To mount a TV on drywall, fasten the mount into the wood studs behind the wall, or use only the anchors the mount's instructions approve for your TV's weight. On brick, use a masonry bit and masonry anchors. Before you drill anything, check the mount's rating against your TV, find out what's inside the wall, and decide what to do with the power cord: an outlet behind the TV is electrical work.
Drywall is a thin panel of gypsum, and it isn't built to carry a TV on its own. The weight has to go into the framing behind it.
If the studs don't fall where you want the screen, some mounts have a wide plate or a sliding bracket that lets the TV sit off-center from them. Don't swap in drywall anchors unless the mount's instructions approve them for your TV's weight and your wall.
Metal studs, plaster and concrete. Some houses, and many apartment and condo buildings, have metal studs or concrete walls, and older homes may have plaster. Each needs its own fasteners and drilling approach. If the stud finder gives confusing readings, or the bit hits metal, stop and find out what you're drilling into.
Masonry holds a mount well once the anchors are right.
It can work, but check two things first: the fireplace's installation manual, for what may go on the wall above it, and the TV's manual, for the temperatures it can take. Heat and soot rise from a working fireplace. The screen also ends up well above eye level, which some people find tiring to watch.
Walls hide electrical cables, water pipes, drains and ducts. Before you drill:
If a drill bit meets something unexpected, stop.
There are three ways, and only one of them is electrical work.
| Option | What it involves | Permit? | Who can do it |
|---|---|---|---|
| A cord cover on the wall | A paintable channel that runs from the TV down to the outlet | No | You, or a handyman |
| Low-voltage cables inside the wall | HDMI, speaker and network cables run through wall plates | No building permit for wiring under 50 volts | You, a handyman or an AV installer |
| Power behind the TV | A new outlet, or an in-wall power kit, behind the screen | Yes: a new outlet is new electrical work | A licensed electrician, or someone working under one |
Sources: Virginia's building code (13VAC5-63-80) and Va. Code § 54.1-1129, as of September 2026.
Don't push the TV's own power cord, or an extension cord, through the wall to hide it. If you want power behind the screen, it needs an outlet there, and that part of the job is for an electrician: book outlet and switch installation.
For the mount itself, no. Virginia's building code doesn't require a permit for low-voltage wiring under 50 volts, so a TV mounted with no new outlet needs none. DPOR, the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, which licenses Virginia's trades, doesn't list TV mounting among the professions it licenses.
Adding an outlet, or running power inside the wall, is different:
Before you book the electrical part, look up the electrician's license for free on DPOR's License Lookup. All of this is as of September 2026. This is general information, not legal advice; confirm with your county's or city's building department.
If you'd rather not drill into drywall or brick yourself, book mounting and hanging with an independent local Pro, and mention the wall type and the TV's size when you book.
Last updated September 2026.
A fixed mount holds the screen flat and close to the wall. A tilting mount angles it down, which helps when the TV sits higher than eye level. A full-motion mount lets you pull the screen out and turn it toward different seats, and it's the bulkiest of the three.
Check your lease first, and ask your landlord in writing before you drill. Some leases allow small holes and some don't, and holes left at move-out can come out of your deposit. Keep the landlord's answer with your lease.
The holes stay behind. In drywall they can be filled, sanded and painted, or you can book drywall and wall repair. Holes in brick and mortar are harder to hide, so settle the position before you drill into masonry.