Mounting a Large TV in Clemson Seneca
A project we're asked for often is to mount a TV on a wall. There are some challenges that present themselves in these situations, such as mounting on a stone fireplace surround or mounting outdoors on a patio. The goal is always to anchor the mount to wall studs and when presented with challenging surfaces such as these, that may or may not be possible and so creative anchoring solutions sometimes come into play. Some of these solutions may involve masonry anchors, snap toggles, extra long lag screws, etc.
Then there's the occasional TV mounting project that comes along that involves a very large TV, a category we reserve for those above 76" or so. Recently, we had the opportunity to mount an 86" unit for a customer that weighed in at 97lbs and the unit had to be hung above a large fireplace which put the top of the TV at about 10' off the ground. This project had several unique considerations: 1) the height at which we were mounting 2) the weight of the TV along with its size presented a safety and handling issue when going up so high 3) the weight of the TV requires a very stout mounting point.
We always want to look at a project before confirming a price since one is never sure what the variables might be until we put eyes on it, and this project was no different. While the customer sent helpful pictures when requesting the estimate, the pictures did no respect to the actual size of the fireplace, the height at which mounting was required, and the size and weight of the TV to be mounted. It's a bit like when you take a picture of a mountain landscape, which can in no way capture the glory of actually being there!
When tackling large TV projects like this, the solution best employed is by use of a duct jack (or small material lift) to act as a crane for safely and effectively raising and maneuvering of the TV onto the wall mount. This method, we've found, is far better than having 2-3 helpers lifting the TV since the use of a duct jack is safer, more maneuverable, and allows for slower and more careful placement of the TV at higher mounting points. This project provided an exceptional mounting surface and so the anchoring of the wall mount was a non-issue because the architects designed the house for a TV in that exact location and so we used lag-screws into a solid backing board secured by the wall studs.
One piece of advice we offer to all customers who desire to mount larger TVs is to select a mount that is sized for your TV, but also that keeps the TV as close to the wall as possible. This advice is biased against those mounts that have the long and adjustable arms - those mounts are great for challenging viewing areas and smaller and lighter TV sets but the problem they present for larger and heavier TVs is that they multiply the leverage put on the mount because all that weight becomes suspended further away from the wall, which in the worst situation could pull the anchors from the wall. For better understanding this, compare holding a gallon of milk against your chest and then extend your arm so the milk is straight out in front of you - the difference is easy to appreciate!
Your TV mounting project may or may not be a challenging one, but either way it's likely we can help you get your new TV ready for the next big movie showing. We provide standard pricing on our website for most installations and urge you to call us or send us a contact form so we can stop by and look at your installation project!
