In the 1980s and ‘90s, entertainment centers and armoires dominated the media furniture industry. Sturdy and deep enough to accommodate the heavy, cumbersome rear projection televisions that prevailed in most homes, these substantial media consoles often served as the focal point of the room. Even the most handsome and well-crafted of these television
stands shared one common drawback: they took up a significant amount of space. With the rising popularity of plasma and LCD flat-panel televisions over the past several years, more compact media furniture options have emerged, including sleek plasma TV stands, swivel stands, and TV wall mounts.
Advantages of TV Mounts
Of all the available media display options, TV wall mounts are by far the most space-efficient. Even when outfitting smaller areas, they make it possible to display large screen sizes that would have dominated the room if placed on a traditional television stand. For children’s rooms, playrooms, and nurseries, TV mounts provide a surefire way to keep valuable video equipment out of the reach of little ones, while freeing up floor space for playing.
Mounting a television on the wall allows you to place it at the ideal viewing height and angle to complement your other furniture and the activities taking place in the room. For instance, if you’re installing a TV in a home gym, you might opt to use a ceiling mount to suspend the screen in a high corner of the room, but you may choose a more central location for a den or media room.
Basic Types of TV Mounts
- Flat Mounts: The simplest of the available television mounts, flat mounts install your television screen directly on the wall with no available tilting or movement. This sturdy mount affixes your screen in one static position.
- Tilting Wall Mounts: Tilts mount allow for some degree of flexibility in viewing angles. Some models can be adjusted while the television is in place, while others require that the screen be removed from the wall before the tilt can be adjusted.
- Wall Arm Mounts: The most versatile of the available television mounts, wall arm mounts are equipped with both tilting and swiveling mechanisms. The viewing position can be easily adjusted by bending and extending the arm to your preferred angle.
- Flip-Down Mounts: Widely preferred for use under kitchen cabinets and in other small spaces, flip-down TV mounts allow you to fold down the television screen when not in use, protecting your video equipment and maximizing space. The viewing angle can be conveniently adjusted to move with the action.
What to Consider Before Installing Your TV Mount
- Location: Before installing your TV mount, you’ll need to determine where it will be placed. Select a comfortable viewing angle that is easily visible from all seating areas in the room.
- Support: If you’re using TV wall mounts, you’ll need to identify a location with solid wall studs. There are many tools available to help you identify the positioning of the studs behind your walls. For ceiling TV mounts, you’ll need to locate an area with strong wood or metal ceiling joists. (Most ceiling mounts come complete with necessary mounting hardware, including extension pipes, ceiling flanges, and other accessories.) For both
types of mounts, the weight of your television will be a crucial factor in determining how many studs or joists are required to secure the screen. - Appearance: Optional floater mount does not encroach walls allowing you to swivel your television 85 degrees to the right or left with a 14 inch vertical adjustment.
- Compatibility: Not all mounting types are compatible with all television screens. Today’s flat-panel screens are equipped with special pre-drilled holes that attach to the mount. Although many manufacturers use the same standard hole pattern, there are some variances. In the event of an incompatibility, you may need to buy an adaptor plate to accommodate the specific hole pattern of your model, which will then allow
you to match up the plate to a mount. In an effort to help standardize the process, the Video Electronic Standards Association (VESA) has created a network of compliant screens and mounts that are guaranteed to fit one another.
Once you’ve selected your television mount, we recommend getting help from a trained installation specialist to ensure that your screen is affixed securely to the wall or ceiling. (See our article on Hiring the Right Installer.) Remember, the mount should be attached to the ceiling or wall before the screen is attached to the mount itself.
Click now to browse our selection of wall mounts.
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