How to Mount a Flat Screen TV _ Ask This Old House

# A Comprehensive Guide to TV Mounting: Choosing the Right Mount and Installation Process

Mounting a television can be an exciting project, but it requires careful planning and execution. Whether you're aiming for a sleek, fixed mount or a versatile full-motion model, understanding your options is key. This article walks through the process of selecting the right mount and installing it step-by-step, using insights from the video transcription provided.

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## Understanding TV Mounts: Fixed, Tilting, and Full Motion

When considering a TV mount, there are three primary types to choose from: fixed, tilting, and full-motion mounts.

### 1. **Fixed Mount**

A fixed mount is ideal for TVs that will remain in one position without adjustment. It’s perfect if you want your TV to stay directly in front of you, offering a straightforward installation process. This option is great for those who don’t need flexibility or additional adjustments.

### 2. **Tilting Mount**

A tilting mount allows you to adjust the angle of the TV. If your TV needs to be positioned above a mantle, fireplace, or entertainment center, a tilting mount provides better line-of-sight by bringing the screen down and angling it for optimal viewing.

### 3. **Full-Motion Mount**

For those who want maximum flexibility, a full-motion mount is the way to go. This type of mount allows you to extend the TV outwards, tilt it up or down, and even swivel it left or right. It’s particularly useful for TVs placed in corners, as it offers extensive adjustment options to ensure proper alignment.

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## Step-by-Step Installation Process

### 1. **Preparing the Wall**

The first step is finding studs in your wall. Studs are wooden beams behind drywall that provide structural support. There are two effective methods for locating them:

- **Electronic stud finder:** This tool pinpoints the exact center of each stud, making it a reliable choice for precise measurements.

- **Magnetic method:** Using a magnet to locate screws embedded in the drywall is another simple and effective option.

Once you’ve located your studs (typically spaced 16 inches apart), mark them clearly. For added flexibility, consider attaching a piece of half-inch plywood to the studs. This provides a stable surface for mounting and allows for easier adjustments.

### 2. **Mounting the Bracket**

With your studs identified, it’s time to attach the bracket. Use an electronic level tool or a picture-hanging level to ensure proper alignment. Mark the wall where you want your TV to hang and drill pilot holes using an eighth-inch bit.

For added stability, use lag bolts with washers when securing the brackets to the studs. Be sure to check the weight capacity of your mount and bolts to ensure they can handle your TV’s size and weight.

### 3. **Mounting the TV**

Once the bracket is secure, attach the mounting plate on the back of your TV. Most modern TVs feature threaded receivers or VESA-standard holes, making this process straightforward. Align the plate with these holes and tighten the bolts securely.

If your TV has a curved back, use rubber spacers provided in the mounting kit to prevent damage to the TV’s surface. These spacers help distribute weight evenly while protecting your screen.

### 4. **Final Adjustments**

With the TV mounted, take advantage of the full range of motion offered by your mount. Fine-tune the position for optimal viewing angles and ensure everything is level. Once satisfied with the placement, secure any loose wires using cable management boxes or surface-mount wire mold to keep things tidy.

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## Additional Tips for Success

- **Measure Twice:** Always double-check measurements before drilling to avoid mistakes.

- **Weight Capacity:** Ensure your mount can handle the weight of your TV. Check the specifications before making a purchase.

- **Consider Aesthetics:** Choose a mount that complements your room’s design and maintains a clean appearance.

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Mounting a TV is a rewarding project that enhances both functionality and aesthetics. By selecting the right mount type and following these step-by-step instructions, you can achieve a professional-looking installation that provides years of enjoyment. Whether you’re a DIY enthusiast or new to home improvement projects, this guide ensures your TV is securely and stylishly mounted for optimal viewing.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enhey nathan hey kevin how's it going oh you getting ready to mount my tv i can if you want me to sure why not so we get a lot of questions about tv mounts so i thought it'd be great to cover three basic tv mounts here okay so we have a fixed this is great if you're going to hang your tv right in front of you you don't have to go above anything you can go with that model tilting is great if you have to go above a mantle a fireplace maybe an entertainment center bring it down tilt it down better line of sight and here's the uh all the bells and whistles the full motion model now this is great if your tv is maybe in the corner you need to bring it out you can also get a lot more adjustment with the tilting and even get a little bit of left to right through this to level it out which one you want to install today let's go with the full motion but the first thing we need to do is find some studs so drywall just a drywall wall really easy easiest way to find studs two different ways electronic just turn it on run it across this one's really nice because this will actually pinpoint the exact center of the stud right there we'll make a mark another option is to just go old school use a magnet this one's really simple it's going to find the screw that's embedded in the drywall so you find one of those on this side come over to another stud we found another one there those should be 16 on center now that we have that we can do our plum marks down bring the bracket over and mount that let's go old school one there oh that thing really grabs it doesn't it yeah right there we want to confirm a little bit more 16 and a quarter so these screws might not be perfectly in the center but that's definitely close enough for us yep okay so now we'll bring over our level and we'll just plumb these lines down so we're just giving ourselves a bigger mark to hit yep the mount is about nine inches from hold the hole beautiful okay cover that so now we have this so you got a couple holes there and this bracket actually comes with a little little level on it oh nice a little picture hanging level so come my way a little bit you tell me where you like nice and level there okay all right so now these lags are pretty thick so i'm going to use a eighth inch bit i'm going to pre-drill and that's when you know if you got the stud or not yeah that's going to pop right through if you missed the stud now we have our lag bolts washer on top let's see what you got there i mean that's a that's a beefy bolt right there right i mean this is gonna be holding a lot of weight so they give you the right ones use them yeah and you need to pay attention when you're buying your mounts that you need to know the weight of your tv now we can go put the plate on the back of the tv all right so here's the tv i brought in it's a little bit older don't make fun of it so you can see it has these threaded receivers on the back right which is pretty standard right very standard so it's part of a visa standard and every tv should have a visa standard and it's just the distance from hold a hole in millimeters okay so these brackets are for our larger tv we're actually not going to use these but we will talk about them simply mount these on the back and then those crossbars will get mounted this way and then this plate will get mounted onto that so you can hit a of visa standards and the reason you have them is because the bigger tvs these threaded inserts could be much further apart top to bottom exactly and then we could be going left to right a bunch yep yeah so you can work with a bunch of different manufacturers we've got so many different holes you're probably going to hit your threaded inserts exactly regardless of what tv you use luckily for us my old tv we'll just toss this plate right on the back and you can see it lines up with all four of those threaded inserts okay so we'll just grab a washer now another thing to keep in mind is some of the newer tvs have a bit of a curve back to them so you can see in that kit they have some rubber spacers oh yeah so you would put those on behind this bracket so that way you don't crush the back gotcha you can see that we just mounted this directly to the studs that are 16 ounce center but it puts our center line over here so if we wanted this to be centered over a mantel or a fireplace that wouldn't quite work for us but the problem is this moves in 16 inch increments left and right because we want to hit the studs with the bracket exactly so a cheat around that is to inlay a piece of half inch plywood onto the studs so you screw the plywood on and then that gives you the chance to move this left to right so plywood the studs and then bracket the plywood exactly anywhere you want that plywood needs to be wider a little bit wider smaller than the tv but wider that gives you a chance to move this to put this center line exactly where you want got it okay another thing i want to talk about is cable management so this would be the time for you to put any boxes top and bottom that you wanted you know where your studs are you can chase your cables right down so you want to bring your power up you can also run your hdmi cord you can run your cable um this would be the time to do that if you don't want to do that you could just do some wire mold gotcha surface mount wire mold okay ready to hang let's do it give you a hand with it but it's such a small tv okay oh it just fits right in there yeah and then once it's in there i mean this is the full motion right left come out right right up and down up down forward and back send it home and then just tuck it in when you're done at the end yep so pretty straightforward just make sure you got the right hardware it really is but you just got to consider size your tv weight of your tv and the visa layout on the back before you buy any of your mounts all right thank you nathan no problem thanks for watching this whole house has got a 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