85 inch tv stand

Sizing up your 85 inch tv stand: A workshop guide to not making a mess of it

So you went and bought the massive screen. Good for you. But now you have to put it somewhere that isn’t going to buckle under the weight or look ridiculous because the TV is wider than the furniture. Most people get this wrong. They buy an 85 inch tv stand that is exactly the same width as the TV, and it looks like a mushroom. It is top-heavy and, frankly, looks a bit daft in a proper living room.

Look, an 85 inch tv stand needs to be at least 180cm wide. That is the bare minimum. If you go smaller, the edges of that expensive screen are going to be hanging out in the breeze. My advice? Go wider. Give it some breathing room. If you have the space, a 200cm unit is much better. It lets you put a few bits and bobs on the ends so the TV doesn’t look like it is swallowing the whole wall.

And for heaven’s sake, measure the legs on your television. Some of these new sets have feet right at the very edge. If your stand is 180cm and your TV feet are 178cm apart, you are living on the edge. One bump from the kids or the dog and that screen is on the floor. If you want something that is actually kid-proof and solid, you need a proper Solid Wood TV Unit. It is heavy. It is a pain to move. But it won’t bow in the middle after six months like the cheap flat-pack stuff you find online.

I have spent twenty years in the workshop at Oak Castle Furniture and I have seen people try to save a few quid on “oak-ish” stands. They always regret it. Real oak has character. It has knots. It has grain that actually feels like something. It will scratch if you drag a console across it, sure. But you can sand it back and oil it. Try doing that with plastic or paper-wrapped board and you will just ruin it. If you are worried about the finish, have a look at our guide on Oak Sideboard Care: Protecting Your Investment to see what I mean about maintenance. It is not hard work, just common sense.

You can check out our more modern styles in the Living Room > TV Unit > Contemporary range if you want something a bit cleaner, but the rules stay the same. Measure twice. Buy once. Don’t blame me when the delivery driver grunts because the box is heavy—that is the weight of quality.

Comparing Your Options

Questions I get asked all the time

How wide should the stand be for an 85-inch TV? At least 180cm, but I prefer 200cm. You want the furniture to be wider than the screen so it looks balanced.

Will the wood change colour over time? Yes. It is a natural product. It mellows. If it sits in direct sunlight, it will lighten up. That is part of the charm. If you want something that stays exactly the same forever, buy a grey plastic box.

Is it hard to put together? No, because we don’t send you a bag of 400 screws and a confusing manual. Most of our stuff is Solid Oak and comes pre-assembled. You just take it out of the box.

Can it hold a soundbar? Usually, yes. Just check the depth. Most of our units have plenty of room in front of the TV or on a shelf below.

What if I scratch it? You sand it. You oil it. It is fixed. You can’t do that with most modern furniture.

“Proper heavy bit of kit. I was worried about my 85-inch screen being too much for it, but this thing is rock solid. No wobbles, and it looks much better than the pictures. Worth the extra money to not have it fall over.”