Find the Studs

Flat screen TVs should of course be hung on the studs, the sturdiest parts of your wall. To find the studs on the wall you'll need a stud finder. A good guessing point for finding the studs is to look for an electrical outlet, because these are usually set into the stud.

If you don't have a stud finder, you can make sure that there is a stud by putting a thin nail into the wall and see if it hits wood. Studs are generally a standard apart (usually 16 or 24 inches), so after you find one you should be able to find the next one. Still, if you've spent hundreds or thousands of dollars on a TV, it's probably worth the few extra bucks for the stud finder.

Determine how high you want your TV, placing the vertical center of the TV at about five feet is a good starting point. Use a pencil to mark the location of the studs and screen center. Carefully measure the TV and the bracket, then plot the correct position on the wall. It's far easier to fix a pencil mark than it is to re-hang a television!