Mounting a TV in the kitchen

A kitchen TV is watched standing up, from several places, in short bursts. That changes almost every decision compared with a living room.

Where it works

• On a wall facing the island or table, at standing eye level.
• In a corner on a swing arm, so it can face the stove, the sink or the breakfast table.
• Under an upper cabinet on a fold-down mount, for small screens.
• At the end of a cabinet run, on the side panel — only with a light TV and bolts into the cabinet frame, not the thin side panel alone.

Where it doesn't

• Directly above or beside the stove. Heat, steam and airborne grease shorten a TV's life and coat the vents.
• Right over the sink. Splashes and steam.
• Above the toaster or kettle. Rising steam goes straight into the back of the set.
• Opposite a big window if you cook in the daytime — glare will wash it out.

A few feet of sideways distance from the cooktop makes a real difference.

Height

Standing eye level is about 60 to 65 inches. Mounting the centre of the screen around 55 to 65 inches off the floor works for both standing cooks and people seated at an island on stools. Add a little downward tilt if it ends up higher.

The mount

Kitchens are where a full-motion mount earns its price ($89): pull it out, turn it toward wherever you're working, push it flat when you're done. Choose one with enough arm length to clear cabinet edges.

The walls

Kitchen walls are busy: tile backsplashes, plumbing behind the sink wall, wiring for counter outlets, and soffits above cabinets that are sometimes empty boxes with no framing. We check what's inside before choosing the spot; drilling tile is covered in our tile guide.

Power

Counter outlets are on dedicated kitchen circuits and are GFCI-protected, which is fine for a TV. What's rarely there is an outlet at TV height. A cord cover down to the counter outlet is the quick fix; a new outlet behind the TV is an electrician's job.

Size

Small is normal here: 24 to 43 inches covers most kitchens. Our labor price for screens up to 42 inches is $94.

Keep it clean

Kitchen air leaves a film on everything. Wipe the screen with a dry microfibre cloth now and then and keep the vents on the back clear.