Mounting a flat screen TVs is a pretty common decor move in most homes--and there's good reason for that. A flat screen TV hung with a wall mount not only better puts the screen at an ideal viewing height, but it also frees up the area underneath (where you'd normally have a bulky storage unit), giving you extra space in the room. While it's not a serious full-blown home theater, it's definitely a technological upgrade that enhances TV-watching and the entertainment experience in the normal household. And what better time to consider buying a wall mount than the Super Bowl, where 5.1 million people will be buying new televisions in the first place.
If you're looking to step up your viewing experience by wall-mounting your flat screen here are very (and we mean very) basic guidelines to consider.
Dimensions and weight. Simple enough but often overlooked by people, it's crucial to know how many inches your flat screen TV is and how much it weighs. Most mounts are designed to hold TVs in a wide range of sizes, but many of them can only hold TVs that weigh up to certain pounds. A mount that can hold 50lbs. is pretty standard but if you're looking for something sturdier, there are ones that can hold 100lb. and upwards. And remember, always measure diagonally across your TV screen.
Tilt. Some mounts come with the function of allowing flat screens to be tilted up and down. There is usually a 15-20 degree up and down tilt range, which is pretty decent. We've found that a 10"-12" tilt range works fine for us.
Installation. If you're a novice at this, no worries. If you're a pro, great -- it'll just take you less time. Either way if you go by a mount's manufacturer instructions, it shouldn't take you more than three hours for installation at the absolute very most. The key thing to keep in mind with mounts is that you will need to make sure you have wood wall studs, which will support the television.
For five great flat screen TV mounts on the market right now, flip through the slideshow below:
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