Ok, I am no professional but I've now installed a TV mount on three walls and no wall has fallen down yet. Nor TV. So here are my tips.
The first tip is don't let your wife make you move an installed TV. My wife thought nothing of asking me to replace and move an already mounted TV. In less time than it took her to come up with that, I figured out that would mean moving three TVs: take down one, install two, reinstall one. No thanks. If you need a better excuse here's a real good one: these brackets are designed to be installed: once. There is no guarantee the bolts will all work as designed if you replace them. Mounting bolts most importantly. You're looking at $30 in replacement bolts.
So my motto is new wall, new mount.
1. Wait till it goes on sale! This paid for the mounting bracket.
2. The most important part is not the brackets clamped onto the TV, it's making sure that the mounting screws are in dead centre of the 2 inch stud. The fact is you're better off digging into the drywall to make certain that's right. You don't want the TV falling if a screw gives way. The drywall holes don't matter because the metal brackets cover it over. Use the stud finder to narrow down the studs, move left and right for the edges.
Once I get close and mark the outer edge of the stud I dig into the drywall.
I use a 1/2 inch drill bit to bore out the hole. It stops at the stud. You can see the full stud that way to make sure you are in the middle. If the hole is off centre I move the pilot screw over.
They tell you to hand crank the bolts and use soap to reduce friction. Use a smaller 3 inch screw to make a pilot hole. You see my stud finder marks and the pilot hole. The screw will go into the center of the stud thanks to a guide path.
2. Plan for expansion when you mount it.
I found the marks for six mounting screws aligned for a larger TV. I used the rightmost two rows. You won't see the third row behind that TV and you can use it for extra mounting of shelves if you need it. You can shift the TV over to the centre.
3. They tell you to hand screw them in, but that will lead to more friction and you might wreck your work.
I use a ratchet to work in the guide hole. If the screw is not solid within 10 turns you don't have it centred in the stud or you are driving it crooked. Remove and dig into drywall more.
Then I remove the bolts to place the mounting bracket.
4. Get a kid to help hold it in place. Wives want to be the supervisor and tell you you're doing it wrong. Kids just want to help and they are happy to hold it.
Your prepositioned holes will make the first two go in smoother. Take turns on the bolts. This reduces friction that might heat the bolt, switch bolts after half an inch to let them cool down. The ratchet makes it easy to snug them up to the bracket.
5. Don't worry about position until you are almost ready to snug them.
6. You should be at this stage now.
9. Now you are ready to enjoy it.
The first tip is don't let your wife make you move an installed TV. My wife thought nothing of asking me to replace and move an already mounted TV. In less time than it took her to come up with that, I figured out that would mean moving three TVs: take down one, install two, reinstall one. No thanks. If you need a better excuse here's a real good one: these brackets are designed to be installed: once. There is no guarantee the bolts will all work as designed if you replace them. Mounting bolts most importantly. You're looking at $30 in replacement bolts.
So my motto is new wall, new mount.
1. Wait till it goes on sale! This paid for the mounting bracket.
2. The most important part is not the brackets clamped onto the TV, it's making sure that the mounting screws are in dead centre of the 2 inch stud. The fact is you're better off digging into the drywall to make certain that's right. You don't want the TV falling if a screw gives way. The drywall holes don't matter because the metal brackets cover it over. Use the stud finder to narrow down the studs, move left and right for the edges.
Once I get close and mark the outer edge of the stud I dig into the drywall.
I use a 1/2 inch drill bit to bore out the hole. It stops at the stud. You can see the full stud that way to make sure you are in the middle. If the hole is off centre I move the pilot screw over.They tell you to hand crank the bolts and use soap to reduce friction. Use a smaller 3 inch screw to make a pilot hole. You see my stud finder marks and the pilot hole. The screw will go into the center of the stud thanks to a guide path.2. Plan for expansion when you mount it.
3. They tell you to hand screw them in, but that will lead to more friction and you might wreck your work.
Then I remove the bolts to place the mounting bracket.
4. Get a kid to help hold it in place. Wives want to be the supervisor and tell you you're doing it wrong. Kids just want to help and they are happy to hold it.
Your prepositioned holes will make the first two go in smoother. Take turns on the bolts. This reduces friction that might heat the bolt, switch bolts after half an inch to let them cool down. The ratchet makes it easy to snug them up to the bracket.
5. Don't worry about position until you are almost ready to snug them.
6. You should be at this stage now.
7. Use vice grips with the screwdriver to mate bolts and nuts. The metal they use is the bare minimum for weight, so the screw heads strip easily. I use the vice grip on the nut end to tighten not the screwdriver so it doesn't strip them as much.
8.Get that helper again and mount the TV. Turn it on before you throw anything away. Let the family clean it up, you've earned a break!
9. Now you are ready to enjoy it.
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