How to Wall Mount a Flat Screen

Mount your flat screen on the wall to clear up space.

Flat screen TVs are one of the more popular choices for home entertainment. They offer a clear picture, have a sleek design and take up less space. One option when you buy a flat screen TV is to mount your TV on the wall. You can buy a wall mounting kit to do this. Mounting your TV on the wall frees up more space and may give you a better viewing angle.

Things You'll Need

• Mounting kit
• Screwdriver
• Stud finder
• Pencil
• Nail
• Hammer
• Tape measure
• Level
• Power drill
• Assistant

Instructions

1. Buy a wall mount kit. Buying a wall mount kit made by your TV's manufacturer offers the simplest installation and tightest fit, but you can check the measurements on your TV and buy a kit that follows the Video Electronics Standards Association guidelines. Look in your owner's manual for your TV mount measurements or measure the distance between mounting holes on the back of your TV. Also check the maximum weight supported on the mounting kit.

2. Find the general spot where you want to mount your TV. The middle of your flat screen should be at about eye level when you are sitting down. Check to see if light reflects in the desired area frequently. If it does, you may want to consider another spot to prevent glare. Consider also where you will need to run wires to reach the cable outlet.

3. Unbolt the stand from your flat screen if there is one.

4. Prop your TV against a couch or table with a blanket in front of it to protect the glass. If you have to lay the TV face down, place a soft blanket under the flat screen.

5. Pop off the plastic caps covering the mounting holes on the back of the TV with a screwdriver.

6. Attach the mounting arms to the holes on the back of the TV with the bolts provided in your kit. Use a screwdriver, not a power drill. The arms normally come in two pieces; make sure you line up the screw holes on each side so they are level.

7. Find two wooden studs with a stud finder to mount the wall portion of your mounting kit. You cannot mount your TV to metal studs or use hollow-wall anchors. Neither of these is strong enough to support TV mounts.

8. Mark the spots where you find the studs with a pencil. Hammer a nail into the wall partially to determine you have located a stud. If you hit wood, you are on a stud.

9. Measure the distance between the top and bottom holes on each mounting arm on the back of the TV. Mark the two points on each stud. Place a level from a hole marked on the left to the parallel hole marked on the right to verify the holes are even.

10. Drill holes for the wall bracket bolts. Attach the wall bracket with the bolts in your mounting kit.

11. Attach the cables to the back of the flat screen before you attach it to the wall mount.

12. Lift the TV up to the wall mount with another person, two if needed. Have one person lock the TV mounting arms onto the wall bracket. Verify all points of connection are locked down then give the flat screen a few tugs to ensure it is secure.

Tips & Warnings

• Use cord covers to hide the cables if you have quite a few feet running from the back of your TV.

References

• Crutchfield; A Guide to Wall-mounting Your Flat-panel TV; Amanda Pollard; April 2, 2008
• Home Depot Project Guide: Wall-Mounting a Flat Screen TV