Finding a 24 TV Wall Mount That Actually Stays Level

Finding a 24 TV Wall Mount That Actually Stays Level

You'd think a 24-inch screen would be the easiest thing in the world to stick on a wall. It’s light. It’s small. Honestly, most of them weigh less than a gallon of milk. But if you’ve ever tried to pick out a 24 tv wall mount, you know the market is a total mess of oversized brackets and tiny screws that don't actually fit the holes on the back of your monitor or TV.

It’s annoying.

Most people just grab the first thing they see on Amazon that says "universal." Then they get it home, realize the VESA plate covers the HDMI ports, and suddenly they're hacksawing metal just to plug in a Roku stick. Let’s avoid that. Mounting a small screen—whether it's for a kitchen backsplash, a camper van, or a dedicated gaming nook—requires a bit more finesse than just bolting a slab of steel to a stud.

The VESA Trap Everyone Falls Into

Here is the thing: small TVs are weird. Large 65-inch panels almost all use standard 400x400mm patterns. But when you're looking for a 24 tv wall mount, you're entering the land of the 75x75mm and 100x100mm patterns.

If you buy a mount designed for "13 to 42 inch" TVs, that metal plate is often a giant square. On a 24-inch TV, that square might be wider than the recessed area where the ports live. I've seen it happen a dozen times. You get the mount on, it looks great, and then you realize you can't actually plug the power cord in because the bracket is physically blocking the socket.

Before you spend a dime, look at the back of your screen. You’ll see four screw holes. Measure the distance between them in millimeters. If they are about 3 inches apart, that's 75mm. About 4 inches? That's 100mm. Most 24-inch models from brands like LG, Samsung, or Vizio stick to these two sizes.

Motion vs. Fixed: What Do You Actually Need?

Do you really need a full-motion arm? Maybe.

If this TV is going in a kitchen so you can watch cooking videos while you chop onions, you absolutely want a long-reach swivel. Lighting in kitchens is notoriously "glarey." Being able to tilt the screen down by 15 degrees can be the difference between seeing a recipe and staring at a reflection of your overhead LED strips.

However, if this is a bedroom setup where the TV sits directly across from the bed, a low-profile fixed mount is much cleaner. It keeps the screen tight to the wall—sometimes within an inch. It looks like a picture frame.

But there’s a catch.

Fixed mounts are a nightmare for cable management on small screens. Since a 24-inch TV is so light, the cables themselves (especially stiff HDMI cables) can actually push the TV out of alignment if there isn't enough clearance. If you go with a fixed mount, buy right-angle HDMI adapters. Your sanity will thank you.

The Secret World of Under-Cabinet Mounts

Sometimes the best 24 tv wall mount isn't actually on the wall.

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In smaller apartments or RVs, wall space is premium real estate. There are specialized mounts designed to bolt to the bottom of a cabinet and fold up when not in use. Mount-It! and VideoSecu make a few versions of these that are specifically weighted for the 5-to-10-pound range of a 24-inch screen.

The danger here is vibration. If you mount a TV under a cabinet that’s right next to a microwave or a blender, that screen is going to rattle. You want a mount with a locking mechanism. Look for "RV rated" mounts even if you aren't in a vehicle; they are built to withstand movement and usually have much better tension knobs.

Drywall, Studs, and the "Can I Just Use Anchors?" Debate

Let’s be real. A 24-inch TV weighs almost nothing. A modern Samsung 24-inch LED TV weighs roughly 6.2 pounds without the stand.

Can you mount that directly into drywall without hitting a stud?

Technically, yes. Using high-quality toggle bolts (the ones that butterfly open behind the wall), you can safely hold 50+ pounds in 1/2-inch drywall. But—and this is a big "but"—if you are using an articulating arm that extends 15 inches out, that weight is no longer 6 pounds. It’s physics. The leverage exerted on those top anchors when the arm is fully extended is significantly higher.

If you're using a swivel mount, find a stud. If you're using a flat, "cheat" mount that stays against the wall, toggle bolts are fine. Just stay away from those cheap plastic ribbed anchors that come in the box. They are garbage. Throw them away immediately.

Why Your Cables Are Ruining the Look

Small TVs look messy fast. On a 75-inch TV, the screen is big enough to hide a lot of sins. On a 24-inch screen, a single dangling black power cord looks like a giant stripe on your wall.

You have three real options here:

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  1. The In-Wall Kit: Brands like PowerBridge make small DIY kits where you can run the power and HDMI behind the drywall. It's cleaner, but it’s a lot of work for a small screen.
  2. D-Line Raceways: These are those plastic strips that stick to the wall and paint over. For a kitchen or a dorm, these are perfect.
  3. The "Hidden" Tech: Since 24-inch TVs don't pull much power, some people use a 5V-to-12V USB power cable to run the TV off a power bank or a hidden outlet, but that’s getting into hobbyist territory.

Real-World Brands That Don't Suck

I’ve handled a lot of these. Sanus is the gold standard, but you’ll pay for it. Their small-display mounts are over-engineered in the best way possible. They move smoothly and don't "droop" over time.

For a budget pick, the MountingBasics or WALI mounts are surprisingly decent for under twenty bucks. They are basically just stamped steel, but for a 24-inch TV, you don't need aerospace-grade carbon fiber.

Just check the tilt tension. Some cheap mounts use a plastic friction nut that wears out. If you find your TV slowly tilting toward the floor like a wilted flower, you’ve got a bad tensioner. Look for mounts that use a "hex key" or "Allen wrench" adjustment. Those stay put.

Dealing With Off-Center Holes

This is a specific headache for the 24-inch crowd. Many computer monitors double as small TVs. Frequently, the VESA holes aren't in the center of the back—they're down at the bottom.

When you buy a 24 tv wall mount, and you bolt it to an off-center pattern, the "center" of your TV is now 4 inches higher than you planned. Always measure from the top VESA hole to the top of the TV frame before you drill your pilot holes in the wall. Don't just eyeball the center of the bracket.

A Note on Curved 24-Inch Screens

If you're mounting one of those curved gaming monitors, you’re going to need spacers. Most mounts come with a little bag of plastic tubes. Use them. If the back of the TV is curved and your bracket is flat, you will crack the casing of the TV if you tighten the screws too much. The spacers create a "bridge" so the bracket sits level without putting pressure on the plastic housing.

Actionable Steps for a Perfect Install

First, ignore the "level" that comes built into the mount. Half the time they are glued in crooked. Use a real 12-inch torpedo level from your toolbox.

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Second, check your screw depth. Small TVs have very shallow screw holes. If you use a screw that is too long, you will push it straight through the internal circuit board or, worse, the back of the actual LCD panel. If the screw doesn't go in all the way with finger-tight pressure, stop. Use more spacers.

Third, plug your cables in before you hang the TV on the wall plate. On a 24-inch screen, there isn't enough room to get your hand behind there once it’s hooked on.

Finally, if you're mounting into a stud, drill a pilot hole. Don't just "drive it in." Small studs in older homes or apartments can split, and then your mount is wobbly forever. A 1/8-inch drill bit is usually perfect for the lag bolts that come with most kits.

Mounting a small screen is about precision, not power. Get the VESA alignment right, account for your port clearance, and use real anchors. Do that, and your setup will look like a professional did it.