How Wide Should a TV Unit Be for a 65-Inch TV? Width Chart
Short answer: A TV unit should be at least 15-20 cm wider than the body of the television on each side. Accordingly, for a 50-inch TV choose a 150-180 cm unit, for 55 inch 160-200 cm, for 65 inch 180-220 cm, and for 75 inch 220-260 cm. Unit depth is 40-50 cm and height varies between 40 and 70 cm depending on screen size. The rule in one sentence: the unit is never narrower than the television; if it is, the room looks unbalanced.
How wide should a TV unit be for a 65-inch TV?
A 65-inch television has a 165 cm diagonal, a picture width of 144 cm, and with the bezel a body width of about 147 cm. The unit calculation is made from this 147 cm:
- Minimum 180 cm. This leaves 16-17 cm on each side of the 147 cm body. The unit carries the television but looks "completely full".
- Balanced size 200-220 cm. This leaves 26-36 cm on each side; a sound system, a player and a decorative piece fit under the screen. This is why the standard TV unit width on the market is 200-220 cm.
- 170 cm and below will not work. A 147 cm body completely covers the unit; if the screen's feet overhang the unit there is also a risk of tipping.
Let us illustrate with real sizes at Selishome: the lower block of the Adalya TV unit is 216 × 50 × 62 cm, the lower block of the Grande TV unit is 220 × 49 × 60 cm, and the Virjin unit lower block is 208 × 45 × 52 cm. All three are in the right width band for 65 inch; the difference lies in height and depth.
TV unit width chart by inch
The "body width" in the table is the real width the television takes up with its bezel; the unit is chosen from this number, not from the diagonal.
| Screen | Diagonal | TV body width | Minimum unit | Balanced unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43 inch | 109 cm | 98 cm | 130 cm | 140-160 cm |
| 50 inch | 127 cm | 114 cm | 145 cm | 150-180 cm |
| 55 inch | 140 cm | 125 cm | 155 cm | 160-200 cm |
| 60 inch | 152 cm | 136 cm | 170 cm | 180-200 cm |
| 65 inch | 165 cm | 147 cm | 180 cm | 200-220 cm |
| 75 inch | 191 cm | 169 cm | 200 cm | 220-260 cm |
| 85 inch | 216 cm | 191 cm | 225 cm | 240-300 cm |
↔ Scroll the table sideways to see all of it.
The body width calculation is simple: on a 16:9 screen the picture width is about 87% of the diagonal, and the bezel adds 1.5-2 cm in each direction. You can find the equivalent for your own television in the inch – screen – cm conversion chart.
How wide should a TV unit be for a 75-inch TV?
At 75 inch the body width rises to 169 cm and the job now depends more on wall width than on unit width. A 200 cm unit carries this screen but leaves only 15 cm on each side; the screen looks as if it is overhanging the unit. The right size is 220-260 cm.
A second rule comes into play here: the unit should cover at most two thirds of the wall it stands against. On a 320 cm wall a 220 cm unit is balanced; on a 400 cm wall 260 cm sits comfortably. If the wall is under 300 cm, a unit of sufficient width for a 75-inch television cannot be found; in that case hanging the screen on the wall and placing a low 180-200 cm block beneath it gives a better result.
How wide should a TV unit be for a 50-inch TV?
At 50 inch the body is 114 cm; 145 cm is the minimum and 150-180 cm the balanced size. At this size the most common mistake is the opposite one: a unit that is too wide is bought for a small screen. When a 50-inch television is placed on a 250 cm unit, the screen looks small in the middle of the unit and the room looks unbalanced.
Practical yardstick: the body width of the television should be 55-75% of the unit width. For a 114 cm body this ratio corresponds to a unit of 150-207 cm. At 65 inch (147 cm body) the same ratio gives 196-267 cm; the "balanced unit" column in the table comes from this ratio.
Three measurements to check besides unit width
Getting the width right is not enough on its own; three more measurements await you when you bring the unit home.
- Depth 40-50 cm. 45 cm is standard in modern units. Units under 40 cm are risky with televisions that stand on feet: the stand feet of some 65 and 75 inch models spread to a depth of 30-35 cm, and on a narrow top a foot is left hanging. Before buying a unit, measure the foot spacing of the television.
- Height 40-70 cm. This measurement depends on screen size, because the aim is to bring the centre of the screen to eye level when seated: 65-70 cm for 43 inch, 55-60 cm for 55 inch, 45-55 cm for 65 inch, 40-45 cm for 75 inch. We explained the full calculation in our article on 65-inch TV height from the floor.
- Foot spacing and cable outlet. If the back panel of the unit has no cable hole, the unit stays 5-8 cm away from the wall; this is added to your measurement. If you plan the socket at 60-90 cm from the floor, the cables are hidden behind the screen.
Unit width by wall: ratio calculation
Choosing unit width only by the television is half a decision; the second deciding factor is the wall.
| Wall width | Suitable unit | Suitable screen |
|---|---|---|
| 250 cm | 150-170 cm | 43-50 inch |
| 300 cm | 180-200 cm | 55-65 inch |
| 350 cm | 200-230 cm | 65-75 inch |
| 400 cm and above | 240-300 cm | 75-85 inch |
↔ Scroll the table sideways to see all of it.
Leave at least 30 cm of wall space on each side of the unit; if the unit covers the wall from end to end, the room looks narrower and obstacles such as skirting boards, sockets and radiators make installation harder. When deciding which wall of the living room to put the unit on, you also need to think about the sofa placement; our article explaining this with a sketch: how to make a living room layout plan.
One-piece unit or modular block?
The same width can be reached in two different ways, and the choice depends on your home:
- One-piece lower block: Easy to install, with a simple look. Passing through the door and lift is the only risk; a 220 cm one-piece block can cause trouble on narrow stairs. Before measuring, see our article on whether furniture will fit through the door and lift.
- Modular setup: With a lower block + upper shelf + bookcase combination you decide the width yourself. In models installed together with a bookcase, such as the Luna TV unit, the total width can be enlarged or reduced to suit the wall.
- Wall-hung unit: The screen is on the wall with a block raised from the floor beneath it. The living room looks wider because the floor is visible and it is easy to clean; on the other hand, the load-bearing capacity of the wall becomes important.
For shelf interior sizes, door swing and material differences, see our TV unit sizes and height guide, and to compare models see our TV unit category. We covered how the unit matches the coffee table and sofa in size in our article on coffee table sizes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cm should a unit be for a 65-inch TV?
At least 180 cm, with a balanced size of 200-220 cm. The body width of a 65-inch television is 147 cm; the unit is in the right proportion when 25-35 cm is left on each side.
What size unit does a 75-inch TV need?
220-260 cm. 200 cm is the minimum and leaves only 15 cm on each side. If your wall is under 300 cm, hanging the screen on the wall and placing a low 180-200 cm block beneath it looks more balanced.
How many cm should a unit be for a 50-inch TV?
150-180 cm. 145 cm is the minimum. At this screen size, units of 220 cm and above make the screen look small.
Can a TV unit be narrower than the TV?
It should not be. With televisions that stand on feet, feet overhanging the top create a risk of tipping; with wall-hung screens a narrow unit looks out of proportion. The unit should always be at least 30 cm wider than the body width.
How deep should a TV unit be?
40-50 cm; the standard is 45 cm. If you will place a television on feet, measure the foot spacing of the screen and make sure the unit depth is greater than this.
What is the standard TV unit width in cm?
In Turkey the most common lower block width is 200-220 cm. This size has become standard because it carries all televisions in the 55-75 inch range in balance.
