Can You Mount a TV on a Stone or Brick Fireplace? (Kansas City Guide)
Yes, you can mount a TV on a stone or brick fireplace. It's one of the most common setups we see in Overland Park, Leawood, Parkville, and Prairie Village homes. It's also a harder job than a regular wall. Stone and brick need special drill bits and anchors, the heat from the fire can wear down a TV over time, and hiding the cables usually takes more thought than it does on drywall.
Why fireplace installs are different
On drywall, the main job is finding the studs. A fireplace is harder for a few reasons. Stone and brick are hard and often uneven, and a hole in the wrong place can't be undone. The wall above the firebox can get warm enough to affect electronics. And because the TV has to go above the mantel, it usually ends up higher than is comfortable to watch.
Stone vs. brick
Brick
Brick is easier to work with than stone because the rows are even, which makes it simple to plan the mount. The tricky part is picking the right spots to drill and using anchors strong enough for the TV and mount. A hole in brick can't really be undone, so it pays to measure carefully first.
Stone
Natural and stacked stone take more work. The face is uneven, the stones vary in size, and some stone veneers are only attached to the wall behind them rather than being part of the structure. The mount has to sit flat and level on an irregular surface and anchor into something solid enough to hold the TV for years.
With either material, the wrong anchor or the wrong drilling spot can crack the masonry or leave the TV poorly secured.
Is the heat a problem?
It can be. Heat and smoke rising from a wood or gas fireplace can wear down a TV over time, and many manufacturers list strict operating temperature limits.
To check, run the fireplace for a while and then hold your hand against the wall where the TV would hang. If it's too warm to keep your hand there comfortably, it's too warm for the TV.
If heat is an issue, a mantel can help direct it away from the wall. You can also mount the TV a little higher or on a nearby wall. Electric and decorative fireplaces usually aren't a concern. We check this with every customer before we mount anything.
Getting the height right
Neck strain is the most common complaint we hear about fireplace TVs. For comfortable viewing, the center of the screen should be close to eye level when you're seated, which usually isn't possible above a mantel.
A tilting mount angles the screen down toward your seating. A pull-down mantel mount lets you lower the TV to eye level while you watch and raise it back up afterward. Mounting the TV as low as the mantel and heat allow also makes a noticeable difference.
How to hide the wires
On a drywall install, cables can usually run inside the wall. With stone or brick, that depends on how the fireplace was built.
When the construction allows it, cables can run inside the wall behind or beside the masonry. A recessed outlet and in-wall power kit behind the TV keeps the power cord out of sight. Moving your streaming box, soundbar receiver, or other devices to a nearby cabinet cuts down on how many cables need to reach the TV. If none of those options work, a slim cord cover painted to match the stone or brick is the fallback.
Since every fireplace is built differently, we look at this in person.
Can you do it yourself?
If you have experience with masonry bits, anchors, and lifting heavy TVs, it can be done. Most of the fireplace problems we're called in to fix come from DIY installs: cracked brick or stone, anchors that weren't rated for the weight, TVs mounted too high, cables hanging down the front of the fireplace, and mounts that sit crooked because the stone wasn't flat.
Repairs to masonry are expensive, and some damage can't be fully undone. That's why most homeowners hire a professional for this kind of install.
What a professional fireplace install includes
When Will Will Do It mounts a TV on your fireplace, we start by checking the masonry, the structure behind it, and how much heat reaches the wall. We help you choose the right height and mount, whether that's fixed, tilting, or pull-down. We use masonry anchors rated for your TV, level the mount even on uneven stone, and plan the cleanest way to hide the wires for your setup. Before we leave, we connect your devices and clean up.
Will Will Do It has more than 350 five-star Google reviews from Kansas City homeowners, and fireplace installs are among our most requested jobs.
Get a free quote for your fireplace TV
The quickest way to get an exact price is to text a photo of your fireplace and your TV size to (913) 706-1468, or fill out our quick quote form. We serve Kansas City, Overland Park, Olathe, Shawnee, Leawood, and the surrounding metro.
