Flush and ultra-slim TV mounts

The cleanest wall-mounted TVs sit so close to the wall that you can't see a bracket at all. Getting there is about millimetres, and most of them are taken up by things other than the bracket.

What "low profile" really means

• Standard fixed mount: about 1 to 1.5 inches from wall to TV back.
• Ultra-slim mount: roughly 0.4 to 0.8 inch.
• No-gap or flush mount: the TV's back touches or nearly touches the wall. These are usually made by the TV's manufacturer for specific models with a recess moulded into the back for the bracket.

What actually sets the gap

1. The TV's own shape. Many TVs are thin at the top and bulge at the bottom where the electronics are. A mount can't make the bulge disappear.
2. Plugs. A power plug or HDMI connector that points straight back needs 1.5 to 2 inches. This is the usual reason a "slim" install isn't slim.
3. The outlet. A standard outlet behind the TV, with a plug in it, is thicker than most slim mounts.
4. The wall. Drywall isn't flat. A bow of a quarter inch across a 65-inch TV shows as a wedge-shaped shadow.

Solving the plug problem

• Right-angle (90°) HDMI and power adapters let cables run sideways.
• Side-facing or downward ports, where the TV has them.
• A recessed outlet box — the receptacle sits inside the wall so the plug doesn't protrude. This is what an in-wall power kit provides; ours is $119.

More on outlet placement in where to put the outlet behind a TV.

Trade-offs of going flush

• No access. Plugging in a new device means lifting the TV off the wall. Some slim mounts have pull-cords or a kick-out stand to tilt the bottom forward for access; worth having.
• No tilt. If the TV is above eye level, a flush mount points the picture over your head.
• Ventilation. TVs vent from the back and top. A normal slim mount leaves enough room; boxing a TV tightly into a niche does not.

Recessing

For a truly flush result with any TV, the wall itself can be built in: a recessed niche sized to the screen, or a recessed box that swallows the bracket and plugs. That's carpentry rather than mounting — see mounting in a recessed niche.

Which TVs suit it

Models designed as wall pieces — art-style TVs and some thin OLEDs — have flat backs and dedicated brackets. A budget LCD with a thick lower case will always stand off further, whatever mount you buy.

Levelling matters more

With no gap, a TV that's a degree off level is obvious against the ceiling line and the mantel. Choose a mount with post-install levelling screws.

With us

Our fixed bracket ($39) sits about an inch off the wall. For a manufacturer's no-gap mount, pick "I have one" and add a note with the model.