Do you need help installing a TV mount?

Before you bust out the cordless and happily screw your TV mount to the wall, it’s imperative you plan out the installation properly.

Otherwise, you could:

• End up with a broken TV on the floor.
• Cause someone to get badly injured.
• Develop neck pain from staining up to look at a poorly placed TV.

According to reports, 18,000 people are injured by falling TVs every year, and 3 children are injured by toppling sets every hour. To make sure this doesn’t happen in your home, keep reading to find out how to install a TV wall mount like a total pro.

Step 1: Assemble Your Tools

The first task to getting your TV mount up on the wall is assembling your tools. To carry out a TV installation you’ll need:

• A reliable stud finder
• A drill
• A level
• A measuring tape
• A pencil

Besides this, you might also want to pick up a cable cover from your local hardware to hide the cables running down from your TV.  This will protect your cables from pets and kids as well as making your room look much cleaner and more attractive.

Step 2: Think Carefully About Placement

Next up, think about the placement of your TV. Take your time on this, and remember to factor in the size of your TV and where you’ll be sitting when viewing it. One of the most important things to get right is the height. Nobody wants to have to stare up at a TV that’s mounted too high—like you’re in a waiting room in the 90s.

Estimates state that we watch an average of 4 hours of TV a day. That’s a long time to endure a bad viewing angle! A good rule of thumb is to always mount your TV at eye level. Avoid placing it over the fireplace, as this is usually too high, and the heat can damage your TV.

Step 3: Find Your Studs

Once you know where you want your TV mount to be, it’s time to whip out your stud finder and locate a stud to secure it to. When you’ve located a stud, you can verify it is a stud by poking through your drywall with a sharp implement like a thin nail, or a very thin screwdriver. If you hit wood, you’re in business. Then mark out the placement of your holes, using a level and tape measure.

Pro tip: If you can’t fit holes to match those on your TV mount onto the stud, you can drill different holes into the mount.

Step 4: Drill Into the Studs, Install the TV Mount

Next up, all you need to do is drill small pilot holes for your screws, screw on your TV mount, and then carefully hang your TV. Follow the template or instructions that came with your mount.  This is a two-person job, so make sure you have someone to help you.

Step 5: Cable Management

Last but not least, try to hide as much of the cabling as you can.  The easiest way to do this yourself is by using a strip of cable covering. Although you can run the cabling through the walls, you can easily run into building code issues once you start threading electrical wiring through your drywall. Want a completely invisible TV cable installation? We can help with that!

Putting up a TV mount isn’t rocket science, but it does take some time, careful planning, and precision. Don’t have the time or tools to follow this installation guide from start to finish? Don’t stress, there are easier ways of getting your TV up.

Here at Wyre Dreams, we specialize in professional, seamless media installations for our TV customers. We also offer technology guidance, and will make your TV look like it’s part of a luxury home, but at an affordable price. Call us to get your media setup professionally installed today!