Hanging a television over a mantel?

Rubyruth
by Rubyruth

Is it possible to hang a t.v. over a fireplace mantel with a masonry fireplace behind it. The electric outlet is on the side of the wood mantel. Thank you any and all advise needed.


  13 answers
  • GrandmasHouseDIY GrandmasHouseDIY on Jul 22, 2020

    Hi Rubyruth, here's a youtube tutorial on how one man hung his tv to a masonry block wall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51k5Cb0EwXg

    Another option would be a ceiling mounted TV hanger, I just spotted several options of those on Amazon.

  • Annie Annie on Jul 22, 2020

    You can hang a tv over a mantel as long as not too much heat fro fire place goes above the mantel. You may want to test area with a thermometer first to see how much heat from fireplace goes above the mantel.

  • Rubyruth Rubyruth on Jul 22, 2020

    Thank you both for your help. I'm going to move forward and it will help with loads with furniture placement in this room


  • I would try this, it looks like you need a mount for it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXASkrjGQlg

  • Mogie Mogie on Jul 22, 2020

    Electronics don’t care for heat, and they care for smoke even less. Have you ever seen the windows inside the car of a cigarette smoker? Unless the smoking driver is an equally habitual window washer, those windows are covered with a hazy film of filth. Exposed to the smoke of burning wood, the same film can build up on the components inside the cabinet of a television. After all, there’s a reason so many eBay listings mention that the item you’re bidding on comes from a smoke-free home.

    Most electronic devices simply operate best and most reliably at lower temperatures. Beyond that, excessive heat can cause temperature-sensitive materials to degrade quickly, and conductive materials can even sprout little metal whiskers, causing shorts within the TV’s circuitry.

    Placing a TV above a fireplace moves the image you’re trying to watch well above eye level. Think back to the last time you went to the movie theater and had to sit in one of the front three rows. Chances are you walked out of the theater with a stiff neck. Craning your neck into an unnatural position for an extended period is going to cause temporary discomfort, but doing so for even short periods, day after day, can have lasting effects, like chronic headaches.

  • Yes many ways could anchor to the masonry or if there’s a gap connect the bracket to the framing but the important part is it securely attached and wiring can be routed inside if spacing allows!

    respectfully William Bray

    4043946811

  • Dee Dee on Jul 22, 2020

    You could use a tv mount. But I would not hang a TV on the mantle for several reasons. One it is too high up to watch tv comfortably. It's not advisable to mount a TV above a fireplace because excess heat and electronics don't mix. The area above the fireplace is often warmer than other wall surfaces in your home. Consider this: A gas fireplace can generate 20,000 to 35,000 British thermal units (BTUs) of heat per hour.

    Electronics don’t care for heat, and they care for smoke even less. Have you ever seen the windows inside the car of a cigarette smoker? Unless the smoking driver is an equally habitual window washer, those windows are covered with a hazy film of filth. Exposed to the smoke of burning wood, the same film can build up on the components inside the cabinet of a television. After all, there’s a reason so many eBay listings mention that the item you’re bidding on comes from a smoke-free home.

    You may not see the particulate when you have a fire, but it is there (you can smell it). If you burn wood — even with the flue open — there will be a small amount of smoke and particulate emitted. And once that particulate builds up, so does the heat generated by the TV. Look at a wood-burning stove as an example. The heat generated by this is enough to melt candles placed several feet above the mantle — after all, generating heat is what it was designed to do. Think about what that same heat can do to all the sensitive components inside a television.

  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Jul 22, 2020

    Yes, you should use masonry screws to affix a television mount. I would recommend getting a cover for the electrical cords.

  • Ken Erickson Ken Erickson on Jul 23, 2020

    You definitely need GOOD anchors.

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Dec 16, 2021

    Yes, You can get specil fixings to do this.