How wide should a TV stand be? Width in cm for every TV size

The quick rule

Take the screen width of the TV, add the frame, and leave a few centimeters of margin on each side. In practice that means the stand should be at least the screen width plus about 10 cm. For a 55″ TV that is 121.8 + 10, rounded up to 135 cm.

The extra room is not just about looks. A TV that overhangs the stand on one side is easy to knock over, and some brackets or soundbars need a few centimeters of space beside them.

Minimum TV stand width by TV size

Check the feet, not just the width

The figure above is a sensible planning width, but what really matters is where the feet or pedestal sit. Many mid-range TVs use two feet near the outer edges, so the stand has to be almost as wide as the whole set. Others use a single centre pedestal, which fits on a much narrower shelf but needs a deep enough surface.

Before buying furniture, find the "dimensions with stand" and "foot spacing" lines in the TV manual or product page. The foot spacing is the distance between the outer feet in cm. Your stand needs to be at least that wide, and the TV itself should not overhang by more than a few centimeters.

Wall mounting: how much space to leave

• Above a fireplace or console, leave at least 10 cm above the TV and measure from the top of the screen: a 55″ TV is 68.5 cm tall, so the bracket centre sits about 34.2 cm above the TV's bottom edge.
• The centre of the screen is usually most comfortable at seated eye height, around 100 to 110 cm from the floor for a sofa and a little higher for a dining area.
• Allow 5 to 7 cm of depth for a fixed bracket and more for a tilting or swivel arm, plus room for cables and plugs behind the set.
• A soundbar usually sits below the TV and needs another 5 to 8 cm of height, so measure the whole stack.

Depth and weight

Stand depth matters for a centre pedestal. A shelf 30 cm deep is often fine for a 43-inch TV but too shallow for a 65-inch pedestal. Always check the base footprint in the manual.

Weight is the other limit. TVs have become light, but a 65-inch or larger panel can still weigh 20 to 35 kg. Check the stand rating if the TV will sit on a thin glass shelf or a narrow floating cabinet.

Choosing the TV size for the furniture you already have

If the cabinet is already fixed, work backwards. Subtract 10 cm from the usable width and look that number up in the table: a 120 cm cabinet takes a 50″ TV (110.7 cm wide) comfortably and a 55″ one only just. Convert any size you are unsure about with the inches to cm converter, or see how the screen sizes compare in the TV size chart.

If you are still deciding on the TV, start with how to measure a TV screen so you compare diagonals correctly.