewing angle can be adjusted.

What We Don't Like
  • Lacks full-motion movement—cannot swivel from side-to-side.

Tilting TV wall mount brackets cost a little more than low-profile wall mounts and usually a little less than full-motion wall mounts.

Tilting wall mounts install with the same level of ease as low-profile mounts. The only significant difference between a tilting wall mount and a low-profile wall mount is that you can adjust the vertical viewing angle when using a tilting wall mount.

The wall mount has a pivot in the middle of the installation bracket that is like a seesaw turned on its side. The pivot makes it possible to maintain a good viewing angle whether you are lying on the floor or standing on a ladder.

As a result, changing out cables is easier with a tilting wall mount bracket than with a low-profile wall mount, but the tilt feature is limited. If you need horizontal swivel or tilt then a full-motion wall mount is a better option for you.

Full-Motion Wall Mount Brackets

What We Like
  • Full range of motion—up, down, and side-to-side.

What We Don't Like
  • Pricey.

  • Complicated installation.

As the name implies, full-motion wall mounts are full motion. But this motion comes at a cost; they are easily the most expensive type of wall mount.

In addition to being costly, full-motion wall mounts are usually more complicated to install. Because the mounting bracket has moving pieces, you’ll need two or three people to hang the TV on the wall mount bracket.

As far as motion goes, the key difference between full-motion and tilting wall mounts is that full-motion wall mount brackets allow you to adjust the horizontal viewing angle by physically moving the flat panel away from the wall.

That is possible because full-motion wall mounts have a moveable arm that connects the flat panel to the wall. This arm makes it possible to extend the TV away from the wall so that you can swivel it on its horizontal axis.

Ceiling Mount Brackets

What We Like
  • Can be attached to a ceiling if a wall is not an option.

  • Full range of motion—rotates and tilts in all directions.

What We Don't Like
  • Difficult installation—may require a professional.

When mounting your TV to the wall isn't an option, a ceiling mount may be the best solution. Because these brackets are attached to the ceiling, most ceiling mounts rotate and tilt in all directions. A ceiling mount is also a good option when living space is limited. The difficulty of installation is the downside. You may need to hire a professional to install the mount safely. 

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