How to Make a Projector Mount

A projector mount secures and suspends a projector to the ceiling so it is out of the way. Most LCD projectors can attach to mounts through mounting holes on their frame. Projector mounts can run a few hundred dollars, but a skilled handyman can make a projector mount with pipe, flanges and a sturdy plate material. You'll need to make sure everything is securely connected to support your projector.

Things You'll Need

• Lexan, steel or plywood
• Steel pipe
• Flanges
• Drill
• Screws
• Nuts and bolts
• Stepladder

Instructions

1. Know in advance the exact position to put the mount in your house. This includes not just the spot on the ceiling but the height at which the projector will hang. This is easier if the projector has an adjustable lens.

2. Cut a sheet of sturdy material, like steel, plywood or lexan, into the shape and size of the projector's surface. Trace this shape on paper first, including marks where the projector's mounting holes are and use this template to cut out the mounting plate and drill the mounting holes into it.

3. Connect a steel pipe to flanges on each end that will securely fit the pipe. The pipe doesn't need to be more than 2 inches wide. If you can't get a pipe at the length (height) you need, have someone at a home improvement store cut it. Thread the flanges on snug and paint the assembly if you want.

4. Attach the bottom flange to the mounting plate with recess head machine screws and nuts, centering the pipe assembly on the plate. Consult an expert at the home improvement store for the best length screws to use, taking into account the size and weight of your projector.

5. Mount the full projector mount assembly onto the ceiling. For a more secure mount, make sure at least two upper mounting screws go into a ceiling joist. The others should be attached with high-load drywall anchors.

6. Bolt the projector onto the mount. The mounting holes on the plate must fit the bolts specified for your projector. Thread a nut completely onto the bolt, add a washer on, insert the bolt through the mounting plate and thread it into the projector's mounting hole.

Tips & Warnings

• Get mounting bolts that are the correct diameter but longer than the standard 2-inch length if possible. You'll have more room to adjust the bolts.

• Make sure the projector holes' inserts have bottoms to prevent threading the bolts through to a circuit board.