Packing
Moving a TV: the box, the upright rule, and why a screen is the item reviews most often call broken
Across 135 reviews, damage is mentioned in 67.4% of the writeups, and the mean rating is 2.22 against 3.95 for all reviews in the window. Pack the screen in a real box, keep it upright, and treat released value on a 40-pound television as a cap of 24 dollars.
Anthony BaleMoving industry professional, author and writerReviewed 23 September 2026
Why screens break
a cracked panel is the complaint that keeps showing up
Screens crack in the truck more than the tips pages say. Across 135 reviews from 110 movers, the mean rating is 2.22 against 3.95 for every review in the same window, and 68.9% land at one or two stars. 67.4% of these writeups mention damage. These reviews are self-reported and skewed to people with something to say. The desk reads these reviews every week, and a cracked panel is the complaint that keeps showing up.
The glass fails when the set is laid flat or wedged loose. A panel is built to hang, so pressure on the face or a twist in the frame shows up as a black line after unload. Tips pages tell you to cover the screen and skip tape on the glass. They skip the review pattern: this is the item people write about when the move goes wrong.
The box
A blanket around a bare set is how panels arrive cracked.
Use the original carton or a television box with foam corners. Photograph every cable before you pull it, then remove the stand so the set can sit in the carton the way it left the factory. Cover the screen with a soft cloth. Do not put tape on the glass. Pack the cords in a separate bag and label which port they used.
A blanket around a bare set is how panels arrive cracked. The foam in a real television carton holds the corners, which is where the frame takes a hit in a stack. If the factory box is gone, a television moving box from a home store is the substitute the tips pages agree on. A box calculator will size the carton. For the rest of the fragile load, see how to pack fragile items.
Upright, always
Keep the television upright for the whole ride.
Keep the television upright for the whole ride. A flat screen that travels on its back can take a pressure crack that does not show until you power it on. Stand it between heavy soft pieces, such as a mattress and a sofa, so nothing slides into the glass. Strap it so it cannot tip.
Let the set warm to room temperature before you plug it in. A cold panel powered too soon is a known way to cloud the picture, which is why the tips pages all say to wait. If you hire packing, ask who wraps the screen, because who packed it is what a damage file turns on later. Haulest is not a carrier and does not pack your set.
Mounting and the wall
Movers do not mount the television on the wall.
Movers do not mount the television on the wall. Taking the set down and putting it back up is your job, or a separate installer you book yourself. Leave the wall bracket if the next place uses the same pattern, and bag the bolts with the cables you already photographed. A carrier's crew will set the carton down. They will not drill.
Do not count on the estimate to include mounting. Read the line items the way this estimate guide describes, and look for a packing or debris line that might be confused with hardware work. Mounting is a different trade. If the quote is silent, the silence means you are bringing a screwdriver.
The claim math
A 40-pound television is capped at 24 dollars
Released value pays 60 cents per pound per item. A 40-pound television is capped at 24 dollars under that default, which is the math the tips pages never print. Full value protection is the other option, and the difference is spelled out in released value versus full value. The price people type for the whole move, median $4,150, is the job, not the set.
Who packed the set decides whether a claim is even open. If the carrier packed it, damage in transit is their packing. If you packed it, many contracts treat a broken panel as your problem unless you can show the carton was crushed. That split is why damage claims in reviews read so differently from a packing checklist. Photograph the carton before it goes on the truck.
Pay for the crate or carry it yourself
A crate is worth it when the set is the thing you cannot replace.
A crate is worth it when the set is the thing you cannot replace. Custom crating costs more than a carton, and you should see it as its own line before you sign. Compare that line with the rest of the bid using how to read a moving estimate. The interstate median $4,500 is the whole move, so a crate is a small slice of a large bill.
Carrying it yourself is the other honest option. Put the boxed set in your own vehicle, upright, and skip the claim argument entirely. That only works if the carton fits and you can lift it without grabbing the glass. Ask someone to take the other end. The screen is large and the frame is the only safe place to hold.
Before you hire
Four checks before a deposit
Written estimate after a look
Interstate movers must give the booklet and a written estimate after a survey or a full description. A $499 ad is not an estimate.
FMCSA Protect Your MoveLegal name matches SAFER
USDOT on the paper, the truck doors, and the census. A different name is the walk.
USDOT / Companies House lookupWalk from cash and blank paper
FTC: unregistered interstate, huge deposit, cash only, or a blank contract. Photograph and leave.
FTC: hiring a mover110% on a COD non-binding job
Pay up to 110% plus agreed extras and they must hand over the load. Not a cap on extras you signed.
US interstate rules
Reviewed 23 September 2026 by Anthony Bale. Numbers on this page carry their own dates; the official pages below are the sources.
Sources
Links go to the publisher. Haulest does not add findings. Checked September 2026; if the live page moved, believe the agency.
Ask out loud
Questions people ask
- How do I pack a TV for moving?
- Use the original carton or a television box with foam corners, cover the screen, and keep tape off the glass. Photograph the cables, remove the stand, and pack the cords in a labeled bag. Keep the carton upright for the whole trip.
- Can I transport a TV lying flat?
- Keep the television upright. A panel that rides on its back can take a pressure crack that shows up only after you turn it on. Stand the carton between heavy soft pieces so nothing hits the glass.
- Do movers mount a TV?
- Movers do not mount the television. Taking it down and putting it back up is your job or a separate installer. Read the estimate so a packing line is not mistaken for wall work.
- How much does released value pay for a TV?
- Released value pays 60 cents per pound per item, so a 40-pound television is capped at 24 dollars. Who packed the set decides whether a claim is even open. The choice between that default and full value protection is covered in [released value versus full value](/guides/released-value-vs-full-value).
- Should a TV warm up before I turn it on?
- Let the set reach room temperature before you plug it in. A cold panel powered too soon can cloud the picture. The wait is the step the tips pages all share.
- Is a blanket enough to move a TV?
- A blanket around a bare set is how panels arrive cracked. Foam corners in a real carton hold the frame where a stack hits it. If you want the carrier to own the wrap, book [packing services](/guides/packing-services) and get that in the order.
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About Anthony Bale
A moving industry professional, author and writer. Anthony has been at different positions in the industry for the last 10 years, gaining significant knowledge on the relocation process. He himself has moved 6 times already, which helped him explore the other side of the moving process.
At Haulest he writes the US cost, hiring, and rights pages, reading the licensed review file every week so the numbers on the page are the numbers people reported.
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