(1) The Heat Factor:
This is one of the biggest deciding factors on whether you should mount your tv over your fireplace. Seriously, the last thing you want to do is melt that expensive tv!
A couple easy ways to figure it out if it's safe to mount:
> If your fireplace has a fan or blower, then it shouldn't be a problem.
> Do you have a mantle? Again, you should be more than safe.
> Don't have either? The good old "Hot-to-the-Touch" test works wonders. We're serious, get your fire going and literally touch the surface above, if its hot, its probably a no-go, if its a little warm, you should be good.
To be completely safe, call us out for a free in-home consultation! 303-209-1038
(2) The Height Factor:
Believe it or not, this is the next major deciding factor with mounting your tv above your fireplace. Depending on your personal TV watching preference, sometimes mounting above your fireplace can leave the tv higher than what you may be used to. You can search online and find 20 different answers and opinions about viewing distances and heights but after installing over 7,000 TVs, it all comes down to personal preference. There's just so many factors that most of these websites don't and can't take into consideration, such as...
> The height of your couch. If you have a really low couch like I do, most of these websites would say that my tv would need to be about 2 feet off the ground and that would be ridiclous!
> The Width and Heighth of Your Room. We've installed 82" Samsungs on walls with vaulted-ceilings and the tv looks small! We've also installed 85" Sony's on 8ft ceilings but super wide walls and again, it doesn't look that big but most of these websites would say that these tvs are too big for these rooms.
> TV Straight-on vs up-higher. Again this is another personal preference... I like my tv high, but that's me; I dont mind looking up slightly. Plus my family and I watch a lot of tv standing up, especially when we have people over for the Broncos game. And I really don't like looking down at a tv.
> Got a Soundbar or Center Channel? This is just another thing to keep in mind before we install your tv. If you have or are actually going to utilize a soundbar or center channel, this will also increase how high your tv will be mounted.
(3) Cable Concealment:
This can be done in a variety of ways, it just depends on your fireplace and surrounding area.
> Drywall on studs above the fireplace, pretty standard install.
> Tile on studs? Shouldn't be a problem either.
> Solid brick or stone with a wood burning fireplace? This is a lot more intricate and the toughest type of install, don't worry it can be done and we've done it many times. This usually requires an in-home consultation to provide an accurate estimate, but good news, its completely free! Simply reach out to schedule.
(4) Mount Type:
Do you want a flat/tilting mount or do you want a full motion mount that can swivel and turn left & right? Well there are several things that will limit the type of mount you can use...
The main thing is the stud configuration above the fireplace and this is the biggest concern that will pretty much make the decision for you. The stud configuration above fireplaces varies from home to home and of the thousands of tvs we've installed, not a single one has been exactly the same.
The reason this is an issue is most full motion mounts are designed to work with 16" on-center studs and if you want the TV centered, this is when it's a problem. Most fireplaces' studs aren't configured this way which causes your tv to not align perfectly centered above the fireplace. However, there is one caveat to this... if you're willing to buy a more pricey full motion mount, then it doesn't really matter.
Now, if you don't need to turn your tv, then a flat/tilting wall mount is the easiest and safest way to install a tv over a fireplace. Why? Because the mounts we sell, allow you to adjust the tv so we can perfectly center your tv.
The last thing to consider, if you have brick, tile or stone above your fireplace, we highly recommend using a flat/tilt mount instead of a full motion mount. Why? There's a lot of weight and pressue put on the wall when swiveling your tv and the last thing you want is to crack or break the expensive tile, brick or stone.
If you have questions, simply complete one of the 3 options above. We are here to help and want to make your installation perfect!
