In this article
Why a floating shelf or wall-hung console
Once the TV is on the wall, the old TV stand usually looks out of place — a big piece of furniture holding nothing but a soundbar and a streaming box. A floating shelf or wall-hung media console gives those devices a home right under the screen, keeps the floor clear (robot vacuums love it), and makes the TV, soundbar and storage read as one design.
Our TV shelf and floating stand installation covers everything from a single glass device shelf to a full-width floating media console, anchored and aligned with the TV.
Choosing between a shelf and a console
- Floating shelf — a single board or glass shelf, for a soundbar and one or two small devices. Minimal and inexpensive.
- Double shelf — two tiers, common for a cable box plus a console.
- Wall-hung media console — a cabinet with doors or drawers, hiding devices and cables completely. The most finished look and the heaviest to hang.
Planning several TVs joined into one big screen instead of a single TV? That's a media wall — a video wall with its own mounts and sync controller.
Anchoring something that looks weightless
The whole point of a floating console is that you can't see what holds it. That means the hidden hardware does all the work, including the leverage from anything heavy placed at the front edge. We mount wall-hung consoles on a full-length French cleat or the manufacturer's rail, anchored into every stud along its width — or into solid masonry — and check the level again once it's loaded.
Drywall anchors alone aren't used for anything carrying devices. On metal studs, we use rated toggles across several studs; on concrete, sleeve anchors along the cleat.
Rather have a pro do it?
Send a request — we'll confirm the exact price and a time that suits you by text or call. 3-year warranty on every install.
Getting the spacing right with a soundbar
The console, the soundbar and the TV need to be planned together. A typical layout: the soundbar sits on the console or is mounted just below the TV, with the console top 8–12 inches below the screen. Too close, and the TV's lower edge crowds the bar; too far, and the pieces look disconnected. The soundbar placement calculator works out the gaps, and our article on soundbars and floating shelves shows real setups. We install the soundbar and a game console on the same visit.
Cables through the console
A floating console is the perfect cable hide. The TV's cables run inside the wall from a recessed plate behind the screen down to a plate behind the console, and the devices inside connect to it through a grommet in the back panel. Nothing is visible on the wall between the TV and the console. See TV cable concealment.
Floating stand installation in our regions
We install floating shelves and consoles in Miami, Los Angeles, Dallas, Las Vegas, Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, San Diego, Charlotte, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Raleigh–Durham, on drywall, concrete, brick and metal studs. Renting and can't drill? Our read on the best TV floor stands for renters covers the alternative.
