The difference between a TV bolted flat to the wall and one on a Sanus full-motion TV wall mount is the difference between one viewing angle and every viewing angle in the room. A Sanus full-motion TV wall mount lets you pull the screen off the wall, swivel it toward the kitchen or a side chair, and tilt it down to kill glare, all without touching the TV’s picture settings. This guide covers how to match a mount to your TV, verify the fit, and mount it into a wall that will actually hold it.
Sanus is a well-known mount manufacturer with a broad lineup, so the specifics below are category-level guidance. Always confirm the weight capacity, size range, and VESA pattern of the exact model you are considering on the manufacturer’s page, since specifications differ across their product line and are updated over time.
The appeal of getting the TV off a stand goes beyond looks. A wall-mounted screen frees up the surface a media console would occupy, removes the tipping hazard of a top-heavy TV on furniture, and lets you position the screen at the ideal height for your seating. A full-motion mount takes those benefits further by making the single mounting location work for an entire open room. In a house with a kitchen that opens to the living area, that flexibility is the difference between a TV you can only watch from the couch and one you can angle toward wherever you happen to be standing.
What Full-Motion Actually Means
Wall mounts come in three broad types. A fixed mount holds the TV flat and still. A tilting mount lets you angle the screen up or down. A full-motion, or articulating, mount adds an extending arm and swivel so the TV can pull out from the wall, rotate side to side, and tilt. That range of movement is what makes full-motion mounts the most versatile and the most popular for open-plan living spaces.
The practical benefits are real. You can angle the screen toward a kitchen island while you cook, swivel it back for the sofa, extend it to reach cables behind it, and tuck it flat when not in use. The tradeoff is that full-motion mounts cost more than fixed models and require more careful installation because the extended arm puts significant leverage on the wall anchors.
Full-motion mounts really shine in a few specific situations. A corner installation is the classic case, since the swivel lets a TV mounted across a corner face directly into the room. Rooms with a bright window that causes glare at certain times of day benefit from being able to tilt or swivel the screen away from the reflection. And any home where people watch from more than one spot, an open kitchen and living area, or a bedroom with both a bed and a seating chair, gets real daily value from the ability to reposition. If none of those describe your room, a simpler mount may serve you just as well for less money.
Matching the Mount to Your TV
Two numbers decide compatibility: the TV’s size and its weight, and its VESA mounting pattern. Every mount lists a supported size range, for example 42 to 90 inches, and a maximum weight capacity in pounds. Your TV must fall within both. Modern flat panels are surprisingly light, but leave headroom rather than buying a mount rated exactly at your TV’s weight.
VESA is the standardized spacing of the four threaded holes on the back of the TV, measured in millimeters, such as 200 by 200 or 400 by 400. The mount must support your TV’s VESA pattern. You will find your TV’s VESA size in its manual or by measuring the hole spacing horizontally and vertically. Sanis mounts typically span several VESA sizes, but confirm yours is within range before buying.
Reading the Wall Before You Drill
This is the step that most often goes wrong. A full-motion mount, fully extended with a large TV, exerts strong pull-out force on the fasteners, so it must be anchored into something structural. On a standard framed wall, that means lag bolts driven into the wood studs, not into drywall alone. Drywall anchors will not hold an articulating mount over time, no matter what they claim.
- Wood studs: Locate studs with a quality stud finder, confirm by drilling a small pilot hole, and mount into the center of the stud with the supplied lag bolts.
- Single-stud mounts: Some Sanus full-motion models are engineered to mount securely into a single stud, which helps when a stud does not line up with your ideal TV center. Verify the model supports this.
- Masonry or brick: Use the correct masonry anchors and a hammer drill; follow the mount’s instructions for concrete installations.
- Metal studs: These require special toggle-style anchors and are weaker than wood; check that the mount is rated for metal-stud use.
If you cannot find solid framing where you want the TV, do not force it. Adding blocking inside the wall, or repositioning the mount, is safer than trusting an anchor that was never meant for this load.
Installation Overview
A typical full-motion install follows a clear sequence. Locate and mark the studs, then hold the wall plate at your desired height and level it carefully with a torpedo or bubble level. Mark the bolt holes, drill pilot holes into the studs, and drive the lag bolts until the plate is tight and flush. Next, attach the mount’s arms or brackets to the back of the TV using the correct VESA screws and any spacers included in the hardware kit.
With the TV brackets attached, lift the TV onto the wall plate, which is a two-person job for anything over about 40 inches. Secure the locking mechanism, then dress the cables. Recommended viewing height puts the center of the screen roughly at seated eye level, often around 42 inches from the floor to center in a living room, though a full-motion mount lets you fine-tune with tilt afterward.
Cable Management and Finishing
Full-motion mounts move, so your cables must have enough slack to travel with the arm without pulling loose. Leave a service loop of extra HDMI and power cable, and use the mount’s built-in cable channels or clips to keep everything tidy. For the cleanest look, an in-wall rated power kit and cable pass-through hides the wires entirely, but any in-wall electrical must be done to code, so use a licensed electrician if you are routing power inside the wall.
What It Costs
Pricing depends on size range and features. As general planning estimates in current US pricing:
- Full-motion mounts for smaller TVs (up to 55 inches): roughly $40 to $120
- Heavy-duty mounts for large TVs (65 to 90 inches): roughly $120 to $300
- Professional installation: roughly $150 to $350 depending on wall type and cable concealment
Because retail pricing varies and models change, confirm the current price and capacity on the manufacturer or retailer page before you buy.
Common Installation Mistakes to Avoid
Most full-motion mount problems trace back to a handful of avoidable errors. The first is trusting drywall anchors. The extended arm creates leverage that multiplies the pull on the fasteners, and even heavy-duty drywall anchors can loosen and let a heavy TV pull away from the wall over time. Always land the lag bolts in solid framing or approved masonry anchors, never in drywall alone.
The second common mistake is mounting the TV too high. People instinctively hang the screen at standing eye level, but you watch television seated, so a mount placed too high strains your neck. A full-motion mount forgives some of this because you can tilt down, but starting near seated eye level makes the tilt range work for you rather than against you. Measure your seated sightline before drilling.
Third, do not skip leveling the wall plate. A plate that is even slightly off will show once the TV is on it, and the arm’s swivel can exaggerate the tilt. Use a good level, and double-check after the lag bolts are tight, since driving them can nudge the plate. Finally, respect the weight during the lift. Getting a large panel onto the bracket hooks is genuinely a two-person job, and dropping a TV during install is an expensive lesson.
Is a Full-Motion Mount Right for You
If your room has more than one seating area, a bright window that causes glare, or a corner installation, full-motion is worth the extra cost. If you always watch from one spot directly in front of the TV, a tilting or fixed mount is simpler and cheaper. For most open living and kitchen spaces, the flexibility wins.
Get the fundamentals right and this is a satisfying upgrade. Confirm your TV’s size, weight, and VESA pattern against the mount’s rated specs, anchor into real studs or masonry, and leave slack in your cables. Verify the exact model details on the Sanus page, grab a second set of hands for the lift, and you will have a screen that goes wherever you want to look, glare-free, for years.
