Will Mounting a TV Damage the Wall?

As an owner of a newly bought flat screen television, I was eager to get it mounted on the wall. However, I soon found myself frustrated and uncertain about whether mounting a TV would damage the wall it hung on. After doing some research and testing, I’m here to share how I solved this problem and other solutions I discovered.

Unfortunately, mounting a TV will damage the wall due to drilled holes. However, it’s usually minimal damage that isn’t too difficult or costly to repair.

Tips:

Mounting a TV will cause damage to the wall due to the drilled holes.
It’s highly recommended not to use adhesive tapes to secure a TV mount on a wall.
Use masking tape to simulate the TV before drilling and create pilot holes.

Mounting a backboard before the TV can help minimize the damage.
Floor stands and tabletop stands can be an alternative to wall-mounted TVs.
Repairing a damaged wall after mounting is relatively easy and costs around $60-90 per hour.

Table of Contents

Does Mounting a TV Damage the Wall?

In order to mount a TV on the wall, you’ll need to drill multiple holes where the screws of the mounting bracket are secured to the wall.

As a result, the mounting process will end up damaging the wall with several drill holes. This applies to all kinds of walls that you might be mounting the TV on, whether it’s drywall, stone, brick, or concrete.

Additionally, It’s highly recommended that you never rely on adhesive tapes to secure a TV mount on a wall because it will end up failing no matter how durable a double face or adhesive can be.

In fact, ultra durable adhesives themselves will end up damaging the surface of the wall when you remove them, which defeats the purpose of using them anyway.

However, if the mounting process is done right, the drilling damage is usually quite limited and can be easily repaired whether by yourself or by seeking the help of a professional.

Tips to Keep Wall Damage to a Minimum While Mounting a TV

Here are some tips that can help you avoid inflicting too much damage to the wall while mounting a TV:

Use Masking Tape to Simulate the TV Before Drilling

Before going ahead and firing up the drill to make holes in the wall, it’s usually recommended that you take your time to see if the location you’ve chosen is suitable for the TV.

For that, you can simply use masking or painter tape to outline the dimensions of the TV, then take a look back and see if it works.

Create Pilot Holes

Pilot holes are shorter and thinner than actual holes, but they help you by guiding you while drilling and keeping your hands steady so you don’t over-drill, avoiding accidents that can cause further damage to the wall.

Mount a Backboard Before the TV

If the wall mount has a lot of spots to drill and you want to minimize the damage, you can mount the whole tv on a backboard, then mount the backboard with a load bearing screw at each side.

Use Floor Stands

Floor stands and tabletop stands give the same effect as wall-mounted TVs but without actually damaging the wall. It’s the closest design to wall mounting so it keeps your room spacious and your wall holes-free!

Is It Easy to Repair a Damaged Wall After TV Mounting?

The level of damage will vary significantly depending on the type of wall you’ve mounted the TV on.

For example, drywall is pretty flimsy, and drilling deep into them can cause cracks in the long run. Brick walls also break off if you don’t drill carefully.

With that said, the process of repairing a damaged wall after mounting remains relatively easy, even in worst case scenarios.

Ideally, an experienced repairman can assess the level of damage to a wall due to drilling, but in most cases, here’s a rough outline of the repair process:

Start by filling the drilled holes with spackling putty or other alternatives
Use a scraper or a putty knife to even out the filler paste and remove any excess putty on the wall.
Allow the spackling putty to dry

Paint over the spackling putty to fully cover it.

How Much Does it Cost to Repair a Wall After TV Mounting?

If you’ve decided to leave the job to a repairman, you should consider various aspects to estimate the costs of the job.

Ideally, wall repairs may cost anywhere around $60 to $90 per hour. Also, repair costs might vary depending on the type of wall because it depends on the cost of materials used in the project.

Since it’s a relatively easy job to do, it’s usually recommended that you do it yourself if you’re handy enough and have the necessary materials to get the job done.

Pros:	Cons:
Mounting a TV on the wall is a great space-saving option.	Mounting a TV will damage the wall due to the drilled holes.
Using a backboard and pilot holes can minimize wall damage.	Adhesive tapes should not be used to secure a TV mount on a wall.
Floor stands and tabletop stands are good alternatives.	Drilling too deep can cause further damage to the wall.
Repairing a damaged wall after mounting is relatively easy and inexpensive.

Final Thoughts

This wraps it up for today’s post about mounting TVs and their effects on the walls. Although wall damage is imminent while trying to properly mount a TV on a wall, the damage is usually very easy to repair.

If you want to minimize the damage, make sure that you test the location of the TV before drilling and avoid drilling deeper than you need. You can also avoid any drilling damage if you opt for a floor stand instead.