How to Mount a Plasma TV to a Mantel
With televisions growing as thin as 1/3 inch and as light as a couple of pounds, television watchers are no longer constricted to putting their televisions on an unsightly, massive stand. Now televisions can be placed everywhere within a room, even on a mantel. Following a few steps you can mount a plasma screen television on your fireplace.
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Things You'll Need
- Tilting television mount
- Level
- Chalk
- Socket wrench
- Standard drill
- Wood or masonry bit
- Screwdriver
Instructions
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1
Start a fire and let it burn for a few hours, then measure the temperature of your mantel with a thermometer. If the heat exceeds 90 degrees F do not mount the television over your mantel.
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2
Take your wall plate and have a friend hold it over the mantel, while using a level to keep the mount even.
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3
Mark the places where the screws will go in the mantel with a piece of chalk.
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4
Outfit your standard drill with a wood or masonry bit and drill into the mantel, making sure not to drill completely through the chimney.
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5
Fill the holes with plastic bits, then secure the wall plate to the mantel using a socket wrench and the lag bots and washers included with the plate.
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6
Attach the television mount to the rear of the television using a screwdriver and the four screws provided.
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7
With your friend's help, lift up the outfitted plasma television and hang it onto the wall plate.
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8
Connect the power and auxiliary connections to the television.
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Tips & Warnings
It is recommended that you enlist the help of professionals when installing home theaters, and most electronics stores offer professional certified installation for such a task.
Purchasing a wall mount for the television is necessary, and there are several wall mounts to consider. Although PlasmaTVBuyingGuide.com states that "plasma TVs typically have a 160-degree viewing angle," the television may be mounted too high for optimum viewing. Tilting wall mounts are recommended for this project, because they allow the television to move without overextending its range into less temperate areas of the mantel.
According to Practical-Home-Theater-Guide.com, "Plasma displays are normally specified to operate within a temperature range of 32 - 100 degrees Fahrenheit (0 - 40 degrees Celsius)." If the heat exceeds this amount you should consider either mounting the television in another location or keeping the fireplace inactive while the television is mounted.
