How High to Mount an 85 Inch TV

Plan the lift before the height

An 85 inch TV is a two-step job: getting it onto the wall safely, then getting it to the right height. A TV of 82 in or more takes four people to lift onto a wall, and a TV that isn’t mounted exactly as the mount maker says can slide or fall and cause serious injury. Read the TV’s manual for its mounting points before anyone picks it up.

The screen itself is about 74 in wide and 41.5 in tall, so measure the wall first and make sure the whole screen fits between windows, doors and corners.

Nearly floor to eye line

With its center at 42 in, an 85 inch TV starts 21 in above the floor and ends at 63 in. The low bottom edge leaves little room for furniture: a low console lifts it a little, and the table shows how fast it climbs after that. Over a 36 in line the center moves to 57 in, 7° up from 10 ft away, which is still comfortable. A seat 10 ft away also sits inside the 8 ft 6 in to 11 ft 6 in the TV size calculator gives for this screen, so the picture fills your view without overwhelming it.

A mantel puts it past the guideline

With its bottom on a 56 in mantel line, the center of an 85 inch screen ends up at 77 in and its top at 97.5 in. From 10 ft away, the middle of the picture is 16° above your eyes, past the 15° comfort guideline. For that seat, the bottom edge would have to stay at 53 in or lower. Pick a lower spot for a screen this size. If you still want it over the fireplace, read the manual first: not every TV is made to hang above one.