Mounting a television on your wall is an easy way to save floor space and lift the screen up where everyone can see it. It’s a great DIY project, but the process can go much smoother if you prepare ahead of time. Before you hang your TV, there are a few things to consider, including how high you want it and what type of mount to use. Also, make sure you know what cable or wires you need to run through the wall and where they’ll be placed. This will help you choose the right mount to avoid running them over the edge of your tv install.
Decide how high you want your TV to be mounted and mark that location on the wall with a pencil. Most people prefer their TVs to be at eye level, which is about 42 inches from the ground to the center of the TV. If you have a fireplace, you may want to position the TV above it so it can be seen from all areas of the room. You should also decide how many studs are needed to support the TV. In most cases, two studs are needed for a standard TV setup. You can find the locations of studs by using a cheap stud finder or other means. If you are mounting a TV to a brick wall, you won’t need to find studs and can use masonry anchors instead.
Choose a mount for your TV and determine the proper height for it by looking at the instructions that came with the mount and comparing them to the stud location marks you made earlier on the wall. Then, remove the “TV” half of the mount from the back of the TV (it’s usually in an X or Y shape, or two separate “hanger” pieces, depending on your mount kit) and attach it to the wall with the hardware that comes with the kit. Make sure the screw holes on the mount match up with the stud markings you made.
Once the mount is attached to the wall, have a friend hold it up and check that it’s level. This is the tricky part, so you’ll want an extra set of hands. If you’re not confident about the job, hire a contractor who specializes in audio/visual and home theater installation.
Next, if you plan to run cables or wires through the wall near where your TV is going to sit, mark those spots and prepare to install cable/wire wall plates. You can find them at most hardware stores, or online. If you’re not comfortable running wires through the walls or you’re unsure whether your wires are rated for in-wall installation, you can purchase cord channel tubes that can be painted to blend into your wall color and keep your wires/cables out of sight. You can even run them behind baseboards if you’re comfortable doing so. tv install
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