How to mount a TV on a concrete wall

First, find out what the wall really is

Not every concrete-looking wall is the same, and the difference changes the fasteners.

• Poured concrete is solid throughout. It is the most straightforward to anchor into, and also the hardest to drill.
• Concrete block has hollow cores. An anchor that lands in an empty core has little to hold, so the fastener has to go into the solid parts of the block or the mortar, following the anchor maker's instructions for hollow masonry.
• A finish over concrete is common in basements: drywall or paneling on furring strips, with the concrete behind. The visible surface is not the structure, so find out what is behind it before you pick fasteners.
• A thin veneer or a stone-look finish may hide a completely different wall. If you are not sure, ask before you drill.

The tools and fasteners

You need a hammer drill, carbide masonry bits and anchors made for concrete. Concrete screws such as Tapcon and sleeve anchors are the two types our published Twin Cities masonry installs mention. Whichever you choose has to be rated for the weight of the TV and bracket, and sized to the bit diameter and hole depth the anchor maker specifies.

Clear the dust from each hole before setting the anchor, and keep the bracket level as you mark, because a concrete hole cannot be filled and redrilled the way a drywall hole can.

We do not have a Twin Cities post of a TV on a poured concrete wall to show you, so the examples on this page are the closest real installs we can show: TVs mounted on stone, where the work calls for masonry bits and anchors made for the surface.

What to avoid

Do not use drywall anchors, plastic wall plugs sold for light shelves or construction screws in concrete. They are not made for the load.

Check for hidden hazards before drilling. Concrete can contain steel reinforcement, and walls can have electrical conduit or plumbing close to the surface. A stud finder does not see inside concrete, so know what is behind the wall.

Drilling concrete makes fine dust. Use dust control, eye protection and a suitable respirator.

Getting the cords out of sight

Solid concrete has no wall cavity, so cords cannot drop inside it the way they do on drywall. A cord cover on the outside of the wall is the simple route. Our Twin Cities booking lists exterior concealing at $75, and in-wall options assume a place for the cords to go, so tell us what the wall is and where the TV sits before choosing.

Concrete and our booking

The standard Twin Cities booking category lists drywall, plaster, brick and stone, along with wood slats and tile, as wall surfaces. Concrete is not one of them, and we have not published a concrete price. Our installation posts do name concrete among the challenging surfaces we mount on.

Unusual setups have their own booking category. So call us or send a photo of the wall, tell us whether it is poured or block and what the TV size is, and we will confirm the right option before you book.