There's nothing like the enhanced viewing experience generated by a flat-panel television mounted on your wall.
But many people are put off by the prospect of actually having to mount a TV on the wall by themselves, assuming that it would be too difficult.
This doesn't have to be the case.
In fact, it can take less than an hour for even a relatively inexperienced person in DIY to find their television set comfortably in place upon their wall.
To give you the confidence that you need, simply read this three part series that will provide you with the information that you need to know in how to mount a TV on the wall.
In this section of the series we will be considering the preparation necessary for installing your LCD wall bracket.
This article itself will be split into three parts, purchasing the correct bracket, finding the ideal location and assembling the necessary tools.
Step one - buy your LCD wall bracket There are many different types of LCD wall bracket available on the market today.
Flat, tilting, tilt & swivel and cantilever are the predominant four types of brackets, suitable for a range of different flexibility requirements.
We won't go into detail about these different types as more information can be found in the buying guide for wall mounts located here.
However, you should always consider carefully how much you want your TV to intrude into your room, whether you require the ability to tilt and swivel it or whether it is to be a corner mounted LCD TV, in which case a cantilever bracket would be the most appropriate.
Before buying your bracket, you will need to establish the correct size for it by measuring the distance between the four threaded holes on the back of your television set.
First measure (in millimetres) the distance between the top left and top right holes, followed by the distance between the top left and bottom left holes.
These horizontal and vertical distances will provide the required VESA standard for your television set (for example, 400x200 if the horizontal distance was 400mm and the vertical distance was 200mm).
When brackets are sold they will identify the compatible VESA standards so keep your eyes peeled for a match.
Step two - choose your location Don't start drilling into your wall before you are completely satisfied as to the new location for your TV.
There are two things that you need to keep in mind when considering where to wall mount:
Perhaps a more serious consideration however is that of the type of wall to which you will be fastening your LCD wall bracket.
External walls, for example, will allow you to fasten the mount into brick which is very secure.
However, plasterboard walls are also more than capable of holding your television as we will discover.
Step three - gather the required tools When you open the box of your LCD wall bracket you will notice that several heavy duty screws and wall plugs are included for the fastening of bracket to wall and TV to bracket.
However, there are some additional tools that you will require during the fitting process:
With all of the above completed you will be ready to take the first steps toward the completed installation of your television set.
But many people are put off by the prospect of actually having to mount a TV on the wall by themselves, assuming that it would be too difficult.
This doesn't have to be the case.
In fact, it can take less than an hour for even a relatively inexperienced person in DIY to find their television set comfortably in place upon their wall.
To give you the confidence that you need, simply read this three part series that will provide you with the information that you need to know in how to mount a TV on the wall.
In this section of the series we will be considering the preparation necessary for installing your LCD wall bracket.
This article itself will be split into three parts, purchasing the correct bracket, finding the ideal location and assembling the necessary tools.
Step one - buy your LCD wall bracket There are many different types of LCD wall bracket available on the market today.
Flat, tilting, tilt & swivel and cantilever are the predominant four types of brackets, suitable for a range of different flexibility requirements.
We won't go into detail about these different types as more information can be found in the buying guide for wall mounts located here.
However, you should always consider carefully how much you want your TV to intrude into your room, whether you require the ability to tilt and swivel it or whether it is to be a corner mounted LCD TV, in which case a cantilever bracket would be the most appropriate.
Before buying your bracket, you will need to establish the correct size for it by measuring the distance between the four threaded holes on the back of your television set.
First measure (in millimetres) the distance between the top left and top right holes, followed by the distance between the top left and bottom left holes.
These horizontal and vertical distances will provide the required VESA standard for your television set (for example, 400x200 if the horizontal distance was 400mm and the vertical distance was 200mm).
When brackets are sold they will identify the compatible VESA standards so keep your eyes peeled for a match.
Step two - choose your location Don't start drilling into your wall before you are completely satisfied as to the new location for your TV.
There are two things that you need to keep in mind when considering where to wall mount:
- The distance from chair to TV (should be approximately 1.
5 x the diagonal width of the television screen) - The height of the TV (should be at eye level when seated, unless utilising a tilting wall bracket)
Perhaps a more serious consideration however is that of the type of wall to which you will be fastening your LCD wall bracket.
External walls, for example, will allow you to fasten the mount into brick which is very secure.
However, plasterboard walls are also more than capable of holding your television as we will discover.
Step three - gather the required tools When you open the box of your LCD wall bracket you will notice that several heavy duty screws and wall plugs are included for the fastening of bracket to wall and TV to bracket.
However, there are some additional tools that you will require during the fitting process:
- Appropriately sized screwdrivers
- Power drill, preferably cordless
- Tape measure, for ensuring holes are drilled correctly
- Spirit level, the last thing you want is for your TV to be mounted on a slant
- Pipe and stud detector, this will help you to avoid drilling into something you shouldn't and, if installing on plasterboard, will help you to drill where you should
- A friend will be essential, particularly if you are mounting a large television set.
With all of the above completed you will be ready to take the first steps toward the completed installation of your television set.