TV Wall Mounting in Costa Mesa

From the box to the studs

Every visit follows the same order, and the order is what keeps the screen on the wall.

1. Size up the set. Weight, VESA hole pattern and screen width are written down; the bracket has to be rated for at least 1.5 times the weight.
2. Prove the framing. A stud finder gives a first guess, and a small probe hole under the future plate gives the answer.
3. Outline it in tape. Blue painter's tape shows the real footprint of the screen before any bit touches the wall.
4. Fix the plate. Pilot holes, lag bolts into the studs, and a level read on the plate itself.
5. Lift the TV on. The brackets hook over the rails and the locking screws go in last.

Fixed or tilting, and which suits the room

In a Costa Mesa living room with a standard eight-foot ceiling, a fixed mount is the usual starting point. A tilt of a few degrees is worth having where a west window throws late-afternoon glare onto the glass.

When the studs miss the sweet spot

Wood studs are normally set about 16 inches apart, though a house that has been remodeled twice rarely keeps the pattern on every wall. There are three ways round it:

• A wide plate that reaches two studs while the picture stays centered.
• A backer board screwed across several studs, giving the plate a solid face.
• Strap toggles, kept for light sets and never used in place of wood under a large one.

Finishing the cords

The plainest finish ties the cables in a short bundle behind the set with the outlet close below. A slim surface raceway, painted to match the wall, tidies the run without cutting the drywall. Hiding wires inside the wall is its own job with its own add and its own rules: a standard power cord never goes inside a wall, only an in-wall rated kit does, and a new outlet is an electrician's work.

TV Wall Mounting — common questions