Buying An LCD TV Bracket
If you have just returned from buying a lovely new LCD television from your local electrical store you might have stopped to look at the LCD TV brackets that they had on sale too, if you used a bit of common sense you would have realised that these brackets are way over priced in these stores. Another reason for not buying is because you need to ask yourself, what bracket do I need? There are so many choices out there to choose from. But, you have now seen sense and have come online to see what you need, what a good idea! Not only can you find out what style of LCD TV bracket you need, but you can also compare prices and hopefully get yourself a good deal.
When you are on the lookout for a new TV bracket, you obviously need to make sure that you are selecting one that will fit your television. Not all TV bracket mountings are the same, so some wont fit your TV, even the brackets that are sold as being “universal” will not fit every single television set. There are size limits which cannot be exceeded for safety reasons. You could get a TV bracket for a specific mounting system that is rated for 22 to 42 inches or 37 to 60 inches, or a universal which can suit, 15 to 23 inch, 26 to 32 inch or 37 to 65 inch, you can even get a smaller TV bracket to suit a 10 inch screen.
When you are shopping online for your new LCD TV bracket then you want to find a store that allows you to search using four attributes, these are - TV brand, model, screen size and VESA size. By searching using these properties you should be able to find the right bracket you need out of the hundreds or thousands that are on offer. If you were to only search by screen size for example, you will end up with LCD TV wall brackets that can handle the size of your television, but they might not use the correct mounting system that you need, as most TV manufacturers will have their own styles of mounting system. So the least you want to search by is TV brand and screen size, this should narrow the choice down enough for you to make a good decision.
I mentioned the VESA mounting sizes before, this is the Video Electronics Standards Association. And what this depicts is a standard mounting system used in many new TV sets. Using a VESA mount ensures that your TV is supported by a quality item and will be totally secured. Of course you still need to make sure that you have the right bracket to support the size of your TV, if you buy the right TV bracket you can rest assured that your TV will be securely fixed to the bracket. If your TV does not offer VESA mounts then you will have to go for a universal TV bracket instead.
You also need to think about whether you want a floor or wall mounting system. If you are like me a live in rented apartment you wont be allowed by the landlord to fix anything to the walls. So in cases like this you need to consider getting a TV stand mounted TV bracket, this still gives the effect of being wall mounted, but it is firmly rooted to the floor.
If you are going to be mounting your TV to the wall then you have quite a few selections of TV wall bracket to choose from. The most popular LCD TV wall brackets are flat mounts, swivel mounts, tilting mounts and cantilever brackets. There are also motorised LCD brackets available, which are well worth the month if you can afford them, as they are quite expensive. They allow you to control the angles of the TV from the comfort your chair using a remote control, they are great if you have a number of sofas in your living room and adjust the TV to suit them at different times. Say, if there are a number of people in the room you have the TV set at a central position, or if you are in the room yourself you can turn the TV to face where you are sitting for a better view.
If you want this type of movement but are not too fussed about it being motorised you could just go for a tilt or swivel TV bracket, which offers all of the above movements but will cost you far less. On the other hand if your TV will always be facing the one way and doesn't need adjusting you could go for the flat mount TV bracket.
There is quite a lot for you to take into consideration, TV brands and their different mounting systems, VESA and universal mounts, motorised or not, tilt and swivel or fixed? If you find a decent store on line you will be able to search through all of these different types and hopefully find something that is perfect for you and within your budget.
Making A TV Stand
Shopping for home theatre equipment can be a daunting task. There are hundreds of possible configurations of television, DVD player, amplifier and speakers to consider before you even start thinking about brands, or worse yet – setting it all up neatly.
One of the key parts of your home theatre setup is also one that is surprisingly often overlooked, or picked solely on the basis of cost – your TV stand. There are plenty of good models around, that will cater to any system, but one of the more satisfying options for a home handyperson is to make your own stand!
If you do want to try making your own TV stand, there are a few basic tools you will need. A cordless drill with a screwdriver bit will be indispensable, as will a jigsaw if you have one. If you have access to a table saw you will have no problems cutting wood to size, but if not your hardware store may be able to cut most of your wood to size to save some time.
Before you start planning, consider the style of your theater seating and other furniture. If you have fairly traditional or rustic styled seats, a stained wood TV cabinet with beveled edges and ornate trim might fit the bill; for contemporary furniture you may be better off either constructing your TV stand out of laminated particle board, which comes in a range of colors, or using wood and painting with a gloss enamel afterwards. If you are really creative, and handy with your tools, there are even options to use alternative materials like Perspex, or checker plate steel. If you are taking this route, try auto supply stores – many sell a plastic based version of checker plate, used for decoration.
For a simple wooden TV stand, you will need:
- Plywood or particle board for the sides
- Sturdy pine for the legs and rails
- Sturdier wood for the top and shelves (using interlocking floorboards is cheaper than buying one larger board)
- Dowels for joining
The basic design is simple – start by cutting four posts to the height you want your stand to be. Then, cut four rails to fit between these, top and bottom for each. Lay out these pieces on your work surface to make 2 rectangular shapes. Now, start joining these frames together by drilling matching holes for the dowel joints, and fitting the dowels in these holes with some wood glue to secure them. Clamp or put pressure on the joints while they dry. You should end up with two frames, which can now be joined together by the addition of two more rails for the left and right sides to make a cube. Now, it is just a matter of using wood screws to attach the sides and top of the TV stand. For a professional finish, countersink these screws and use some wood putty to fill in the holes afterward. Voila! A professional quality, homemade TV stand is yours – with only a half day work and well under $100 in costs. All that remains is stain and varnish, and enjoy your new stand.