Samsung TV Mount Screws Don't Fit? (Find Out Why!)

You got your new Samsung HD Smart TV home from the retail store. You mount the new bracket on the way and get ready to hang your new Samsung TV on the bracket. It quickly becomes apparent that there is a problem. The screws that came with the bracket and the Samsung TV don’t fit.

If you have Samsung HD Smart TV built after 2016, the curved back is the problem. To solve your screw problem, you must purchase an M8 screw at least 45mm in length. When mounting very large Samsung TVs, a bolt length of 50 mm is the solution. Unfortunately, most universal mounting kits don’t come with M8 bolts this long.

Samsung’s decision to deviate from industry standards for the mounting system is to blame. There are several other issues to deal with when mounting a large screen Samsung Smart TV that can come into play. However, the critical issue is the length of the mounting bolts you need.

No one really knows the truth behind the Samsung manufacturing change. In all likelihood, no one except a few company insiders ever will know the truth. There is lots of speculation but no real evidence.

What is known is that in December 2016, Samsung TVs with a new curved back design began appearing on the market. The curved back added space between the back of the TV cabinet and the chassis. This extra distance means that most mounting bracket kits that come with M4, M6, and M8 mounting screws won’t fit. The supplied screws are just too short to engage the threaded holes in the TV chassis.

Samsung’s decision to ignore the industry VESA standards has created problems for thousands of new owners of Samsung TVs. It isn’t uncommon for a new TV purchase to include a universal mounting bracket. The unfortunate result is Samsung TV owners who find themselves unable to mount their new TV with the hardware provided with the TV or the mounting bracket.

To put it bluntly, Samsung went off the reservation with their TV cabinet design. Unfortunately, Samsung didn’t also step up and remedy the situation by including the necessary bolts to adapt their TVs to the current VESA standards.

To make matters worse, Samsung still includes screws with their new larger screen HD TVs with M4, M6, and M8 screws of the old length. Samsung didn’t even upgrade their mounting kit to include the proper screws. To make matters worse, the information in the Samsung user’s manual is wrong as well.

The Samsung user’s manual included the required mounting bolt size as 45mm with their new TVs. Unfortunately for many purchasers of these Samsung TVs, the bolt length you need maybe 50mm or more.

You need to be cautious about the bolt length as well. Using a bolt that is too long risks contacting vital components inside the TV. If necessary, by an assortment of M8 bolt lengths and work up until you find the length that allows you to engage the threads of the chassis but not much more.

You can always opt to install the leg stands on your Samsung TV instead of using a wall mount. As far as we know, the leg stands and the screws that come with the newer Samsung HD TVs all work well, and the screws fit the mounting holes.

This does, of course, mean changing your whole décor. You will need a cabinet on which to set the TV. If you have already installed the wall mount, removing it will leave unsightly holes in the wall to repair. Many people find this option unacceptable.

You can spend some time and money at the hardware store and purchase an assortment of metric screws in various lengths. Finding the right combinations of bolt lengths to work with your wall mount bracket takes trial and error. You should, with time, find the bolt lengths that work.

You will be left with an assortment of metric bolts in odd lengths that may have no other use around your house. This may not seem to be a problem, but it means an unnecessary expense that you shouldn’t have had to experience if Samsung had played by the rules.

You can find and hire a professional audiovisual installer to mount your new Samsung TV. Many people choose this option anyway to ensure that the mount and the TV are installed properly. Most AV installers know the Samsung screw problem and carry the correct size screws in their toolboxes.

The downside of hiring a professional installer is the cost. On average, professional AV installers charge about $262 to mount the average size TV. This cost can range from $100 to $600 depending on the TV size and the job complexity.

Samsung doesn’t have much to say about this issue. You would think that if Samsung designed the TV to require longer screws, they would set some specifications about the type of screw to use. To our knowledge, there is no such information available.

However, if you purchase quality screws, there isn’t a problem, in our opinion. We make this recommendation under the assumption that Samsung designed the chassis of their TVs for the additional stress longer screws may impart. We also assume that you use a quality wall mount, the proper size for your TV appropriately attached to the wall.

You should avoid overtightening the screws that you use to mount your Samsung TV to the wall mount plate. Overtightening may strip the threads on the screw or the chassis. This can lead to catastrophic failures with large TVs.