How to Mount Your Plasma TV

So, you bought yourself a brand new, flat screen Plasma or LCD TV. Congratulations. You've likely got that lucky wall decided on to mount it in your family room that will quickly become a sanctuary. There is only one question that remains - How to wall mount your flat screen TV?

The very first thing you should think about is whether you're going to mount it on your own or hire a pro. If you are undecided of any of the following information, you will be better off hiring a professional to mount your TV. However, if you'd like to get your hands dirty and chance making miscalculations and mistakes just to have a sense of accomplishment, you should definitely read on, brave one.

Once you have reserved an hour or so to get this job done and chosen the wall, you need to determine whether that wall is an exterior or interior wall. Though it is not always the case, walls that are on the interior will usually give you fewer difficulties than exterior walls.

Obviously, we are assuming that you have previously made certain that your flat screen television actually can be mounted, right? In the event that you have not done this, you don't need to worry too much. While the bulk of the flat screen TVs available now are wall mountable, there are a few early models that weren't. Take a good look at the box. Can you see “VESA Compatible” or something like it? If it's there, then you are in luck, and now you can progress. And, since you've done a little homework and chosen a suitable wall bracket for your display, you can go straight to the fun part - tools. If you've got some of the basics in your house, such as a drill, tape measure, and a screw driver, you're good to go. It will also help if you have a stud finder to be sure you don't mount your flat screen in only drywall.

When you've got an idea of where you want the TV, check for wall studs and make placement modifications. Don't forget to make certain that you're close to an electrical outlet or you will have a unusable screen on the wall. Once you've found studs, you can go ahead and attach the wall brackets to the back of the screen. You should take care of this before you place the TV bracket on the wall so you know if any changes need to be made to the ultimate mount placement.

Once adjustments are made, mark the places where anchor bolts will need to be put in and drill the holes ahead of time, since they're often hard to start. Also, go ahead and cut space for cabling once you place the anchors and then run the cables. Be certain the mount is lined up and sink the anchors. Once the brackets and mount are installed, ask a buddy for assistance lifting the TV on to the wall. You aren't going to want to attempt to do this on your own as the televisions are fairly awkward and heavy if they're lifted alone.

Now the very best part - kick back with your favorite drink and watch your favorite show on your new wall mounted Plasma flat screen TV.