Wall Mounting Your Flat Screen Plasma or LCD TV
So, you bought your family a brand new, flat screen Plasma or LCD TV. Congrats. You have a perfect wall picked out to mount it on in the family room that is sure to become your sanctuary. There's just one question remaining - How to wall mount your flat screen TV?
The very first thing you must think about is whether you are planning to mount it yourself or hire a pro. If you are undecided about any of the following, you are better off to hire someone to do the job. If, however you would like to get your hands dirty and probably make some miscalculations or mistakes so that you can have a sense of achievement, then read on.
After you have picked out the wall and reserved an hour or so to get this job done, you should then figure out whether the wall is an exterior or interior wall. While it isn't always the case, walls that are on the interior will usually give you less grief than walls on the exterior.
Obviously, we know you have already determined that your flat screen television can actually be mounted, right? Just in case you haven't done this, don't worry too much. Be aware that although a lot flat screens that are now available are in fact wall mountable, there are some early models that were not. Make sure you check the box. Can you see the words “VESA Compatible” or something similar to it? If it is, then you are in luck, and now you can go ahead. And, because you've done a little bit of research and picked the correct TV wall bracket for your display, we can go straight to the enjoyable part - tools. If you have some of the basics in your house, including a drill, screw driver, and a tape measure, you are doing alright. It will also help if you've got a stud finder to be sure you don't end up mounting your television in only drywall.
Once you have a rough idea about where you'd like the flat screen, check for wall studs and make some placement adjustments. do not forget to make sure you are near an electrical outlet or you will just have a worthless TV screen on your wall. Once you've found studs, you can go ahead and attach the brackets to the back of the television. You need to do this prior to placing the TV mount on the wall so you are aware if any adjustments should be made to the final placement of the mount.
When adjustments are made, mark where the anchor bolts are going to be put in and pre-drill the holes, as they're often hard to start. You should also cut space for cabling at the time you place the anchors and then you will be able to run the cables. Make certain that the wall mount is lined up and then sink the anchors. Once the mount and brackets are attached, ask someone for help lifting the television on wall. You really aren't going to want to try to lift it alone because the units are pretty awkward and heavy if they're lifted by one person.
Now the very best part - sit down with a cold drink of choice and watch your favorite show on your new wall mounted Plasma TV.
