How To Wall-Mount Sharp Aquos
By Fred Decker
Compared to older projection-style TVs, modern flat-screen models such as the Sharp Aquos series are substantially smaller and lighter. However, they can still take up a significant part of your living room if they're mounted on a stand, so many users prefer to wall-mount them like a large painting. It's not a complicated procedure, though if your TV is a large one you should have two or three people to help lift it onto the mount. You'll also have to carefully select a practical location in the room.
Preparation
Step 1
Order the correct wall mounting bracket for your Aquos from Sharp directly, or through a retailer such as Radio Shack. The part number will be listed in the user's manual for your television, or can be looked up online.
Step 2
Select a wall space for hanging your television. It should be in a location where direct sunlight won't fall on the screen, and there should be one or more power outlets nearby for your TV and the rest of your A/V system. It should also face your room's primary seating area.
Step 3
Locate studs in your chosen area with an electronic stud finder, or by tapping a finishing nail or long pin into the wall with a hammer. Once you've found the central stud, place your finishing nail above your work area and dangle a length of string from it to mark the center of your marking area. Use a small weight, such as a spool of thread or a metal nut, to keep it straight.
Step 4
Measure and cut a piece of string as wide as your TV, and mark the center with a felt-tip pen. Tack the string to your wall with the center mark over your first piece of string. Use a carpenters level or laser level to ensure that it's flat.
Step 5
Measuring from the tacks at each corner of the horizontal string, make a pencil mark to show where the lower corners of your TV will be once it's mounted. Insert a tack at each mark, so all four corners have them. Stretch a string diagonally from each top tack to the opposite bottom tack. Where they intersect with your first vertical string is the center of your mounting area. Mark that with a pencil. Remove all the pins and strings, except the one that marks your vertical center line.
Installing the Bracket
Step 1
Unpack your mounting bracket from its box, keeping the package of screws close by. Identify the portion of your bracket that mounts to the wall, and bring it to your work space. Center it over your string, with the pencil mark visible in the middle.
Step 2
Locate the two corner screw holes in the wall plate. They'll be pear-shaped, rather than round, so you can slip them over the head of a screw. Mark those holes with a pencil, then remove the plate from your wall.
Step 3
Screw two drywall screws into your wall at the marked locations, leaving the heads approximately one-quarter inch away from the drywall. Hang the bracket over the screws, then tighten them the rest of the way.
Step 4
Insert the remaining screws through the wall plate's screw holes, tightening them gently into place. Don't over-tighten them. When you tug on the bracket's mounting hooks, it should feel completely rigid, with no play or movement.
Mounting the TV
Step 1
Remove the back covers from your Aquos TV, revealing the screws that hold your stand in place. Remove all these screws and covers, retaining them nearby. You'll need one or two helpers to hold the TV in place while you work.
Step 2
Attach the supplied power cord and any necessary A/V cables to your Aquos TV, if they aren't already in use. Clip them in place using the TV's cable clips, and leave the other ends hanging loose for now.
Step 3
Place the TV half of the wall-mount bracket over the back of the set, and secure it in place with the supplied hex screws and Allen wrench.
Step 4
Lift the Aquos into position over the wall portion of the bracket. The wall bracket has a pair of T-shaped hooks, which correspond to notches in the back of the TV bracket. With the help of one or two additional people, depending on the size of your TV, align the notches with the hooks and gently lower the TV until its weight is supported by the bracket.
Step 5
Connect or reconnect the Aquos TV to your remaining A/V components, and then plug it into a wall outlet or power bar.
References
Tips
- The number of screws needed for your wall plate will vary with the size of the TV. At least one or two will mount into your central stud. For larger televisions, you might wish to use drywall anchors to provide an even sturdier mounting surface.
- Mounting details for the TV portion of the bracket may vary from model to model. Consult your TV's manual for specific details.
- If you want to mount your TV at a downward angle to improve your line of sight, you'll need to take an extra step after mounting the bracket to the television. Its front and back half are joined with a screw on either side. Remove those and insert the thin metal angle setup brackets supplied with your wall mount. Screw them into place between the front and back halves of the bracket, setting a shallower or steeper angle as desired. Hang the television as described in the steps given here.
Warnings
- Although these televisions are light compared to their predecessors, they are still large and bigger-screen models can represent a substantial weight. Use at least two or three people to lift them into place, to avoid the potential for injury or breakage.
Writer Bio
Fred Decker is a trained chef and certified food-safety trainer. Decker wrote for the Saint John, New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal, and has been published in Canada's Hospitality and Foodservice magazine. He's held positions selling computers, insurance and mutual funds, and was educated at Memorial University of Newfoundland and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.