How to Hang Up Your TV/VCR
The best place to watch master carpenter Norm Abrams is in your workshop, right? And doesn't it make sense to enjoy The Frugal Gourmet when you're in the kitchen? New television mounting hardware makes it possible to watch TV or play a VCR tape in a room where space is at a premium by hanging it from the ceiling.

The hardware consists of a ceiling bracket that is lag bolted directly to a ceiling joist. A C-shaped TV cradle is attached to the bracket by a short piece of aircraft cable, allowing the set to swivel in any direction. A rubber boot covers the cable joint and gives the unit a high-tech look.

The ceiling hanging TV bracket is available in two sizes: one fits televisions up to 21-in.,100 lbs. and a larger one for televisions up to 27-in. 120 lbs. The VCR bracket mounts under the TV bracket and holds any front-loading unit up to 4-in. high and 17-in. wide.

Since it supports considerable weight, the bracket must be bolted directly to the center of a ceiling joist and located far enough away from the wall to allow the set to swivel for optimum viewing. For most televisions, this means that the ceiling bracket should not be located closer than 20 inches to the nearest wall. For corner mounting, maintain clearance from both walls.

The bracket can be hung just about anywhere there is an overhead joist. The corner of a room is an ideal location. Unless you have high ceilings, keep the unit out of the room's traffic pattern. If mounted over a doorway, make sure the lowest part of bracket is above the top of the door jamb. Also consider the location of electrical power and existing TV antenna hookup. These wires can be routed to the set through surface-mounted raceways, but if you can position the set close to them it makes installation easier.

The best way to find a ceiling joist is with an electronic stud finder, which runs about $20. It can pinpoint the center of the joist where the lag bolts must be located for them to develop their full holding power. After you find the joist, use the ceiling bracket as a template to locate the lag bolt holes. These bolts are long and require pilot holes, so drill a 7/32 dia. 2 1/2-in. deep hole for each lag. Place the ceiling bracket in position and tighten the lag bolts with a 1/2-in. open-end or socket wrench.

Follow the assembly instructions to attach the TV platform to the C bracket by attaching the top and bottom bracket to the platform with the outer screws first. Then place the platform assembly on the tubular C bracket and bolt it in place with the hardware provided.

If you are installing the VCR bracket, it should be screwed to the bottom of the platform before the platform assembly is hung from the ceiling. To keep the VCR from sliding out of the bracket, there are pressure sensitive pads on the sides of the VCR that attach it to the metal mounting brackets. Make sure that these double-sided adhesive pads adhere to the sides of the VCR and bracket. The TV bracket hangs with a slight downward tilt so your VCR can fall out of the bracket if the adhesive loses its grip.

Position this assembly on the bottom of the TV platform and mark the screw locations through the mounting holes with a pencil. Drill 1/8-in. pilot holes and secure the unit with the screws provided.

Attaching the TV platform assembly to the ceiling bracket is simple because only one bolt is required. Lifting the assembly with the VCR attached is more of a challenge. It's a two-man job, one on the floor, the other on a sturdy ladder. After the platform is attached to the ceiling bracket, place the TV set in place and secure it with its strap.

The power cord and the TV coaxial cable can be hidden with metal or plastic surface-mounted wiring hardware. Both types can be painted to match the wall.

Here's where we found the Ceiling Mount TV and VCR Bracket: Hammacher Schlemmer, P.O. Box 7913, Mount Prospect, IL 60056-7913. Or call at 800/759-5700.

Written by the editors of HouseNet
Copyright HouseNet, Inc.

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