intend to install the bracket and look at it
from the positions where you’ll be viewing,”
Crisswell suggests.
Your viewing distance should be roughly
two to three times the diagonal width of your
screen, Nettina says.
Placement also depends on the location
of the wall studs that you’ll need to drill into
(see DIY do’s and don’ts). Mounting brackets
can usually be securely fastened to wood,
metal or mortar, depending on the wall’s
structural integrity.
Sermon on the mount
Wall mounts come in three basic styles:
•Fixed, which allows you to mount as
close to the wall as possible and keep the set
in a stationary position
•Tilting, which enables slight vertical
adjustment and is often chosen when the flat
screen must be mounted high or to reduce
glare or reflections
•Full motion, which provides the ability
to swivel, tilt or point the set at various spots
via an extending swing arm—a wise choice
for corner locations, viewing in adjoining
rooms and reducing noise if there’s another
home behind the wall
Jeff Finley, national account director for
Milestone AV Technologies in Eden Prairie,
Minnesota, makers of Sanus Simplicity brand
TV wall mounts, says each mount is rated for
a certain TV size range and weight capacity.
“It’s important to choose a wall mount
compatible with the TV’s weight and spacing
of the four mounting holes on the back of your
flat-panel TV,” says Finley.
Be prepared to spend from $40 to $200
for the mounting kit; add $100 to $250 if you
opt for professional installation.
“This project can be tricky—you have to
avoid drilling into pipes and wires, and the
wall must be reinforced to support the weight
and the large lag bolts that are typically used,”
says Nettina. “So unless you’re pretty handy,
it’s best to leave this job to a professional.” C
Erik J. Martin is a Chicago-area freelance writer.
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JANUARY 2014 The Costco Connection 101
By Erik J. Martin
Go T A FlAT-SCrEEN television or planning to buy one soon? Don’t risk having your
high-def dreams come crashing to the
ground; elevate your entertainment by hanging that HDTV on the wall.
Gabrielle Hoyt, an Atlanta apartment
renter, highly recommends wall mounting. It
not only saves space, improves viewing angles
and provides a cleaner look, but it’s also a
safer option.
“our last TV was on a stand, but it fell and
broke after my cat jumped on it,” says Hoyt,
who recently purchased a new flat-panel TV
that she hired a professional to mount above
the fireplace. “Too many people place these
ginormous, expensive electronics on a tiny
plastic stand, and all it takes is a strong bump
or an earthquake to make it fall. I learned my
lesson: Wall mounting is the way to go.”
Safety first
Flat screens may not look heavy, but they
can weigh 50 pounds or more and have a high
center of gravity that makes them susceptible
to falls if knocked, jostled or pulled on from
the top.
In fact, any poorly anchored television
can be a danger. Most overturned televisions
fall from dressers, armoires, entertainment
centers and TV stands.
Hang tıme
Why wall mounting your
HDTV is a smart move
The Costco Connection
costco and costco.com carry a wide variety
of fixed, full-motion and retractable tV
wall-mount fixtures as well as many models
of flat-panel tVs. For questions about
mounting or other technical procedures,
costco members can contact costco’s
free concierge services at 1-866-861-0450.
“Considering that screens are only getting larger and heavier, it makes sense to
secure your HDTV to the wall for better
peace of mind,” says John Nettina, a Costco
service provider and chief operations officer
for Buffalo, New York–headquartered Installs
Inc. (
www.installs.com).
Spot-on positioning
Determined to showcase your flat panel
on the wall like a finely framed work of
art? First, select the ideal placement in your
chosen room.
“Ask yourself, where can I comfortably
view it, and have I minimized glare from
sunlight and house lights?” says Costco
member Cris Crisswell, owner of Sterling,
Virginia–based Handyman Matters Northern
Virginia (
www.handymanmatters.com).
Avoid mounting the screen in a high-traffic-flow area. Additionally, the TV’s center should be eye level when viewers are
seated, “so tape paper to the wall where you
FOLLOW THESE TIPS if you plan to
tackle this mounting task yourself:
• Purchase extra-long cables to ensure
adequate distance between your TV
and connected components.
• Follow the mounting kit instructions
closely.
• Measure carefully to ensure straightness and proper height.
• Use a stud finder and cable-wire
tester/locator to know where to drill
safely; anchor into the center of each
stud (most are 1. 5 inches wide and
16 inches apart).
• Get a partner to help lift and mount
the TV.
• When concealing cords behind the wall,
use cables rated CL2 or CL3 for in-wall
use and an in-wall power extension kit
(hiding power cords behind the wall
violates fire codes). Or, conceal cords
within paintable track molding.—EJM
DIYdo’s and don’ts
special section
furniture
