Advice needed for wall mounting my 43" plasma tv

[cloudcity]

In a few weeks I am going to undertake what I regard as a big DIY project.

I am goping to mount my 43" Plasma Television to my living room wall.

There are many brackets available, and a lot of the packaging is very misleading. The bracket that came with the tv is tiny.

I have searched the internet, local bookshops and many magazines looking for advice and tips on this. I would love to find a 'how to do this step by step' instruction somewhere. So far I've had very little luck.

I am very prepared already having spent weeks designing, measuring and reading up what I can. I understand the basics, and am usually a competent DIY'er, but I'd love some experienced advice please if anyone has any.

My home is only 15 years old and I suspect the (adjoining) wall I am using is breeze blocks and appears very even. As you can tell I am cautious and am worried about destroying my �3000 pride & joy.

Thank you

[raysparx1]

Not really sure what you want advice on, is it what fixings to use to fix bracket to wall ? if it is, use rawlbolts, I have fitted a few of these for people and the are pretty easy, if it had a bracket with it,that will be the right bracket, it might look small, but if it came with thr tele use it, just make sure the bolts are tight, and use penny washers with the rawlbolts, or is it some other aspect of fixing it ? Ray

[cloudcity]

Thanks Ray, that is exactly the sort of thing I need to hear.

I will make sure I use 'RAWLBOLTS' and 'PENNY WASHERS' and stock up on them asap.

Most brackets I have seen on the net or in shops are several feet accross, quite large indeed. The one that came with it is about 2 inches by 8, and it doesn't feed me much confidence.

I think until I have the space clear and the bracket lined up I will still be a little in the dark and uneasy. I'm also not looking forward to bolstering out a channel in the wall for a spur, plus I must make one for the screen cables. I am not confident about re-plastering neither.

I have a week off from work and am starting on day one so I am not rushing this job, just in case I have a problem or two along the way.

Any idea how I find out what my wall is composed of?

[raysparx1]

Hi if the house is about 15 years old it most likely to be breeze block, I doubt it will be brick,so it shouldn't be to hard to chase,if you dont want to chase the wall out, why not run a trunking down then paint it ? some of the brackets are quite big, just double check you have the correct one, does it have a lockimg bar ? to stop telly moving to much ? a lot of the bars are quite long which allows you to move telly along to different positions, also re the plaster, once you have chased walls out, buried cable etc, when you plaster, make it a bit proud of wall and sand it down, cos it is hard to get a smooth finish if you don't do it very often, good luck, Ray

[Le5bo']

Did the Plasma supplier offer a fitting service, if so use it. (peace of mind). They will almost certainly be insured, should the unthinkable happen, and it will help if you have to make a claim on your own insurance later.

Should you need to do it yourself, get confirmation in writing that you have the correct bracket. Use rawlbolts if the wall is brick or concrete block (drill a hole in an inconspicous place to check). If it's plasterboard and timber frame, then you MUST find the frame uprights. Though with such a small bracket it will not be possible to stretch across 2 uprights. So you will need to mount a backing board.

Impossible to give step-by-step instructions without a LOT more information, as each scenario is somewhat unique.

Get a stand instead. Because you still need somewhere to put the Sky box, DVD player and surround sound system.

[cloudcity]

Thanks but it is brick or breeze block, and the screen is 44" and the bracket is one of the biggest and best I could find.

I've had the screen for nearly 2 years now, and the retailer had no fixing service. (In fact there aren't any in the South West at all!!)

As well as Raysparx1 help I have found a lot of advice and hints over at the uk AVforums.

Thanks.