There are many different types of TV mounts available out there for you to choose from.
Full-motion TV mounts have always been a popular choice among consumers due to the sheer level of flexibility that they provide.
That being said, full-motion mounts are not exactly suitable for every home out there.
Quick summary
In this post, we will discuss how full-motion mounts work and what functionality they provide.
We will also discuss how you can assess your needs to identify whether or not a full-motion mount would be suitable for you or not.
So without further ado, let’s get started.
What is a Full-Motion TV Mount?
A Full-motion TV mount is a type of TV mount that provides the highest level of versatility out of all the other mount types currently available.
Most full-motion mounts feature a wall bracket with adjustable arms, a base plate, and two adjustable TV mounting arms.
Due to the multiple different pivot points on a full-motion mount, you can utilize it to move your TV in many different ways. It’s a solid design that allows you to have many different viewing angles in your room.
So, what movement options does a full-motion mount provide exactly?
Well, most full-motion mounts can extend out from the wall. That means you can pull the TV out from the wall. How much you’ll be able to pull it out will depend on the model and manufacturer of your full-motion mount.
You can also use the mount to rotate your TV around. You can even swivel your TV left and right up to certain angles. Again, the level of swivel that a full-motion mount can provide will depend on the model and manufacturer.
If you have glare on your television screen, you shouldn’t worry as a full-motion mount allows you to tilt your TV as well. For most full-motion mounts, the TV can be tilted up to 15 degrees forward and 5 degrees backward.
Once again, these numbers can vary depending on the model and manufacturer of the mount.
As you can probably tell from our description above, you can use a full-motion mount to position your TV in many different directions.
This makes full-motion mounts great for large spaces that have many different viewing angles. If you’d like to watch TV from different seating positions and angles every day, full-motion mounts can be a great option.
Not only that but they can also be a great option for large party spaces and gatherings.
You may think that a full-motion mount takes up a lot of space. While that is definitely the case when it’s in use, when you are not using it, you can retract it to save space.
Most full-motion mounts allow you to retract the TV into the wall where the TV will rest a mere few inches from it (usually 2 – 3 inches). Thus, you can save a ton of space in your room when the TV is not in use.
Advantages of Full-Motion TV Wall Mounts
Let’s talk about the most obvious advantage first: full-motion mounts are the mounts that provide you with the widest range of motion out of all the mount types out there.
Hence, if you have a large space with multiple viewing angles, these types of mounts are definitely the best option. No other mount type can match the level of freedom full-motion mounts provide in terms of viewing angles.
Secondly, since full-motion mounts allow you to extend the TV forward, that means you can do all of the wirings after the TV has been installed on the mount. Just pull it forward and install all of the wires needed.
The nature of full-motion TV wall mounts means that they can also be easily installed into corners. If you install it in a corner, this can save you a major amount of space when the TV is fully retracted.
You’ll have many free walls in this case which you can use for other purposes such as hanging photos, paintings, etc.
Disadvantages of Full-Motion TV Wall Mounts
As you may have already guessed, full-motion TV mounts are much more expensive than other mount types.
While we do feel that their higher price is justified due to the higher level of motion they provide, it’s still something to keep in mind. You don’t want to burn a hole in your pocket just to get extra movement which you may never use.
Only spend money on a full-motion TV wall mount if you are certain that you will get used out of its extensive movement options.
Secondly, you need a fair amount of space in your room to get full use out of a full-motion mount.
Just think about it: full-motion mounts can be extended forward, swiveled around, rotated, and moved up and down. This is all done while your huge expensive television is attached to it. Naturally, you will need a significant amount of space for this to be possible.
If you have a small, cramped room that has furniture in it, there’s a high chance you won’t be able to use a full-motion mount to its fullest potential.
Hence, there is no point in buying a full-motion TV bracket if you don’t have the appropriate amount of space to fully utilize its features.
Thirdly, even though full-motion mounts provide a great amount of movement, they also exert a lot of force on your wall. This force is much higher than what fixed TV mounts, tilting mounts, and other types of wall mounts exert.
Hence, you will need studs with strong anchors in order to properly mount a full-motion TV bracket to the wall. Most designs in the market cannot be mounted onto Drywall alone.
You definitely need studs.
Furthermore, since they exert so much force on the wall, if you install it incorrectly, there’s a high chance it may get pulled down through your wall and damage it.
In this case, not only will your wall be damaged but your TV will end up on the floor too. If you’re lucky, it might not break but in most cases, it will.
So, you should only buy a full-motion mount if you are sure that the type of wall you have can indeed support the amount of force it will exert on it.
Wrapping Things Up…
Full-motion TV mounts are also known as articulating mounts and they are definitely the most versatile types of mounts out there.
However, even though they are extremely versatile, they are still not suitable for everyone. We highly recommend that you assess your needs before you buy a full-motion mount.
This is because there’s a high chance that you might not even need it.
If you have further questions about full-motion wall mounts, please let us know in the comments below.
Adam F.
A/V and Home Theater Expert that focuses on providing clear as well as concise reviews for anything and everything Audio Visual. From TV's, TV Mounts, Soundbars, and Wiring, my focus is to provide expertise in everything Audio Visual focused.
