Will it fit / 42-inch above a fireplace
4 of 4 42-inch models have published body sizes with and without the stand · checked 2026-10-26
Will a 42-inch TV fit above a fireplace?
Without its stand, a 42-inch TV here measures 36.7 to 36.79 in wide and 21.3 to 21.5 in tall, according to the makers' spec pages. A clear patch of wall at least 37 x 22 in above the mantel takes any of the 4; the narrowest, the LG OLED42C5PUA, needs 36.7 x 21.3 in.
Every 42-inch TV with a published body size
These are the dimensions "without stand" that each maker prints — the box that hangs on the wall. They are listed narrowest first. LG, Sony and Samsung publish a full width, height and depth for their 42-inch sets on the pages read for this site; every 42-inch model on the site is included.
| Model | Width | Height | Depth | Weight | VESA (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LG OLED42C5PUA | 36.7 in | 21.3 in | 1.6 in | 21.6 lb | 300 x 200 |
| LG OLED42C6PUA | 36.7 in | 21.3 in | 1.6 in | 21.6 lb | 300 x 200 |
| Sony XR42A90K | 36.73 in | 21.5 in | 2.24 in | 29.3 lb | 200 x 200 |
| Samsung QN42S90HAEXZA | 36.79 in | 21.36 in | 1.56 in | 18.3 lb | 200 x 200 |
Width and height on the wall
The spread between the narrowest and widest 42-inch body is 0.09 in: the LG OLED42C5PUA at 36.7 in against the Samsung QN42S90HAEXZA at 36.79 in. A geometric 42-inch 16:9 picture is 36.6 x 20.6 in, and the bodies differ from it by their frames and by how each maker rounds its class size. If a chimney breast or built-in shelving limits the width, measure between the obstructions and compare with the width column, not with the screen size.
Height matters as much above a mantel, because the TV's bottom edge has to clear the shelf and anything that stands on it. The tallest 42-inch body here is 21.5 in and the shortest 21.3 in. Add the gap you want between mantel and TV to that figure to get the wall height you need below the ceiling or crown moulding. If the wall is shorter than about 21.3 in, a 32-inch set (bodies up to 17.2 in tall) is the next size down.
What 42 inches means over a mantel
A 42-inch set is a bedroom or den TV; hung over a fireplace in a main room, it often looks undersized against the mantel. Its bodies are only 36.7–36.79 in wide and 21.3–21.5 in tall, which leaves plenty of chimney breast showing either side, and from 5 ft 8 in it already fills the 30° view, so it suits a small room where the seats are close. Most sets this size are light enough (29.3 lb at most) for a basic fixed or tilting mount.
How far it stands off the wall
The thinnest body at this size is the Samsung QN42S90HAEXZA at 1.56 in deep; the thickest is the Sony XR42A90K at 2.24 in. On a wall mount the TV sits that far out plus the mount's own profile, which the mount maker prints on its box — a fixed or "low-profile" plate adds the least, a tilting or full-motion arm the most. Over a mantel, a tilting mount is the usual way to angle a high screen back toward the seats.
Weight on the chimney wall
Without the stand these sets weigh 18.3 to 29.3 lb, with a median of 21.6 lb; the heaviest is the Sony XR42A90K. A mount's rating has to cover the TV's weight, and a full-motion arm needs more margin than a fixed plate because the load sits further from the wall. Chimney breasts are often brick or stone; fix the mount with the masonry anchors its maker supplies for that wall, and keep drill holes away from the flue.
Neighbouring sizes
One size down, the 32-inch bodies here are 28.3–29 in wide (32-inch above a fireplace). One size up, the 43-inch bodies are 37.6–38.1 in wide and up to 22.5 in tall (43-inch above a fireplace). From a seat 5 ft 8 in away a 42-inch screen fills the SMPTE 30° view; mounting it high doesn't change that distance, but the screen's centre ends up above eye level, so measure from where you sit.
Body sizes and weights: each model's US product page from LG, Sony, Samsung, linked from its model page, checked 2026-10-26. The fireplace in the drawing is illustrative; only the TV is to scale.