Do Or Don’t Wall Mount That TV

As a lot of you know I have a ridiculously huge tv that I never would have purchased for myself. Long story short: it quit working, a family member gave it to me, I looked it up on youtube, did surgery and fixed it. So, now I have this pretty darned incredible television which is kinda funny because though I enjoy tv I actually don’t watch much of it. Though I totally appreciate my bad ass tv when I do! I purchased a wall mount and a friend helped me get it up on the wall. It was a really nerve wracking (and very heavy) so when I realized it was too high I just left it and learned to live with it!

My day job I spend on screens and my other full time job, this blog, I spend on screens. So, when I’m not working everyone in my life has just had to come to terms with the fact that I’m pretty much unreachable unless its an emergency because I’m constantly trying to get a break from screens! Especially my phone!

So it won’t surprise anyone to hear that I won’t ever have a television in my bedroom lol but I do still really appreciate my wall mounted tv, my couch and my Netflix membership… especially this last winter!

(This is a contributed post, for more information about my compensation please read my disclosure policy)

If you spend a lot of time waiting in airports or standing in lines (and you’ve got really good eyesight), it’s nice to be able to watch something on your phone or tablet.

But there’s really no better way to watch a movie than by getting all cozy on the couch or curling up in bed in front of a large screen TV.

The thing is that TVs are getting bigger and bigger and not every decorating scheme benefits from what most of the time is just going to be a blank, black piece of electronics. Beyond that, you’ve got to decide where to put that TV so that it fits in happily with windows, doorways, fireplaces, seating arrangements, and other room features.

One way to deal with the TV question is to get an entertainment or media center.

These are usually fairly enormous as well as expensive, but they do have accommodations for all the components you might want as well as offer lots of storage for DVDs, games, and so on. They also neatly solve the problem of multiple, visible cords because they’re pre-drilled for hidden access to wall outlets.

Along the same lines but more likely to blend in successfully with rustic or country décor would be to find an armoire that you can fit out for the TV and components. It won’t accommodate a gargantuan screen, but that’s a sacrifice to consider for having a cozy room that doesn’t look like a sports bar.

If you decide you value function over form, though, you’ll want to do what a lot of people are doing, which is to mount your TV on the wall the same way you’d hang a picture.

In the case of monster-size screens in particular, mounting frees up floor space and it lifts the screen up to where it can be visible to the whole room as well as a from a distance in an open floor plan. If that’s what you want to do, here’s what you should know:

DIY or Hire a Pro?

If you’ve got the skills and the tools and someone to help, you can mount a TV by yourself. But calling in a pro is certainly going to be easier. No matter where you live, in Washington state or Washington, DC, TV mounting services are available and will have the right mounting device for your needs.

Ideal Viewing Distance

Experts vary in their recommendations of how near or far from the TV makes for the best viewing experience, but the suggested range is 1.5 to 3 times the diagonal size of the screen.

(That’s the size on the box.) That means that a 40-inch diagonal screen is best viewed from 5 to 10 feet away, a 50-inch screen is best viewed from 6.25 to 12.5 feet away, and a 60-inch screen is best when watched from a 7.5 to 15 foot distance.

Ideal Viewing Angle

The optimum angle from which to watch TV is if the screen is more or less directly straight in front of you when you’re seated.

To be specific about it, sit down and measure the distance from the floor to your eyes to give you a sense of where the center of the mounted TV should be.

The fact is, though, that the installation could look strange if it’s mounted as low on the wall as that measurement would indicate. A mounting device that tilts down will give you the leeway to place the TV higher on the wall.

Other Considerations

When you’re mounting a TV on the wall, don’t forget to take these into consideration in your planning:

• Cords. The TV will need access to power and probably also to cable or satellite dish cables as well as add-on components like DVD players and game consoles. There are several ways to conceal cords, from using cord covers to having cords installed inside the wall.
• Components. They’re going to need somewhere to live, so plan on getting a low bookcase or cabinet or putting up floating shelves under the screen.
• Access to ports. You don’t want to have to take the screen off the wall to access ports or controls, so use a wall mount that can telescope outward and let you get to the back of the TV.
• Mounting above a fireplace. Some experts recommend against it, but a mantelpiece will shield the TV from rising heat as long as you don’t pull the screen out in front of it.

Now that you’ve got the perfect place to watch your big screen TV, here are some popcorn recipes to make the experience complete.

(This is a contributed post, for more information about my compensation please read my disclosure policy)