A/V Mounts, Furniture & Storage Buying Guide

How to Hang TV, Plasma, and LCD Mounts, Flat and Wall

How to Hang TV, Plasma, and LCD Mounts, Flat and Wall

If you’ve recently purchased a TV, and you’d like to mount it from your wall, where do you start? First off, what kind of TV did you select?

Traditional TVs are more cube-shaped because of their wiring/electronics stored in the back. LCDs are the lighter version of flat screens, while plasmas are the heavier flat screens. All three of these TVs can be mounted in roughly the same way.

Where should you place your TV? Choose an interior wall over an exterior wall – there won’t be as many obstructions with electrical wiring. Make sure the interior wall you choose has a lot of free space, just in case you want to install speakers or entertainment centers with it.

You may have seen a lot of design plans with TVs mounted over the fireplace, but it’s a pretty high place compared to mounts on the floor, so you may not be used to such a high placement. Plus, you have to remember not to let your fireplace go over 90 degrees – or else your TV could get too hot and warp.

VESA, which stands for Video Electronics Standards Association, institutes a standard rule of measurement for wall mount kits. Be sure to check if your TV is VESA compatible – that way, it will fit the wall mount of your choice. The odd TV out there may not be VESA compatible, so make sure you double check your model.

How do you know what type of wall mount to choose? Take a look at the different kinds and decide which one is for you:

Low Profile TV Mount Bracket
Luxor 40"-50" Universal Plasma Wall Flush Mount

These mounts are also called flat or flush mount brackets. They don’t allow the TV to move in any direction – it stays in place with the flush holding it about one inch from the wall. It may look quite sleek, however, it can be a little more difficult to install than other mounts.

Because of the fixed bracket mount, it can be hard to access the back of your TV to manage your input adjustments. You’re going to have to take the TV off the mount if you want to make cable changes or anything along that line. If you’re planning not to touch or mess with your TV and keep it stationary, then this option is ideal.

Tilt TV Mount Bracket
OmniMount 2N1-L WorldMount Universal Tilting Plasma LCD Wall Mount

It’s not hard to figure out what this mount allows – about 15 to 20 degrees of up/down tilting motion. Basically, the more tilt action you’d like, the more you’ll have to pay. These mounts are normally seen in kid’s rooms, retail stores, restaurants, and board rooms/offices. They’re also popular in homes since you can tilt the TV into various vantage points.

TV Mount Bracket
Peerless Adustable TV Wall Mount in Silver

These brackets are designed to fit TVs that are wider in dimension compared to a plasma or LCD. Depending on what model you go with, each one has different motion ability. Some may barely move at all, due to the weight of the TV, while others can allow tilt and/or swivel action.

Swivel TV Mount Bracket

Most swivel mount brackets can sit around 5 to 20 inches from your wall, and then the screen can pull forward, giving you the ability to rotate it to 60 degrees (in any direction to boot). Because of this, you’re able to customize it to any angle you want, and it’ll be easy to reach behind the TV in case you ever need to.

There are a few different kinds of swivel mounts: articulating arm brackets, cantilever brackets, and regular TV swivel brackets. Even though they are all differing types, they generally all do the same thing. It all depends on what look you prefer.

Articulating – Peerless SA740P SmartMount Articulating Wall Arm Plasma Mount
Cantilever – Omnimount CL-M Wishbone Series Medium LCD Cantilever Mount
TV Swivel – Peerless PS-1 Series Tilt and Swivel Plasma Mount for 32-50 inch Screens

Other kinds of mounts available are TV ceiling mounts , projector mounts, and DVD/VCR mounts (Luxor Economount VCR Bracket for LTE Mounts).

Now that you know what kind of mount you’re after, take down the measurements of your TV. When you shop, you’ll want to compare your TV’s measurements to the mount of your choice and make sure they fit together.

You’ll also need to know your TV’s weight before you start looking, and then check your selected mount to see if it can support your TV. If you’re still not sure whether or not the mount is going to fit your TV, you can always ask a professional for their opinion.

Installing Your TV Mount

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to put up a TV mount on a wall! An average project will require the following tools:

• A drill with a 3/16” bit
• Socket set
• Tape Measurer
• Level
• Hammer/nails
• Exacto-knife
• Electronic stud finder
• Painter’s tape or post it notes
• Screwdriver

Installing a Plasma or LCD Mount

It will probably take you around a maximum of 3 hours to complete the project, and you’ll need a friend or family member to help you, since one person need to hold it in place while the other drills, etc. Make sure you read the instructions that come with your mount, and then read the following guidelines to a smooth installation:

• Check the back of your TV for 4 screws and then remove them.
• Compare the screws you just removed with the screws that came with the mount.
• Double check the diameter, and then pick one of the mounting brackets to see if it’s the right length for the TV. Don’t miss this step – you need to see if one bolt is too long or too short. If there’s a difference, you’ll need to use rubber gaskets to make the screws the same length. These gaskets should be included with the manufacturer’s package.
• Use your double-checked bolts to attach the mounting bars to the TV’s back.
• Try not to use a lot of force while threading the screws – you don’t want to damage them. Thread them with your fingers and use a screwdriver to tighten. You shouldn’t use a power drill on you’re your TV, so take your time and tighten the screws with your hands as far as they can naturally go.
• Use your electronic stud finder, locate your studs, and confirm this by putting a nail in halfway. Remove your test nail and hammer in another nail about ½” on each side so you can determine the middle of the stud to get maximum support.
• Drill the center holes for the lag bolts.
• Find the center of the wall and mark it with a pencil. Measure out the height you want and mark another half inch above it with the painter’s tape or post it (they can easily be removed after you’ve completed).
• Put the mount over your center mark and get someone to hold it in place while you quickly do a level check – you don’t want it to be crooked!
• Use your socket wrench to drive the lag bolts as tight as possible. Be sure to pull on it to see if it’s a strong enough hold.
• Place your TV on the bracket and tighten any loose screws (if there are any).
• Plug in all of your wires, sit back, and enjoy your new TV mount!

Still have questions on your TV LCD or Plasma Mount just call our customer service team!