LCD TV Mounting – The Definitive Guide to How to Mount an LCD TV on the Wall
Mounting an LCD TV on the wall isn’t a difficult task, in fact, depending on the LCD wall bracket in question; it can usually be completed in just an hour or so. However, when push comes to shove the thought of nervously hanging your pride and joy onto the mount puts the majority of people off this DIY excursion. That’s why we’ve created this ‘how to’ guide. You’ll still be the one doing the work, but following the step by step process detailed below will help to give you the confidence that you need to safely secure your LCD or Plasma TV to your wall.
Step 1 – Buy your LCD wall bracket
Unfortunately Pritt Stick glue isn’t quite strong enough to hold your valuable television set in place, so you will be forced to hit the high street or the internet to find a suitable mount. We’re not going to go into this in too much detail here, instead you can check out the buying guide on this website, and the reviews of the models best suited to your size of TV. That information will help you to find and order the ideal LCD wall bracket for you. Once it has been delivered, or if you are already in possession of your wall mount, you can move on to the next step.
Of course, before buying it is important to work out whether your LCD or Plasma television can actually be wall mounted. The majority of models can, but to be sure check the back of the TV set for four threaded holes forming a square or rectangle. These VESA standard holes are used in the mounting of your set. For more information about selecting the appropriate VESA mount for your television click here.
Step 2 – Find the best spot for your bracket
Before drilling any holes in your wall you’ll need to think carefully about the best location for you to place your TV. There’s a little trick useful for calculating the optimum distance to the TV from your favourite viewing chair, using a simple formula:
- Take the diagonal width of your television screen.
- Multiply this value by 1.5.
- The result you are left with is the optimum viewing position.
This positioning isn’t always a possibility however, but be aware of it. It’s also important to think about the height of the television as, in an ideal world, you would wish for the centre of the screen to be exactly at eye level from your seat. That avoids putting any strain on the neck or back while watching, but obviously isn’t so much of an issue if you are planning to go for a bracket with tilting functionality.
The final thing to consider when it comes to the position of your LCD wall bracket is that of the type of wall. If you’re planning to mount onto an external wall or a chimney block where the wall is made of brick then you won’t need to worry quite so much about the wall supporting the weight. Having said that, plasterboard walls can hold brackets perfectly well, you just need to find the stud wall behind them which we will deal with later.
Think you’ve decided on your spot but aren’t totally sure? Why not try hanging a picture in that place for a few days; you’ll soon notice become aware of any annoyances with having your television in that location, and it will get you used to seeing something in that position before actually fixing your mount.
Once your perfect position is decided it will be time to move on to the all important tool gathering step of your DIY project
Step 3 – Assemble the appropriate tools
The majority of tools that you are likely to require when mounting your LCD TV you will probably already have at home. But just to be sure, here’s a list of what you are likely to need in order to correctly install your unit:
- Philips screw driver
- Cordless drill
- Tape measure
- Socket set
- Spirit level
- Pipe and stud detector
- Helpful mate (some TVs are very heavy to lift, therefore roping in a friend to help could save potential injury to both yourself and your TV)
Step 4 – Consider your cables
Before commencing with the actual mounting of your LCD or Plasma television you should spare a moment to consider how to deal with the cables running from your TV to a power source, and to other devices. There are three ways to go about doing this, each with their own pros and cons:
- Hide your cables behind the wall itself. This can be difficult; it will involve creating holes in the wall that are large enough to fit your cables through. Also, once your cables are in place behind the wall you may struggle to add any new appliances as you will have to fish around in the hole in the wall. On the plus side, your cables will invisibly run from your television.
- Run your cables down the wall and conceal them in molding. You won’t need to drill large holes into your wall, but you will need to build molding to conceal your cables and paint it to match the colour of your wall. This solution isn’t quite as neat as the first, but is still an effective way of masking any unattractive cables.
- Run the cables alongside pre-existing room decorations, for example dado rails. This is the easiest way to manage your cables, as all you need to do is purchase some cable clips from your local DIY store or online and fasten them. This is the least aesthetically pleasing option as the wires will still be visible, however taking advantage of DVD, games console or TV box shelving systems means you will only need to worry about power cables.
The reason you need to decide this first is because for the first two methods, you may need to do some preparation work before mounting the bracket itself, for example drilling the holes and running your cables through (this could be very difficult to do after the bracket is fitted).
If you do decide to go for an option that involved drilling or creating a hole in your wall, make sure you first use your pipe and stud detector to ensure you don’t drill through anything important.
Step 5 – Starting your LCD wall bracket installation
You know where your bracket is going and you’ve decided how to handle your cables and made the appropriate preparation. Now it’s time to think about the actual mounting of your bracket. Use your stud detector to find the studs around your specified location. For small brackets you can usually get away with attaching the bracket to one stud, but larger brackets supporting larger TVs will need to be anchored to two studs. With a pencil, lightly mark the central position of the stud or studs that you will be using to mount your television to.
The majority of LCD wall brackets are made of two parts, one that attaches to the wall and one that attaches to the back of the TV. You should find that all of the screws and plugs necessary to affix the unit to the wall and to the television are included with the bracket, though very occasionally you might find that they aren’t long or strong enough. Check some reviews about the model in question and you should discover if any additional purchases will be required in no time.
Step 6 – Prepping your television set for mounting
Before fastening your bracket to the wall, it is better to attach the appropriate section to the back of the TV set. Occasionally you might find that your television sits higher than anticipated on the rails, so doing this first will ensure that you can make adjustments to give you the perfect height if necessary.
If your television comes mounted to a stand, your first step will be to remove it. This will usually mean unscrewing two to four screws in the back of the set. Make sure you are supporting your LCD or Plasma television carefully so as not to drop it once the mount is removed from it.
Attaching the hardware to the back of the television is not too difficult, though you may need to try out several different sizes of included screws to find the right fit for your model of TV. Use your screwdriver and tighten the screws until the bracket attachment feels secure when you attempt to move it. Now put your television with its half bracket out of the way, it’s time to attach the remainder of the mount to the wall.
Step 7 – Fastening your LCD wall bracket to the wall
You should already have some faint pencil marks on your wall marking the locations of the appropriate studs. Now hold up the bracket itself and, using your marks as a guide, mark the exact location where you will need to insert the heavy-duty screws that will be used to hold your bracket securely in place. Use your spirit level
Remove the bracket and, using your cordless drill with a small drill bit (smaller than the size of the screws that you will be using), make the holes in your wall that will be used to hold your mount in place. Placing the bracket back into place, you can now use your drilled holes to start the process of screwing your anchor screws through the bracket and into the wall. These heavy-duty screws won’t necessarily be easy, so use a socket set to tighten them. If you’re struggling to hold the bracket in place while you fasten it, have your helpful mate hold it in place.
Before tightening your screws to the point that only Superman could free them, use your spirit level
Step 8 – Hanging your LCD or Plasma TV
If you don’t take anything else from this article, let it be that you must have help when lifting a large and heavy television to the bracket. The last thing that you want is to drop your TV causing it, and you, damage. Stand with one person on each side of the television and carefully manoeuvre the set into place, take your time with it.
Please note that before you place your TV on the mount you should consider your cables. If you are using a bracket without much clearance between TV and wall it may well be easier to plug them in before lifting the television to the mount.
Finally, confirm that every safety tab is in position as these locks will help add extra security to your device. Give your TV a very gentle couple of tugs to ensure that it feels secure and safe in its new position.
Hopefully this article will have reassured you that mounting your LCD or Plasma television to the wall is not an impossible task. And remember, if you don’t feel completely happy completing this project on your own you can always hire a handyperson to do the work for you!
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Mounting a 42-inch screen that weights between 70 and 100 lbs. is not like hanging a photograph, you can’t just grab your trusty hammer and level and start hanging a TV wall mount willy-nilly. If done incorrectly, your expensive new toy could quickly come crashing to the ground.
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