Should an Electric Fireplace Be Wider Than the TV?

On this page (7 sections)

1. Why should an electric fireplace not be wider than the TV?
2. What width electric fireplace goes under which TV size?
3. How wide is too wide for an electric fireplace under a TV?
4. How do you measure the wall before you choose a fireplace?
5. Which electric fireplaces suit a TV wall?
6. Does a wider fireplace heat the room better?
7. What is the final width rule for a fireplace under a TV?

No, the TV should usually be wider than the electric fireplace. A fireplace wider than the screen pulls the eye down and makes the TV look small.

The common fit is a fireplace 20 to 30 percent narrower than the TV, so the screen stays the star.

This matters most when both sit on the same wall. The screen is the thing people look at every day, and the flames are the backdrop.

A wide fireplace can still work, but only when the TV is bigger and the proportions are planned before you cut or drill anything. That is the short version of the "should electric fireplace be wider than tv" question, and the rest of this guide is how to put it into practice.

Why should an electric fireplace not be wider than the TV?

Because the screen needs to win the eye. A fireplace is bright and moving, so it competes for attention.

When the fireplace is wider, the TV looks like a small box sitting above a big fire.

Picture the wall as two stacked rectangles. If the lower rectangle is wider, the top one reads as secondary no matter how good the picture is.

Flip the widths and the screen looks like the anchor of the wall.

There is a practical side too. The fireplace is often the newer, more decorative piece, so people buy it wide to fill the wall.

That works when the TV is smaller or absent. With a TV above, the fireplace's job is to support the screen, not outshine it.

A fireplace about 20 to 30 percent narrower than the TV is the safe default. That leaves the screen clearly dominant while the flames still read as a real fireplace from across the room.

If you want the fireplace to feel bigger, widen the surround or mantel rather than the unit itself.

What width electric fireplace goes under which TV size?

Match the fireplace to roughly 70 to 80 percent of the TV width. A 55 inch TV pairs with a 40 to 44 inch fireplace.

A 65 inch TV pairs with a 48 to 52 inch unit.

A 75 inch TV pairs with a 55 to 60 inch unit.

Those ranges keep the fireplace smaller without making it look like a candle under a cinema screen. Go much narrower than 65 percent and the wall looks top-heavy.

Go much wider than 80 percent and you are back to the fireplace competing with the screen.

The TV's diagonal size is the easy number to work from. The fireplace's width is measured across its face, so compare face width to screen width, not to the diagonal.

A 50 inch fireplace face is much narrower than a 50 inch TV diagonal.

Use your TV's actual width from its specs or a tape measure, since bezels vary. Then choose the fireplace size nearest to 70 to 80 percent of that number.

How wide is too wide for an electric fireplace under a TV?

Too wide is when the fireplace face is as wide as or wider than the screen. At that point the TV looks like an afterthought and the wall reads as a fireplace with a screen stuck on.

The other limit is the wall itself. A 72 inch fireplace on a 72 inch wall leaves no breathing room, and the screen above it needs some.

Leave at least a few inches of wall on each side so the unit does not look crammed into the corner.

Heat is a smaller concern. Touchstone recommends at least 8 inches between the top of its Sideline units and the TV, and its front-facing vents let you mount just 8 inches under a flat screen.

Width does not change that gap, but a very wide unit under a low-hung TV can make the spacing feel tight.

If you are working with a wide wall, a 72 inch electric fireplace can suit a large TV or a TV-free wall. Under a normal 55 or 65 inch screen, stay in the 40 to 52 inch range instead.

How do you measure the wall before you choose a fireplace?

Measure three things: the TV width, the free wall width, and the height from the floor to the TV bottom. Write them down before you shop, because each one limits your choices.

First, the TV width in inches, edge to edge. Second, the wall space between obstacles like a door, window or built-in, which caps how wide the fireplace can be.

Third, the vertical gap between the floor or mantel and the bottom of the TV, which caps the fireplace height.

Then subtract the clearance. Allow the 8 inch gap above the fireplace for a Touchstone Sideline.

Allow a few inches on each side. What is left is your usable fireplace footprint.

Width is only one dimension. Depth matters too, especially if the unit sits in a recess or under a mantel shelf.

Check the unit's depth against the wall cavity or the shelf overhang before ordering.

Which size should you pick for the wall you measured?

Pick the largest fireplace that stays under about 80 percent of the TV width and still leaves side clearance. For many living rooms, that lands at 50 inches under a 65 inch TV.

A 36 inch unit is the better call on a narrow wall or under a smaller screen. Our roundup of the best 36 inch electric fireplaces covers units built for tighter spaces.

Just do not put a 36 inch fireplace under a 75 inch TV unless you want a very small fire accent.

Which electric fireplaces suit a TV wall?

The 50 to 60 inch Sideline units are the natural fit for a TV wall. Both are designed for recessed in-wall mounting and both are rated safe to mount under a flat screen with an 8 inch gap.

The Touchstone Sideline 50 Inch is the pick for most 55 to 65 inch TVs. Its face is about 50 inches wide, which sits in the 70 to 80 percent band for a 65 inch screen.

It runs with or without heat, so you can keep the flames on in summer without warming the room.

The Touchstone Sideline 60 Inch is the step up for a 75 inch TV or a wide wall. Its face is 60 inches across, and the heater still tops out at supplemental heat for about 400 square feet, so the extra width is about looks rather than warmth.

The Euhomy 50 Inch Recessed Fireplace is the slimmer-depth option. At about 4 inches deep it takes less wall depth than the Touchstone units, which helps on a thin wall or a shallow recess.

How high should the TV and fireplace sit on the wall?

Mount the fireplace so the flames sit around eye level when you are seated, then hang the TV above it with the 8 inch gap. For a wall-mounted setup, our guide to how high to hang an electric fireplace walks through the heights.

The fireplace height also decides how much wall the TV has left. A lower fireplace pushes the TV up, which can strain necks if it climbs too high.

Plan both before drilling.

Does a fireplace in a bedroom follow the same width rule?

Yes. A bedroom TV wall works the same way: the screen stays wider than the fireplace.

A smaller unit often suits a bedroom better anyway, since the room is smaller and the heater only needs to take the edge off.

Our guide to an electric fireplace for bedroom covers the fit and the heat side for sleeping spaces. Keep the width rule in mind there too, so the screen stays the focus.

Does a wider fireplace heat the room better?

Not in any way that matters for the width choice. These units are supplemental heaters rated for about 400 square feet, and the 50 and 60 inch Touchstone models share the same 5,000 BTU output.

Extra width buys looks, not more warmth.

That means you should pick width for the wall first. If the room needs real heat, an electric fireplace is not the answer at any size.

The heater takes the edge off a cool room or basement; it will not replace a primary heat source.

A wide unit under a TV also puts more warm air near the screen when the heat is on. The 8 inch gap and the front-facing vents handle that, but the smaller fireplace in the 70 to 80 percent band keeps the setup simpler.

What is the final width rule for a fireplace under a TV?

Keep the TV wider than the fireplace. Aim for a fireplace face at 70 to 80 percent of the TV width, leave the 8 inch gap above the unit, and pick depth to match your wall.

If the answer to "should electric fireplace be wider than tv" is ever yes, it is on a TV-free wall or under a much larger screen.

Start with the TV width, then choose the fireplace size nearest that band. Under a 65 inch TV, the Touchstone Sideline 50 Inch is the fit for most rooms.

Under a 75 inch TV or on a wide wall, the Touchstone Sideline 60 Inch gives the fireplace more presence without outshining the screen. The Euhomy 50 Inch is the pick when wall depth is the tight limit.

Measure the wall, the TV and the clearance before you order. A few minutes with a tape measure is what keeps the finished wall looking balanced instead of crowded.

Frequently asked questions

How wide should an electric fireplace be under a TV?

Aim for a fireplace width around 70 to 80 percent of the TV width. Under a 55 inch TV, that means a 40 to 44 inch fireplace.

Under a 65 inch TV, look at 48 to 52 inches.

How much space do you need between the fireplace and the TV?

Touchstone recommends at least 8 inches between the top of its Sideline fireplaces and the bottom of the TV. The units stay cool on the sides and back, so the gap is mostly about heat rising and keeping the screen clear.

Does a wider electric fireplace heat a bigger room?

Not much. These units are rated as supplemental heat up to about 400 square feet, whatever their width.

Pick width for looks first and treat the heater as a bonus that takes the edge off a cool room.