In this article
In Miami the outdoor TV is almost standard: the lanai is the living room eight months a year. It's also the harshest place we mount a TV — sun, humidity, salt air and hurricane season, all on one wall.
Salt air is the real enemy
Within a mile or two of Biscayne Bay or the ocean, plain steel rusts fast and zinc-plated bolts bleed orange down the stucco. Our outdoor installs use:
- Powder-coated or stainless mounts
- Stainless steel bolts, washers and sleeve anchors
- Exterior silicone in every hole through the stucco
Walls: stucco over concrete block
Most Miami lanai walls are stucco over CMU block. We drill through the stucco into the block webs and seal. Wood-frame pergolas and cabanas need a solid post or a backer across two members. Screen-enclosure aluminum is not a mounting surface.
Power: GFCI and a plan for storms
- Outdoor outlets need GFCI and an in-use cover; adding one is a job for a licensed electrician.
- A surge protector is cheap insurance in the lightning capital of the US.
- Cables in sealed raceway or conduit with drip loops.
Sun and glare
A west-facing lanai at 5 p.m. is unwatchable for most screens. We pick the wall where the sun ends up behind the TV, and often a full-motion arm to turn the screen as the light moves.
Condo balconies
Many associations forbid drilling into balcony walls or anything visible from outside. Check the rules; if it's allowed, we send the certificate of insurance ahead. See condo and high-rise mounting.
Hurricane season
When a storm is coming, the TV comes inside. Mount it so that's easy: a full-motion arm that folds flat, brackets reachable without tools where possible, and a note of which screws hold it.
Rather have a pro do it?
Exact price in about a minute — TV size, wall type and cables included. Same-day in most areas, 3-year warranty on every install.
Outdoor TV installation $119 up to 60 inches, $129 up to 85; full-motion mount $69. The general guide: how to mount an outdoor TV. Prices in the area: TV mounting cost in Miami.
Book it as a service: outdoor TV installation in Miami.
Gear mentioned in this article
Mounting Dream Full Motion TV Wall Mount for 32-70 Inch TVs up to 110lbsArticulating arm: pulls out, swivels and tilts.Check price →
PERLESMITH Tilting TV Wall Mount for 23–60 inch TVs up to 115 lbsTilting bracket: angles the screen down when it hangs high.Check price →
Hillman Sleeve Anchors, 3/8in x 3in, 50 Pack, ZincSleeve anchors for brick, block and concrete.Check price →
TROND Power Strip Surge Protector, 4000J, ETL Listed, Flat Plug 5ftFlat-plug surge protector: fits behind a flush panel.Check price →
As an Amazon Associate, TV Mount Q earns from qualifying purchases. We never show a price here: Amazon prices change daily, so the button takes you to the current one.
