How to choose the right TV wall bracket

1. Check your TV's VESA size

VESA is the pattern of four screw holes on the back of your TV, measured in millimetres (for example 200 × 200 or 400 × 300). It's in the TV manual or on the manufacturer's website. The bracket must list your VESA size and support your TV's weight.

2. Pick the right type

1. 1Fixed: sits closest to the wall. Best when you'll always watch from straight in front.
2. 2Tilting: angles the screen down a little — ideal if the TV is mounted above head height.
3. 3Full-motion (cantilever): pulls out and swivels. Best for corners or open-plan rooms, but needs a very solid wall.

3. Know your wall

Brick and block walls are the easiest to fix into. Plasterboard (stud) walls need the bracket fixed into the timber studs or with heavy-duty plasterboard fixings rated for the load. Many older Scottish tenements have lath-and-plaster walls, which need extra care to find a solid fixing.

4. Plan the cables

Decide where your sockets and aerial point are before choosing the height. Surface cable trunking painted to match the wall is a tidy, cheap option.