Most Colorado houses are wood-frame with drywall interiors and either brick, stucco, stone veneer or siding outside, and many Front Range homes have basements with poured concrete foundation walls. Expansive clay soils, high-altitude sun, wildfire smoke and freeze-thaw cycles all affect basements, patios and mounting choices.

median year homes were built: 1989; median year homes were built
built in 2000 or later: 35.4%; built in 2000 or later
built before 1960: 15.3%; built before 1960
single-family homes: 68.9%; single-family homes
in buildings with 5+ units: 23.1%; in buildings with 5+ units
mobile homes: 3.3%; mobile homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year (tables B25035, B25034, B25024)

Common wall types

Wood-frame walls with brick, stucco or siding

Where: Most single-family houses in Denver, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins and Boulder suburbs.

Mounting: Mount into studs at 16 inches on center; brick or stone veneer and stucco are not mounting surfaces from the inside.

Poured concrete basement walls

Where: Front Range homes with finished basements, often used for media rooms.

Mounting: Walls are usually furred out with studs and drywall. Anchor into the studs, or into the concrete with 1/4" concrete screws through the furring.

Older brick and plaster homes

Where: Pre-1960 houses in Denver neighborhoods like Capitol Hill, Highlands and Park Hill, and mountain towns.

Mounting: Plaster can crack; brick walls need masonry anchors and surface wiring.

Log and timber homes

Where: Mountain communities such as Breckenridge, Estes Park and Evergreen.

Mounting: Mount to a backer board lagged into the logs and plan surface wiring.

Concrete mid- and high-rise condos

Where: Downtown Denver and mountain resort towns.

Mounting: Concrete needs hammer drill and anchors; metal studs need toggles. Association approval and COI are common.

Tips before you mount

Stud walls: studs are usually 16" on center. Lag the mount into at least two studs with 5/16" lag bolts, typically about 2.5" to 3" long. A full-motion arm puts much more leverage on the wall than a flat mount, so it needs studs or masonry and should never hang on drywall anchors alone.
Basement walls: if the wall is furred out with wood studs, lag into the studs. For bare poured concrete, use 1/4" concrete screws or 3/8" sleeve anchors with a hammer drill. Expansive soils can crack drywall and stress walls, so avoid placing a mount across a visible crack.
Brick walls: drill into solid brick faces rather than mortar joints, using 1/4" concrete screws or 3/8" sleeve anchors, and expect limited in-wall wire runs.
Log walls: lag a backer board into the logs with 5/16" or 3/8" lag bolts and mount the TV to it; allow for settling.
Hiding wires: NEC 400.12 does not allow a regular TV power cord to be concealed inside a wall. Use an in-wall rated recessed power kit, and use CL2 or CL3 rated low-voltage cable for in-wall HDMI and speaker runs.
Patios and mountain decks: freeze-thaw cycles and strong sun are hard on electronics. Use an outdoor-rated TV with a rated temperature range, stainless-steel hardware, and weather-sealed connections. During wildfire smoke, keep outdoor TVs covered and vents clean.
Fireplaces: check the TV maker heat limits, use a tilting mount, and avoid mounting directly above an active wood-burning fireplace; stone surrounds need masonry anchors.
Condos and HOAs: ask the association whether drilling needs approval and get the installer certificate of insurance (COI) before work day. Before work starts, tell the installer the wall type (studs, masonry, plaster or concrete), the TV size and weight, and the mount type. These change the anchors, labor time and price.

Sources: Census Reporter, ACS 2024 1-year: Colorado (B25035, B25034, B25024) · Colorado Geological Survey: expansive soils special publication SP-11 · Westword: Did the Earth Move for You, Too?. General guidance only — your installer will confirm the right method for your wall.