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Once you’ve found the TV of your dreams, the next step is deciding how to set it up in your home. Typically, you’ll either place it on top of a console or mount it up on the wall. Although it can feel intuitive, mounting television screens on walls does come with its own set of problems. If you have unknown wall structures, it can be risky to drill holes, especially if you have a heavy TV. Some types of walls, such as hollow walls or uneven surfaces, may not be ideal if they can’t support its weight. You can, however, avoid one of the worst mistakes when hanging a TV by making sure you know how to find the stud.
For people who love decorating their spaces, mounting can feel a little too permanent. If you’re the type of person who wakes up in the middle of the night with a random urge to rearrange your furniture, it does limit the kind of layouts you can play with. You’ll have to make sure that any seating, which often means large furniture like couches, can still view the TV comfortably. Plus, if you’re a renter who doesn’t want to risk losing your deposit, you need to consider the expected time, effort, and skill it will take to remove the wall mounting in the future.
When is wall mounting a TV a good idea?
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If you live in a tiny apartment, you may want to save your floor space for other furniture. In some cases, a minimalist aesthetic also requires being able to hide your home theater’s cables inside a wall, so they don’t run across the floor. And if you’re particular about optimizing your TV for the best viewing angle, mounting can elevate it to a height that can be difficult to replicate with a store-bought console. Importantly, TVs mounted on the wall are less likely to be tipped over, a safety consideration that’s especially important if you have small children.
But there are plenty of mistakes you should avoid when mounting, especially if you don’t want it to end up damaging your TV. To start with, buying the right kind of mount can help you avoid a ton of possible accidents. If it’s not possible to buy a mount from the same manufacturer when you initially buy your TV, it’s important to take note of both the dimensions of your screen and the maximum weight capacity. Next, you’ll want to make sure you have all the right equipment and take the time to really find the optimal position for viewing. Apart from the angle, it’s also good to think about aesthetics and glare from windows.
If you’re not committed to using a TV, a projector might be better suited to your space. Although there are some things you should consider when using a projector as a TV replacement, such as investing in projector screens, sound quality, and maintenance requirements.
You could use an easel instead of a TV console
If you want some flexibility in terms of positioning your TV, you could consider an easel. Paired with a custom frame, you can get the picture frame TV experience at a fraction of the price. You can buy easels ready-made or make them yourself.
For a ready-made easel designed specifically for TVs, one popular option on Amazon is the $120 PUTORSEN Solid Wood Easel TV Stand. Designed for TVs between 45 inches and 65 inches, it’s capable of holding displays that weigh up to 88 pounds. An Amazon’s Choice product, more than 550 people have rated it 4.7 stars on average. Although if you’re a handy person, there are a lot of YouTube tutorials that show you how you can install TVs on antique easels as well, although you will need to consider your TV’s weight and design before going down this route.
If you want something that you can move around in your home, Vivo sells a Rolling Artistic TV Easel Stand that can fit displays between 43 and 75 inches. Retailing for around the same price at just under $120, it’s available in two colors (walnut and black) with a weight capacity of 88 lbs. It also has a shelf, where you can put a sound bar or console. On Amazon, it holds a 4.5-star average rating from 260 people.