TV Installations can be simple and straight forward such as Mounting your TV on the wall and connecting it to your satellite/cable box or fairly complex integrating your TV into a Home Automation system or One-touch Remote.
In this article, I will discuss TV mounting on a wood-framed wall. Typical wall construction will have vertical studs placed 16” apart measured from the middle of the stud as pictured below.
An easy way to determine the location of the study is to look for any electrical outlets that were installed when the wall was being built. The boxes attach to the studs with nails. If you take off the outlet cover and slip something between the outlet box and drywall you can feel which side the stud is on to give you a general idea of the wall construction.
Next, hold the back bracket to the wall, using a pencil mark through all the mounting holes on the wall. Each TV install is different and personal preferences vary but typically you will want to mount your TV so the center of the TV is at eye level while seated which is typically 40-48”. Using a stud finder, locate and mark the center of the studs
Pre-drill for the lag bolts that will secure the bracket to the wall, typically wall mounts ship with metric lag bolts, check with the specifications for your mount to determine the size of the pilot hole. If using an M8 lag bolt use a 1/4” drill bit.
Now secure the bracket to the wall with the lag bolts and be sure to tighten the bolts well but not so tight that they strip out of the wood.
Once the bracket is securely mounted it’s time to turn your attention to the arms that mount to the TV, each manufacturer has its own style so follow the included instructions. When selecting the screws to hold the arm to the TV make sure that the screw is not so long that it bottoms out in the mounting hole.
To power your TV, DO NOT run the power cord in the wall, this is against the safety code instead install an in-wall power bridge similar to the one shown below.
To run your HDMI and A/V cords in the wall using an entrance plate to provide a clean look. I hope these mounting & installations challenges & tips provide some insight into your TV install.
