How to Mount TV on RV Wall? | Secure It For The Road

An RV wall is thinner than a house wall, so the wrong approach can have the TV tearing loose on the first big bump. The key is finding the hidden framing or the factory-installed TV backer, then using screws that bite into that structure—not the thin paneling. Forget drywall anchors; they aren’t built for the vibration of a vehicle rolling down the highway.

First, Find What’s Behind The Wall

Before you buy screws, you need to know what you’re anchoring into. RVs use two different backer setups, and each needs a different screw.

Exterior walls: Many RVs include an optional TV backer made from thin galvanized steel sheets, often two plates around 6 inches by 30 inches. A strong magnet is the fastest way to locate it—it will stick to the steel through the wall paneling. Once found, you need 3/4-inch fine-thread metal screws, and all four screw holes must anchor into the steel plate.

Interior walls and partitions: These often use a plywood backer secured behind the wall panel. Here, you’ll use 3/4-inch wood screws. The rule stays the same: the screws need to reach that structural plywood, not just grip the outer paneling.

Drilling And Securing The Mount

Mark your pilot holes once you’ve confirmed the stud or backer location. Drill those holes carefully. The most common mistake is boring a hole straight through the exterior wall, which damages the siding and can create a leak path. Mount-It’s installation guidance recommends limiting how deep you drill by wrapping a piece of tape around the bit as a depth marker.

Fasten the wall plate to the RV wall, then attach the TV plate. Avoid over-tightening the screws—stripping the threads in a steel backer or crushing a plywood backer both end in a TV that sags. Use the manufacturer’s instructions for seating the TV onto the mounting plate.

If you’re positioning a new mount, this roundup of the best TV wall mounts for a camper compares the top-rated options for road travel.

Choosing A Mount Rated For Travel

Standard house TV mounts often lack the locking mechanism needed to keep a TV stationary while driving. A good RV mount locks the TV arm tight against the wall, preventing the vibration and motion that can loosen a standard mount over time.

There are several travel-grade options worth knowing about. The Mount-It RV and Trailer TV Wall Mount with Lockable Arm is a full-motion mount that carries displays from 23 to 43 inches and holds up to 77 pounds. MORryde makes the Locking TV Wall Mount (TV1-122H), which uses a spring-latch mechanism and supports TVs up to a 200 x 200 mm VESA pattern. The VIVO MOUNT-VWRV1 is another RV-specific choice, using a 100 x 100 mm VESA plate.

Match your chosen mount to your TV’s VESA pattern, weight, and screen size, and make sure it’s compatible with your TV backer’s bolt pattern.

Securing Power, Cables, And The Road Trip

With the TV mounted, connect the power, cable, and satellite wiring. The manufacturer’s instructions for the mount will guide proper cable routing to keep wires from pinching in the articulating arm.

Before you drive:

• Lock the mount arm so the TV sits flush against the wall.
• Double-check that all four wall screws are tight and that the TV is locked onto the plate.
• Verify the TV’s weight and size match your mount’s rated capacity and your backer’s rated dimensions.

Camping World’s guidance stresses that the TV and the mount must fall within the rated dimensions and weight of the backer in your wall. An RV mount with a lockable arm is designed specifically to absorb road vibration without loosening.