When you finally find that perfect deal on a great new TV, you might want to jump on it as the timing could be just right. However, if you don’t know anything about mounting a TV, you could be stuck trying to get that new TV looking as good as it should.
It’s important to take care when mounting your TV as you usually only get one shot and you could really mess up your wall or your screen.
Here are 5 tips for doing it just right.
1. Plan To Hide Your Cords
When you’re setting up a flat-screen TV, mounting it with cords coming out of it defeats the purpose of its sleekness.
The look and feel of a slick flat screen mounted against your wall are totally ruined when there is a mess of cables coming out of the side. You want to have one flat device against your wall with everything plugged in beforehand.
Since most new devices connect wirelessly, once you have your main cables concealed, you shouldn’t need to add anything else.
However, you probably want your cables mounted through your wall professionally before you mount your TV. Get your cable to a power outlet that’s installed behind the television so that you don’t have to look at a cable or tear out the wall to replace your TV.
There are plastic cord hiders that help to camouflage cords. Look into cover kits to protect your cords while helping them to blend into your wall and not distract your viewers.
The last thing you want to do is to have people over and have them point out your cable when you’re trying to watch a movie.
2. Make Sure Your Wall is Ready
If you want to mount a TV on your wall, you need to think carefully about how much weight your wall can handle. Even the lightest TVs out there are heavier than the average painting or framed photo.
IF you don’t own your home or haven’t built the wall yourself, make sure you choose your placement carefully.
You’ll need to find at least one if not two, studs to help hold up your TV. Inside the studs, you’ll mount anchors to hold up your TV. If you’ve never looked for studs before, ask for an expert to help you.
Use a stud finder to determine where your studs are located. If they’re close enough together, you should use two to mount your TV.
Don’t use drywall anchors to hang your TV as they’re not meant to handle that much weight and will eventually give out.
If you can’t find a stud, you might have to move to a different location. Otherwise, you’ll need to stand your TV up. The alternative is putting too much weight on your wall and taking the risk of tearing it up.
3. Get Your Tools Together
You’ll need to have the right tools together if you want to get that television up on your wall. While you might think a screwdriver and a few screws is enough to get the job done, you’ll need a lot more than that.
You need to have at least a 9-volt drill handy to get the screws into the wall and into the studs. You need that aforementioned stud finder.
You’ll also need to have screws that match the mounts on your TV, a screwdriver bit, and a drill bit that matches the size of the screws you’re drilling into the wall.
IF you’re missing any tools, you may be able to rent them from a hardware store. If time isn’t of the essence, you can find used tools online for sale by owners.
The more tools you have on hand, the easier it’ll be to take on projects like this in the future not to mention taking the TV down if you decide to move.
Make sure you’ve got a mount that matches your tv properly. Put it together and take it apart before you try mounting it on the wall. Once you decide that it’s sturdy enough, make sure you’ve got a level to check that your TV goes on straight.
4. Keep Ports Accessible
Depending on what kind of accessories you’ll be adding to your television, you might need to have the ports on the back or the side accessible.
If you need to get access to that back section pretty often, look for a mount that telescopes outward so that you can get in and out.
These mounts are considerably more expensive but convenient if you have a large room with a wide variety of comfortable furniture to choose from.
While some people are liable to set up their TV and then forget about it, never needing to change anything, other people are gearheads who love to add things.
If you’re a gamer, you might need to add a different set of cables for your next console. You might also need access to change between antenna signals and your cable connection if the satellite goes out.
Keeping ports accessible means that you don’t have to fuss with cables after you’ve mounted your TV. You won’t have to take your TV down just to connect a fun new addition to your home theater.
5. Fix The Angle
Think about your viewing angle before you finish your mounting. If your TV looks better higher up, you might also need to angle it down if you want to see it better. Make sure you’ve got a mount that allows for adjustment.
If you have a nice bright viewing room, you may want to adjust it on sunnier days to allow you to see the picture clearly.
TV wall mount installation can be daunting so if it seems difficult, contact a professional.
Mounting a TV is a Task That Requires Skill
If you don’t feel comfortable mounting a TV, you should consider talking to a professional. If you can’t afford professional installation, at least get a friend to help you out, as it’s usually a two person job.
While you’ve got your drill out, check out our guide for a whole host of jobs you could take on all by yourself.
