All About TV Wall Mounts

A stylish way to create space

With space-saving design and contemporary styling, TV wall mounts have become an increasingly popular option for housing home TVs. Entertainment centers and TV stands aren't practical for every room and some TVs, flat-screen plasma and LCD, are made specifically to be used with TV wall mounts.

Selecting the right wall TV mount

Many plasma and LCD TVs are designed to be mounted on a wall or stand to make full use of the space-saving features of a flat-screen TV. To determine if your plasma or LCD TV can be used with a TV wall mount, and then to select an appropriate one, there are a few steps to follow:

See if the box or owner's manual mentions the words VESA mount. VESA is the Video Electronics Standards Association and simply means that the TV is designed to work with all standard VESA wall TV wall mounts.

If you don't see VESA on the box or owner's manual, look for at least four threaded screw mounts on the back of the TV. These are used to affix the TV wall mount.

Select a mount that is appropriate for your TV. There are a variety of manufacturers that make a wide range of mounts that will work on most plasma and LCD TVs – just make sure you get a wall TV mount that is rated for the weight of your TV.

Do you want your TV to be able to tilt? If so, you'll want to consider a mount that allows for the option of being able to tilt the display panel down slightly.

Before you mount your TV

Where you will mount your plasma or LCD TV is, of course, subjective but there are a few things to keep in mind before you do so.

Think of your TV as a large picture frame when selecting which wall it will be mounted on. If you have speakers or art that you'll want to hang near it, make sure you select a wall big enough to accommodate. A wall twice the width of the TV is a good guideline.

You'll also want to consider how you'll be watching your TV. A general rule of thumb is to mount your TV at the height you'll be watching it. This can often make your TV seem low when standing, so this is where a TV wall mount that tilts down can be handy.

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