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TV mounting height

Walls & Art

How high should you mount a TV?

≈42" to centre

Mount the TV so the centre of the screen is at seated eye level, roughly 42" from the floor.

The Exception

None worth having — measure from your own sofa.

The full guide

Mount it at eye level, not above it

Hanging a TV too high is the most common mounting mistake. It causes chronic neck strain, and most LED screens lose colour accuracy when viewed from below. The fix is one number: the centre of the screen at your seated eye level — for the average couch and viewer, exactly 42" from the floor.

FLOORCENTREMEDIA CONSOLE4–6"42"EYE LEVEL
Seated eye level ≈ 42". That line is the centre of your screen — not the top, not the bracket.

The general rules of thumb

  • The 42-inch line

    Measure from the floor to your eyes while sitting on your primary couch — it is almost always 42". Mark that spot on the wall: it is the centre of your screen.

  • The 60-inch rule for large TVs

    On a massive screen (75–85"), the bottom naturally sits closer to the floor. Keep the centre at or below 56–60" from the ground, no higher.

  • The media console buffer

    Mounting above a media console? Leave 4–6" of clearance between the top of the furniture and the bottom of the TV frame for a balanced visual line.

Exceptions to the rule

  • Above a fireplace

    This forces the TV too high. If you must mount it here, use a dynamic mantel mount that pulls the TV down to eye level for watching — or tilt the mount 10–15° down to correct the viewing angle.

  • In the bedroom

    Bedroom TVs mount higher than living room TVs — roughly 50–55" to the centre — to match your tilted sightline when you're propped up by pillows.

Distance dictates height

Your viewing distance shapes your line of sight. Sit at the right distance for your screen and the eye-level rule takes care of the rest.

Screen sizeRecommended seating distance
55" TV5.5 – 7 ft
65" TV6.5 – 8 ft
75" TV7.5 – 9.5 ft
85" TV8.5 – 10.5 ft

Mounting height calculator

Enter your TV size and setup. We'll give you the exact height for the centre and the bottom edge of the screen.

Mounting location

42.0"

Centre from floor

26.1"

Bottom edge

57.9"

Top edge

The 42-inch line: centre of screen at seated eye level.

Screen heights assume a standard 16:9 panel. Measure your seated eye height on your own sofa and adjust the centre line to match — 42" is the average, not a law.

Related numbers

  1. Art height57" to centre
  2. Gallery wall spacing2–3" between frames
  3. Curtain height4–6" above the frame
  4. Rug size, living roomUsually 8×10