Your first time mounting a TV with a wall mount can be stressful and no fun at all. The reward of lifting your screen up for all to see however is well worth the effort for most. The best advice we can offer though – don’t purchase a TV wall mount or start mounting a TV without a plan first. Here are 7 questions to ask yourself before you get set up with a flat-screen TV mount.
Can your wall handle the weight?
As light in weight as some flat-screens come, they still carry weight which can put strain on a wall. Use a stud finder to verify you have studs on which your mount can hang. Do not use drywall anchors to hang your flat-screen on. If you don’t have any studs, choose another location.
Do you know where you’re going to put your home theater components?
If you have gaming consoles, smart TV boxes, DVRs, or other home theater devices, you’re going to need space near your television to put these as well as a way to get their connecting cables inside the ports on the flat-screen’s back. As a solution, many Canadians will install a floating shelving unit underneath the TV wall mount to place these things on.
How will you conceal your cables or will you at all?
For as sleek as a mounted TV can look, it can easily look ugly with tangled cables hanging down and stretching across the wall. To solve this look, some install their home theater cables inside the wall. Others will get a power outlet installed behind their flat-screen to plug in the cables and/or purchase something to hide or camouflage the appearance of cables.
Do you plan to mount your TV above a fireplace?
If the answer’s yes, we recommend a pull-down TV wall mount which can be used over the fireplace. Please note we do not recommend using the fireplace at the same time that the TV is in use.
Do you have all the tools you need to mount a TV?
You will need a stud finder, a drill, a drill bit the same size as the mount screws, and perhaps a screwdriver bit.
Are the ports you need on your flat-screen accessible?
Identify where your ports are at. If you purchase a wall mount, you’re going to want to ensure ports are still accessible. Thankfully, there are different style HDMI cables which can get around hard-to-reach ports.
What angle do you hope to put your TV on?
The last decision you need to make is what angle you want to view your TV on. Some may find they need an adjustable TV wall mount, depending on whose watching.
Shop all your favourite TV wall mounts, home theater cables, and flat-screen accessories at Canada’s own PrimeCables.