You just spent a grand on a brand-new OLED. It's thin. It's beautiful. Now you’re standing in the middle of a supercenter aisle staring at a wall of black metal brackets, wondering if the $20 cheapie is going to drop your pride and joy onto the floor. Honestly, picking out tv mounts at walmart feels way higher stakes than it actually should be.
Most people just grab whatever is at eye level. Don't do that.
Wall mounting is basically the cheapest way to make a living room look like you actually hired an interior designer. It clears up the clutter. It hides those messy HDMI cables. But if you mess up the stud alignment or buy a bracket that doesn't actually tilt the way you need, you're looking at a weekend of drywall repair and a lot of swearing. Walmart carries everything from the basic Onn brand—which is their house label—to the heavy-duty Sanus stuff that professionals actually trust. There’s a massive gap in quality between a $15 fixed mount and a $120 full-motion arm.
Why Your VESA Pattern Is Everything
If you ignore everything else, look at the back of your TV. See those four screw holes? That’s your VESA pattern. It's measured in millimeters. If your TV is 400x400 and you buy a mount that only goes up to 200x200, you’re going back to the store.
Walmart's inventory is kinda split between "universal" kits and "size-specific" ones. A lot of the Onn mounts claim to be universal, but "universal" is a bit of a lie in the tech world. Most mid-sized TVs use 200x200 or 300x300. Huge 85-inch behemoths often need 600x400. Check your manual. Or just measure the distance between the holes with a tape measure. It takes ten seconds.
Fixed vs. Tilting vs. Full Motion
You've gotta decide how much you want to move the screen.
Fixed mounts are the cheapest. They sit flush against the wall. They look the best because they’re low profile, but they are a total nightmare if you need to plug in a new cable later. You basically have to take the whole TV off the wall just to add a Roku stick.
Tilting mounts are the sweet spot for most bedrooms. If you're mounting the TV high—like over a dresser or (god forbid) a fireplace—you need that downward angle to keep the colors from looking washed out. Walmart usually stocks the Sanus VuePoint series for this, and they’re solid.
Full-motion mounts have those articulated arms. They’re great for open-concept houses where you want to watch the game from the kitchen and then swivel it back to the couch. But be careful. These put a ton of torque on your wall studs. If you’re mounting into 16-inch studs, you need to make sure the wall plate is wide enough. Some of the budget tv mounts at walmart have narrow wall plates that only hit one stud. Avoid those for heavy TVs. It’s physics. You don't want a heavy arm acting as a lever to pull a single stud out of your wall.
The Onn Brand: Is it Actually Safe?
Let’s be real. You’re looking at the Onn mounts because they’re $25.
I’ve installed a few of these. They aren't "premium," but they aren't going to fail if you follow the weight limits. The metal is thinner than what you’d get from a brand like Chief or Peerless. The screws (the "lag bolts" that go into the wall) are sometimes a bit soft. If you don't drill a big enough pilot hole, you might snap the head off the bolt. That is a bad day.
If you buy an Onn mount, do yourself a favor: go to the hardware section of the store and buy four high-quality 2.5-inch lag bolts. It’ll cost you three bucks. It’s cheap insurance.
The instructions in the Onn boxes are... okay. They're mostly pictures. If you’ve never used a stud finder before, the included bubble level is usually a piece of plastic garbage. Use a real level. Or use a leveling app on your phone. Even a 1-degree tilt looks like a mountain range when you’re staring at it from across the room.
Pro-Tip: The "Drywall Anchor" Myth
Never, ever, ever use the plastic drywall anchors that come in the box for a TV mount. I don't care if the box says they support 50 pounds. Drywall is basically chalk wrapped in paper. It will crumble. You must find the wood studs.
If you live in an apartment with metal studs or you're trying to mount on brick, you need specialized anchors like Toggler Snaptoggles. Walmart usually doesn't sell these in the electronics aisle. You'll find them in the hardware section.
Sanus vs. The World
If you have a $2,000 TV, spend the extra $60 on a Sanus mount. They’re the gold standard at big-box retailers. The reason they cost more isn't just "branding." It’s the adjustment.
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Most cheap tv mounts at walmart have zero "post-install leveling." This means if you drill your holes slightly crooked, your TV is crooked forever. High-end Sanus mounts have little tension screws that let you level the TV after it’s already hanging. It saves your sanity.
They also tend to have better cable management. Some of the full-motion ones have integrated clips so the wires don't just hang like spaghetti behind the arm.
What About the Weight?
Modern TVs are light. A 55-inch LED probably weighs less than 40 pounds. Back in the day, a plasma of that size was 100 pounds. This is why you see so many cheap mounts now—the tech doesn't have to be as beefy as it used to be.
However, if you’re rocking an older TV or a massive 85-inch screen, check the weight capacity. Most Walmart mounts top out at 80 or 100 pounds. If you exceed that, the arm will sag. The TV won't necessarily fall, but it’ll always look like it’s drooping, and it’ll be a pain to move.
Installation Realities Nobody Tells You
- The Height Issue: Most people mount their TVs way too high. It’s called "r/TVTooHigh" for a reason. Your eyes should be level with the middle of the screen when you're sitting down. Unless it's a bedroom TV where you're lying flat, don't put it near the ceiling.
- The Cable Secret: If you want that "floating" look, you have to hide the wires. Walmart sells "in-wall power kits." You cut two holes in the drywall, run the cables through a tube, and it looks professional. Do not just run an extension cord inside the wall—that’s a fire hazard and a building code violation.
- Recessed Outlets: If you're using a fixed low-profile mount, your standard outlet might stick out too far for the TV to sit flush. You might need a recessed "media box" outlet.
Shopping Strategy
Check the website before you go. Walmart’s in-store selection is often just a fraction of what’s online. Brands like Ematic and Mounting King are often online-only and can be cheaper than the stuff on the shelf. But if you need it today, the Onn Tilting Mount is the "good enough" solution for 90% of people.
If you’re nervous about the DIY aspect, Walmart actually partners with Angi (formerly Angie's List) for installation services. You can basically buy the mount and "add to cart" a professional installer who shows up a few days later. It’s usually around $80 to $120. If you’re renting and scared of losing your security deposit over a Swiss-cheese wall, it might be worth the cash.
Making the Final Call
Don't overthink it, but don't be lazy.
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If you're putting a small 32-inch TV in a kid's room, buy the cheapest fixed mount you can find. It’s fine. If you’re putting a 75-inch in the main theater room, get a tilting or full-motion mount with a wide wall plate.
Steps to take right now:
- Measure your VESA: Check the back of your TV or Google the model number.
- Find your studs: Use a magnet or an electronic stud finder. If you don't have studs where you want the TV, you need a different plan.
- Check your ports: If your HDMI ports face straight out the back, you must get a tilting mount or use 90-degree HDMI adapters. A fixed mount will crush your cables against the wall.
- Buy the mount: Go to Walmart, grab the one that fits your VESA and weight, and remember to pick up a level if you don't own one.
Wall mounting is the single best upgrade you can give your home theater. Just make sure you're hitting wood, not just hope and drywall.