TV brackets are in great demand. It is widely published that it is easy to assemble and install a TV wall bracket. However, non-DIY people find it difficult to mount their own TV bracket successfully, for some reason or other. Hopefully this short guide will provide everyone with sufficient tips to install a TV wall bracket easily.
Firstly you need to know the type of wall you will be working with. The usual walls are brick wall, concrete wall, breeze block wall or partition wall with plasterboard and stud work. There are TV wall brackets to fit all types of walls. If you have difficulty determining your type of wall, try to get advice from a professional. Some people cannot differentiate between a concrete wall and a breeze block (or thermalite block) wall since once the wall is completed, both types appear the same. Vertical partitions One way of determining the type is to slowly drill a small hole in the wall, with a non-concrete drill bit. If a hole is made with the non-masonry drill bit, the wall is most probably a breeze block or thermalite block wall. You can easily make holes in thermalite block walls, even with a hammer and nail. A brick or concrete wall is hard and requires a masonry drill bit to make holes in the wall. This initial step is critical for you to identify and purchase the right type of TV bracket.
It is advisable to have 2 people to help you since the TV bracket may be heavy and bulky. You should have the proper tools and accessories on hand before attempting to do any work. The usual tools are a marker pen, dust sheet, spirit level, electric drill with the appropriate drill bits, flat head and Phillips head screwdrivers, stud finder, electric cable finder and pipe finder. The screws, nut and bolts are contained in the TV bracket package. The actual installation requires drilling holes and screwing the TV bracket in place. The other instruments are used for determining the feasibility of drilling the holes in the specified location. The electric cable finder and the pipe finder are used to identify if there are cables and pipes laid across where you plan to drill the holes. It will help you to avoid making holes in cables and pipes accidentally. The dust sheet is to maintain a clean working place and capture the dust and other dirt that may occur during the installation of the TV wall bracket. The spirit level I is used to ensure the TV bracket is level, resulting in a straight and level screen. The stud finder is used to find studs behind wooden walls. With the tools at hand, you can proceed with the measuring and preparation activities.
Lay the TV bracket along the wall and mark the points where you will be drilling the holes. Make sure you will not hit any cables and pipes within the walls. Measure the points to make sure they are straight and level. The spirit level is a good tool to determine whether the lines are straight and level. Drill the holes straight and to the proper length of the anchor plugs. If you drill the holes at an angle, it will be difficult applying the screws in the holes. The heads of the screws will not be flat against the plate and might affect the weight that can be absorbed by the TV brackets. Fit both the arms on the TV bracket using the bolts, spacers and washers that came with the package. Make sure all the fixings are secure. It is advisable to attach the cables and wires at this point while there is sufficient space to fix the cables and wires neatly. Once you mount the TV onto the TV wall brackets, there might not be space to adjust the wirings. Get help when lifting the TV onto the TV brackets. The TV can be fairly heavy and unmanageable particularly for large LCD TVs.