Height calculator
TV mounting height calculator for your exact room
Three taps. One number. See exactly where your TV goes before anyone drills.
What size is your TV?
Measured diagonally, corner to corner.
Mount the center at —
Like this height? We'll mount it there.
That's high for comfortable viewing. A pull-down mount brings it down to eye level when you watch.
Follow your fireplace and TV manuals for heat clearance.
- Size sweet spot: 65–75″ for 9 ft away.
- Painter’s tape test: Tape a mark at 42″ for the center and 26″ for the bottom edge, sit down and look.
For installers
- Center
- 42″
- Bottom edge
- 26″
- Top edge
- 58″
- Seat to wall
- 9 ft
All heights from the finished floor. The drill mark depends on your bracket; check its offset.
The short answer
We mount most TVs with the center of the screen about 42 inches from the floor. That is roughly eye height for an adult settled into a sofa. Recliners go lower, about 38. Beds go higher, about 46. Bar stools, about 52. Standing, about 62. Above a fireplace is usually too high unless the mount pulls down.
Height by TV size
These are the numbers we work from. Every TV below is centered at 42 inches. The last three columns show the highest the center should go for someone on a sofa 8, 10 or 12 feet away. Any higher and you are looking up at the top of the screen. The room to go up shrinks fast as TVs get bigger: a 98 inch TV seen from 8 feet can go only about 1 3/4 inches above 42. Our own math, for standard widescreen TVs.
| TV size | Bottom of screen | Top of screen | Highest center, 8 ft away | 10 ft away | 12 ft away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 in | 34 1/8 in | 49 7/8 in | 59 7/8 in | 66 1/4 in | 72 3/4 in |
| 43 in | 31 1/2 in | 52 1/2 in | 57 1/8 in | 63 5/8 in | 70 in |
| 50 in | 29 3/4 in | 54 1/4 in | 55 1/2 in | 61 7/8 in | 68 3/8 in |
| 55 in | 28 1/2 in | 55 1/2 in | 54 1/4 in | 60 5/8 in | 67 1/8 in |
| 65 in | 26 1/8 in | 57 7/8 in | 51 3/4 in | 58 1/4 in | 64 5/8 in |
| 75 in | 23 5/8 in | 60 3/8 in | 49 3/8 in | 55 3/4 in | 62 1/4 in |
| 85 in | 21 1/8 in | 62 7/8 in | 46 7/8 in | 53 3/8 in | 59 3/4 in |
| 98 in | 18 in | 66 in | 43 3/4 in | 50 1/8 in | 56 1/2 in |
| 100 in | 17 1/2 in | 66 1/2 in | 43 1/4 in | 49 5/8 in | 56 1/8 in |
Above a fireplace
Over the fireplace is the most-wanted spot in a lot of Henderson living rooms. It is also the trickiest. A mantel pushes the TV up. Put a 65 inch TV 6 inches above a 54 inch mantel and the center lands near 76 inches. From a sofa 9 feet away, that TV is comfortable up to about 55. That is about 21 inches too high.
One fix is a pull-down mount. The TV sits above the mantel when it is off and comes down to a comfortable height when you watch. The calculator points you to it when your fireplace height comes out too high. A deep mantel needs more room for the TV to clear, so send us a photo and we will tell you what fits.
Heat is a separate question from height. Follow your TV maker’s limit and your fireplace manual. Samsung, for example, says its TVs should not go above 104°F. The calculator keeps the bottom of the TV at least 6 inches above a mantel and 12 inches above an opening with no mantel. Those are planning numbers, not a heat rating.
Stone, brick or tile fireplace? Send a photo with your quote and we will confirm what the wall allows before we book.
Bedrooms, recliners, bar stools and standing
Height starts at your seat, not at a ladder. Here is where the calculator starts for each seat:
- Sofa: 42 inches to the center of the screen.
- Recliner: 38. You sit lower and lean back.
- Bed: 46, sitting up against the headboard about 8 feet away.
- Bar stool: 52, about 8 feet away.
- Standing: 62, about 8 feet away. Garages, gyms and bar areas.
Something under the TV? The calculator keeps the bottom of the screen 3 inches above a TV stand or console and 2 1/2 inches above a soundbar.
Got a sectional, a chair closer to the TV or a second row? Run the calculator for the closest or lowest seat. That seat decides how high the TV can go.
Still not sure? Do the painter’s tape test before anyone drills. Sit and watch for a few minutes. If it already feels high, it is.
Want it mounted at that height in Henderson?
We mount TVs in Henderson homes, from Anthem to Seven Hills to MacDonald Ranch. Bring the number from the calculator and we will mount it there. Mounting a TV 70 inches or larger? We bring a second installer to lift it safely.
Where the numbers come from
We show our sources so you can check our math.
- The 42 inch starting point: Samsung support ties it to the eye level of a 5 ft 6 in adult on a standard couch.
- Why 42 is a relaxed number: the NCSU Ergonomics Center puts a typical adult’s eyes about 29 1/2 to 31 1/2 inches above the seat when sitting up straight. On an 18 inch seat that is about 47 to 50 inches, so 42 assumes you sink in and relax (our math).
- How high is too high: CEDIA recommends that no viewer look up more than 15 degrees to the top of the screen, based on SMPTE guidance, as quoted by Acoustic Frontiers. The standard itself is paywalled. Our chart and calculator use that rule. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by CEDIA.
- Viewing distance: the 1.6 times screen size guide comes from RTINGS.
- Heat: Samsung support says its TVs should not go above 104°F and suggests lighting a fire and checking the temperature.
- Mantels: building code (IRC R1001.11) puts a wood mantel at least 12 inches above a masonry fireplace opening, via Fine Homebuilding. That rule is about the mantel, not the TV.
- Drill marks: to turn the center height into a drill mark, add the offsets for the TV’s holes and the bracket, the same method as the Sanus HeightFinder.
Check your TV and mount manuals, mount into studs, and follow your fireplace maker’s instructions. Last updated October 2, 2026.
FAQ
TV mounting height questions
How high should I mount my TV?
For most living rooms, we put the center of the screen about 42 inches from the floor. That is roughly where your eyes are when you are settled into a sofa. Tap your TV size and your seat in the calculator above and it gives you the number for your room.
How high should a 65 inch TV be mounted? (also 75 and 85)
We center it about 42 inches from the floor. A 65 inch TV then runs from about 26 to 58 inches off the floor, a 75 inch from about 23 1/2 to 60 1/2, and an 85 inch from about 21 to 63. From a sofa 9 feet away, keep the center no higher than about 55 inches for a 65, 52 1/2 for a 75, or 50 for an 85.
Is above the fireplace too high?
Usually, yes. Above a 54 inch mantel, a 65 inch TV ends up centered near 76 inches. From a sofa 9 feet away, that TV is comfortable up to about 55. One fix is a pull-down mount, which brings the screen down when you watch. Heat is a separate question, so follow your TV and fireplace manuals.
How high should a bedroom TV be?
Higher than in the living room, because you sit higher in bed. Our starting point is 46 inches to the center of the screen, for someone sitting up in bed about 8 feet away. For your exact number, sit up against the headboard and measure from the floor to your eyes.
Do I measure to the center or the bottom of the TV?
Measure to the center of the screen. That is the number the calculator gives you. Where the top and bottom land depends on your TV size, and the chart above lists them.
How far should I sit from my TV?
A common guide is about 1.6 times the screen size. For a 65 inch TV, that is about 8 1/2 to 9 feet. The size sweet spot in the calculator shows it for your room. Sitting closer is fine. Just know that the closer you sit, the lower the TV should be.
Is my bracket mark the same as the TV center height?
Usually not. The holes on the back of most TVs are not in the middle of the screen, and the wall bracket adds its own offset. Start from the center height the calculator gives you, then add the offsets from your TV and bracket instructions. Or let us handle it.
Should the TV be at eye level when I’m standing?
No. Most people watch sitting down, and a TV at standing eye level sits well above a seated viewer’s eyes. Kitchens, bars and garages are the exception. Pick Bar stool and the calculator starts at 52 inches, or Standing and it starts at 62.
Ready to mount your TV at the right height?
Send a photo of your wall and TV size, and we'll text you back with your options.