So, you have the mount for your home theater display picked out, and you're ready to install. Here are some tips to make sure you have as successful an installation as possible:
- Pick the right fasteners for the job. There are specific anchors for specific types of wood. Most mounting instructions assume you're going to be installing your mount on wood studs, but most mounts come with specialty kits that include concrete anchors, drywall anchors, metal studs, and so on. Don't go cheap here; your homeowner's insurance probably has a big deductible, and you don't want to have to use it.
A good rule to plan around: Your anchors need to be able to hold five times the weight of what you're putting on the mount. A 2-1/2-inch-long lag bolt is usually considered acceptable for large mounts. The main goal is to hit the center of your stud with the bolt. To be sure you do, drill pilot holes to find the width of the stud so you can determine its exact center.
- Range of motion/clearance requirements. On most mounts, you lower the display onto the mount. So you need to have a little more clearance above the mount to make sure you can slide the display into place. Generally, this clearance ranges from a 1/2 inch to 4 inches of extra space, depending on the manufacturer. If you have a really tight space, think about this in advance.
If you're installing an electric lift for a plasma display or LCD, know that these lifts are generally wide open to the elements in their hidden state - so if you lift the mount into an attic that has no moisture controls, the plasma will be exposed when not lowered into the house.
Projector lifts, on the other hand, tend to be enclosed in a box that has a plenum rating (meaning they're safe for installation in air flow areas - they have special fireproof coatings) and can go in a false ceiling.
- Properly gauge your wall structure to make sure it can hold the weight. Having a top-of-the-line mount that's secured to a wall studded with 2-x-2-inch wall studs doesn't get you far with a 60-inch display. The bigger the display, the more you may need to create a special mounting structure to support the mount - and you probably want to call in the cavalry (that is, a professional).
- Triple-check your measurements (and then ask your spouse to recheck them for you). Use the actual screen and mount when taking measurements and, where possible, confirm your measurements by holding the equipment in the space itself.
- Consider hiring a professional installer. This is one area you don't want to mess up. There's no honor in a broken 36-inch LCD screen. The more precise the installation needs to be, the more likely it is you need to hire a professional to help.
