How to Install an LCD Flat Panel TV on a Wall

Mounting the TV on your wall saves space and gives the room a sleak look

There's a reason home theater companies exist: mounting a flat screen LCD television on your wall isn't the easiest thing to do.

That said, if you have the tools, patience, and a willingness to learn, you can save money from hiring a contractor and tackle the project on your own. You'll free up space and give your entire room a sleaker, cleaner feel.

Things You'll Need

• LCD Flat Panel TV
• Flat Panel TV Mount
• Studfinder
• Wire cover mold
• Drill
• Flat panel & Phillips screw driver

Instructions

1. 

   Your first step is to get your LCD Flat Panel TV. Make sure it's an LCD TV, not just any "flat panel." Some televisions labeled "flat panel" are still tube televisions (they are wide, boxy and heavy!).

2. 

   Next, you'll want to find the corresponding mount for your brand of LCD TV. Not every mount will work with every model of TV. If you buy it online, read the customer reviews for someone who has your television model. Never hesitate to call the manufacturer just to make sure your TV will be compatible with the mount, before you buy it.

3. 

   Now the fun part: go into your living room, and decide the exact height you'd like your TV. Sit on the couch or chair that you'd watch from, and make sure it's not too high (that you crane your neck) or too low (that you stare at the ground). Make a small pencil mark roughly where you'd like your TV, then check the mount.

   Since the TV rests above where the mount is, you'll need to measure the distance between where the top of your TV will be when it's mounted, and where the mount rests on the TV itself. Use this distance to measure where you should drill the mount into the wall.

4. 

   Use your studfinder to find a stud. A stud is the wooden support beam going up and down behind the plaster of your wall. Holding the studfinder against the wall, move it back and forth until you hear the "beep." Do it one more time to make sure it happens again. There's your stud!

   You never want to mount a TV in a wall without a stud. Plaster alone is not strong enough to bear the weight of the mount: not only could your TV come crashing down, but it could also leave a pretty nasty hole in your wall.

5. 

   Once you have your stud, and the height of the TV, follow the directions for your particular mount. You'll most likely be drilling the bracket into the wall first, and attaching another part of the mount to your television with bolts that are already supplied.

6. 

   Lastly, you'll want to hide all the distracting wires coming from your TV to your other devices. Amazon, and your local hardware store, have wire guards in a wide variety of colors. Find the color that best matches the color of your wall.

Tips & Warnings

• If you'd like to hide the wires inside your wall, the whole process will be a little tougher but in the end, look a lot cleaner. See the articles in the resources section for how to fish wires in your wall.

• Check the dimensions of your mount. If your TV falls on the smaller end of the spectrum of sizes it is capable of, make sure the mount won't end up sticking out from behind your television.

• Remember: there is no insurance when you do it on your own. If your television breaks, no one will replace it. If you have any doubt about your ability, consider hiring a professional - who will insure that the install is safe and secure.

Resources

• How to Set Up an HD Home Theater System
• Buy Peerless Tilting Wall Mount for 32
• Buy Cordmate 5' Wire Cover at Amazon
• Buy Zircon Studfinder at Amazon