How to mount tv on brick fireplace and hide wires

Home » TV setup

6 min read for expertise

Last Updated on June 7, 2022 by

Do you have TV wires scattered above the fireplace?

Above the fireplace is the ultimate place to mount your television if you want to prioritize a hot sweat after your shows so that you will only have one focal point in your living room. 

Some choose not to mount their television above their brick fireplace due to the fact that some don’t know what to do with aggravating cords that would hang in the way.

For those who want to mount your television above your fireplace but aren’t doing it because of those wires, continue reading as we have some great tips to help you out. 

We interviewed many different types of wires and they said to us. “I dont want to go there” “Please dont judge me, and I won’t judge you” “let it be beautiful.”

What to avoid when hiding wires above the fireplace

Mounting your TV above a brick fireplace hiding cable boxes or wires can be a challenge at first.

Obviously, there are some other obstacles to avoid when mounting your television above your fireplace. 

Here are three common unpleasant situations that you want to avoid when hiding wires above your brick fireplace.

Exposed webbing wires

When mounting a TV above a brick fireplace, wire management, and webbing wires are one of the most unattractive things you can encounter.

Your TV location is going to be the main focal point in your space, but if you have exposed webbing wires, this can really put a damper on your interior appearance.

Accidents

By all means, if you are mounting your television and hiding wires, you will want to be extra careful because with projects like this, accidents can happen and these accidents can cost a new television or a trip to the emergency room.

So pay attention to what you’re doing and ask for someone to help if this isn’t something you can do yourself.

Obstruction from TV mount movement

There are some mounts, which can move your television back and forth, or up and down.

If you have one of these mounts, make sure you’re not putting the screen in a position where your television will be obstructed from movement by having the wires too tight. 

What to consider when hiding wires

The heat from the fireplace

You should only mount a television above a fireplace if the temperature in the TV positioned area does not go over 100 degrees Fahrenheit [1] (You can do a test). 

Before you begin, put a thermometer on the wall where you plan on putting the television, then start the fireplace and let the fire run for a couple of hours. Check the monitor. If the temperature is above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, then the location is too hot for your television.

If the temperature is below 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the TV should be safe here, but ideally, find a spot with a lower temperature if possible.

Mounting bracket type

Every home has a unique fireplace setup, and you all have different sizes to deal with so the answer is hard for me to recommend the correct mounting bracket size and depth in a single answer.

But we can tell you that you will want to use multiple right-sized anchors. 4-inches is suitable for most situations, but you need to check. 

Just remember that you’re bolting a television to a single wall of brick, and not the chimney.

Many wonder what TV mounts to use – if you’re looking for the full tilt and swivel options for your TV, you can get a full-motion drop-down “accordion” style mounting bracket, which will allow you to move the television in all directions, even once mounted!

One size does not fit all.

To drill or not to drill?

When drilling into the brick above your fireplace, you could damage the chimney.

If you drill too far into the brick, this could penetrate the smoke chamber or the ceramic flue tiles, which are responsible for containing the smoke and heat from rising safely on the way outside.

This could cause a safety hazard [2] allowing carbon monoxide to seep into the house through the new openings that shouldn’t be there.

Whether you choose to drill or not drill, that is a decision that is completely up to you. If you do choose to drill, just make sure the mounting screw you’re using isn’t going to go too deep so that the end would penetrate the chimney wall.

But if you choose to mount your TV on a brick wall, apart from your fireplace, here’s how you can do it.

Cord color

When trying to hide wires TV mounted over a brick fireplace, definitely consider the cord color.

Standard cords are generally black, which is why some choose to pick their entertainment equipment black (the cords and hardware blend in this way).

Use a cable concealer kit

How about we skip the process where we drill holes to feed wires into walls because as we previously stated, drilling holes can lead to safety concerns. Plus, we don’t want to feed the wires through the chimney.

Instead, you can go out and purchase a Cable Concealer Kit.

These are plastic TV brick fireplace wire covers that can be mounted on the wall right on top of the wires and hide over the brick fireplace without holes, a simple cover can do a great job at hiding wires from the TV.

Here’s how to install the cord concealer strip:

1. Measurements: Measure the span of the wall between the floor and the base of the screen. This is how long the cord concealer strip will need to be.
2. Cut the concealer kit. The cord concealer is plastic, so you can use a hacksaw to make the appropriate cuts. 
3. Mount the base on the wall. Mount the base to the walls with the screws. follow the manufacturer’s instructions. 
4. Insert the cords. Once the concealer kit is mounted on the wall, insert the cords inside the channel, then snap the cover in place. 

Most cord covers are sold in neutral colors like metallic grey or white so that the plastic or metal tracks dont stand out. Hiding tracks will work better if you have a wall that is the same color as the tracks.

In order to avoid this, we recommend painting the strip the same color as your wall, this way, the wires, and the concealment method will blend in.

Hide on top of the mantle

One method how to hide wires when hanging a TV over a brick fireplace is to just hide necessary wires up on top of the mantle.

Tools and Materials needed:

• Wire Mold – This will be going over the top of your wire, and blending them in with the wall.
• Cable Ties
• Extension Cord
• Zip Ties
• Scissors – You’ll use these to trim extra molding or zip ties (if needed)
• Fabric Cover (this is optional) – You can sew some fabric over the wire mold, which will help your cords blend in with the background. 

Once all your tools are gathered together, the time to get started is now.

Step-by-step

1. Band cords together. You can use wire mold or zip ties to band the cords together and get the bundle as small and tidy as you can. 
2. Place cable ties. The cable ties should be placed every six inches.
3. Arrange your cables. Find a way to tuck your cables in a seam in the brick wall on top of the mantel. 
4. Plug everything in. Plug the TV into the outlet that is near your fireplace. If you’re lucky, then you’ll have a plug above the mantel, if not, then you may need extension wires to reach the required distances.

Hide wires beneath decors

If you have just the right décor, you could always run the TV cable under and behind decor items.

Good décor to hide cords out of sight includes wooden art, vases, and picture frames.

Use Bluetooth speakers & equipment when possible

One of the best ways to hide cords is to not have them at all in the first palce. So, when possible, go for Bluetooth speakers and wireless equipment.

Tidy up those wires.

Mounting a television above a mantel will make a great focal point. However, when cords are running everywhere, they won’t look good and can be seen as dangerous.

The tips in our article will help hide those cords once and for all. If not get a dedicated fireplace TV mount with a better cable management system.

If you opt not to mount a TV above the fireplace, here’s how you can hide those cables on the wall. We also have a guide to in-wall cabling management, for more tips on hiding cables on other TV mounting types.

More information:

1. Want to mount a TV above a Fireplace? a blog from https://www.bobvila.com/articles/mount-tv-above-a-fireplace/
2. Avoiding carbon monoxide hazards, an article published in https://www.csia.org/carbonmonoxide.html

Hi, my name is Johann Holsinger, here at mountyourbox.com I share all of the tips and tricks I have professionally learned to help you set up your ultimate home entertainment system.