Mounting TV Over My Fireplace

[bt22]

Maybe this is the right forum. I have a 52" LCD Samsung TV. To be able to rearrange my living room I need to mount my TV above my fireplace. If I were to do this it would cause my TV to be roughly 100" off the floor. I have a Cathedral ceiling in this room so I have plenty of room over the mantel, however this just seems extremely high for a normal/comfortable viewing angle. When sitting on my couch I would be roughly 10-13 feet from the fireplace. So it would be a rather steep viewing angle. I would appreciate any advice or personal experience people would care to share.

Thanks,
Bobby

 

[downinitjr]

Cut out a piece of cardboard the same size as your tv, and put that over the fireplace. Try staring at it from different positions in the room. Personally it seems awfully high, seeing as the generally accepted position is eye level at the center of the screen-when seated in the main viewing position. However if it doesn't bother you where it's at then go for it.

 

[j2048b]

One of the BIGGEST questions you need to ask your self is this:

will you be using that fireplace at all? If so it is a very bad idea to mount a TV above the mantel

why?

if you pierce the stack with any bolts, it is bad
if you use that fireplace and the stack gets heated and you have either pierced the stack or the stack has any type of holes in it, you will eventually fry the tv from heat and or smoke, or warp it and eventually destroy the tv.

plus with the heat from the tv, and the fireplace.... it is all bad news!!




and many other issues with putting one over the fire place besides the viewing angle!

if you are not going to ever use that fireplace then carry on, and if at all possible move back, and if not, i know it is sad to say: get a smaller tv if the room is that small.

 

[fedup flyer]

My parents decided to mount a LCD TV over the fireplace mantle in their vacation home. I think its a mistake. After a few hours of viewing it causes my neck to hurt, even when laying on the couch. I pretty sure the heat produced by the fireplace (gas insert) cannot be good for the plastic on the tv. Luckily its not a quality tv but one of those lower end models purchased from Walmart or Costco.

 

[BORIStheBLADE]

One of the BIGGEST questions you need to ask your self is this:

will you be using that fireplace at all? If so it is a very bad idea to mount a TV above the mantel

why?

if you pierce the stack with any bolts, it is bad
if you use that fireplace and the stack gets heated and you have either pierced the stack or the stack has any type of holes in it, you will eventually fry the tv from heat and or smoke, or warp it and eventually destroy the tv.

plus with the heat from the tv, and the fireplace.... it is all bad news!!




and many other issues with putting one over the fire place besides the viewing angle!

if you are not going to ever use that fireplace then carry on, and if at all possible move back, and if not, i know it is sad to say: get a smaller tv if the room is that small.

I agree. The heat issue if you are using the fireplace is a issue. I wouldn't do it.

 

[IgnatiusTheKing]

My in-laws have had a TV mounted over their fireplace for three years and haven't had any problems with heat. Living in Texas, they don't have as much cause to use the fireplace as someone in the northeast or midwest would, but they still use it quite a bit during the winter. So, if it's mounted correctly (and without damaging the chimney), I don't think heat would ever be an issue.

That being said, it is mounted a little higher than I like. Watching it gets a little annoying after a while.

 

[mpshay]

I've had a TV over the fireplace in our current house for 5 years now with no problems. I have a direct vent fireplace so no vertical chimney to worry about.

 

[mhdena]

The only way it would seem to be comfortable to me is if you had reclining chairs where you would be looking up

Otherwise I would not do it.

 

[Rich1963]

And that's just a picture from MPShay's bathroom. You ought to see the media den...

 

[FastangV6]

It largely depends on the size of the room. I have had a 50" panasonic mounted over our direct vent fireplace (that is rarely used) for over a year with no problems. It is mounted quite high, as it is well above eye level when seated on the couch, but it is not uncomfortable or an annoyance to look up slightly to watch.

The wall the TV is mounted to is also opposite the breakfast area which also adjoins the kitchen. Since the living room, breakfast area, and kitchen are essentially one very long room (with different flooring, furniture, and fixtures), it is very convenient to have the TV mounted that high for viewing from the kitchen and breakfast area.

 

[srexy]

I have a 50" Panny panel above my fireplace at a distance of about 10-11' - the bottom of it is only around 60" off the ground however. Our necks do not get sore but it does encourage slouching on the couching.

100" may be pushing it. I mocked mine up using blue painter's tape...

 

[allmIne]

I can only apologise for the crappy picture... blame it on the iPhone!

Anyway, I was holding my phone at a height of about 5 feet when I took this picture. Maybe this will help you judge a good height; I find this perfect, and it's around 65 inches at the centre.

 

[rayward]

I would like to add my voice to the chorus of negative opinions for the over-the-mantel mounting of a TV. In addition to the issue of having to crank your neck up to see it, the high mount position makes them much more prone to reflections. Light from above reflects down to the viewer from this angle, whereas a lower mount TV will reflect light down to the floor and out of the viewer's line of sight.

The OP has a Samsung, which presumably has a glossy screen (I believe they all do), which will exacerbate the reflection issue.

Of course, not everyone has the luxury of space for both a fireplace and a low/floor mounted TV. Also, the aesthetics of room orientation to one focal point for both the fireplace and TV can override the TV-watching issues for many people.

 

[bt22]

Thanks to everyone for their great responses. The top of my Mantel is 58" off the ground then my TV is 31" tall and I was going to put an inwall speaker between the top of the mantel and the bottom of my tv so i was going to be 40+ " above my mantel to the top of my tv. I got quotes from various companies to run the cables and mount the tv and they ranged from $2,000.00 to $745.00 .... We have been able to re-arrange our furniture to better suit our living room and we have decided to keep it where it is. My initial reason for moving it was it reflects light from windows so i was going to try and eliminate that but i think i can achieve that for less than $800.00 dollars and be more satisfied with my tv mounted lower. Thanks to the macforums community... i always appreciate the help i get from here whether or not i post anything...

Thanks to everyone..
BT

 

[j2048b]

Thanks to everyone for their great responses. The top of my Mantel is 58" off the ground then my TV is 31" tall and I was going to put an inwall speaker between the top of the mantel and the bottom of my tv so i was going to be 40+ " above my mantel to the top of my tv. I got quotes from various companies to run the cables and mount the tv and they ranged from $2,000.00 to $745.00 .... We have been able to re-arrange our furniture to better suit our living room and we have decided to keep it where it is. My initial reason for moving it was it reflects light from windows so i was going to try and eliminate that but i think i can achieve that for less than $800.00 dollars and be more satisfied with my tv mounted lower. Thanks to the macforums community... i always appreciate the help i get from here whether or not i post anything...

Thanks to everyone..
BT

If* and I say IF you decide to do this in the future, make sure you check with homeowners insurance if they cover any electrical stuff due to hanging tv's on walls and running the cables behind a wall or through them. I dont remember where i heard it, but recently someone said their insurance and electronics warranty would not cover damage if the item had the cables running behind the walls and something went wrong, not sure where it came from but I did hear something about this....

weird i know!

 

[bt22]

Yes I have heard of people using regular extension cords to supply power to their televisions and extension cords are not suitable for in wall instulation. It is against building codes and would not be covered should a fire start. I was not going to do this. I would get a licensed electrician. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[RKrant]

Dynamic Mounting

I know I am a very late to this discussion, but I just wanted to help some people see a review in terms of wanting or not wanting to mount your flatscreen above your fireplace. There is a product out there called Dynamic Mounting and here is my full review.

As much as flatscreen TVs have become ubiquitous, so has the mount. The result? Mounts that offer limited functionality and at best articulate the position of the screen from left to right or at a very slight angle up and down. As a result I’ve long stood my ground and said no flatscreen should be mounted above the fireplace. The result is an angle that induces a crick in the neck that will land you in a chiropractor’s office seeking realignment. However, now I can resign from that position thanks to the Down and Out Mount.

As mentioned, traditional flatscreen mounts don’t do much more than angle the TV up and down or from the left to right. For added cash you can purchase one that does all that and extends 20-30″ inches from the wall. But that’s hardly an ideal resolve for anyone that has plans to perch their flatscreen above their fireplaces mantel. A flatscreen above the mantel ultimately means that anyone sitting on a sofa will have to stare upwards, very much like getting the worst seat in the movie theater – you know, the one closest to the screen. It’s hardly the ideal way to watch TV and movies. In fact, ask any home theater enthusiast or professional and they’ll tell you the ideal height for any TV is at eye level while seated. Sure, there is some variability there, but the end game is to ensure that the TV isn’t so high (or low) that one has to lean their head back.

The Down and Out Mount resolves this quandary with what at first appeared to be a complicated design. But after installing it, it’s so simple I’m not sure why I didn’t think of it first. That said, the Down and Out Mount is not cheap, but it does provide something that no other mount on the market does, at least that has crossed my path.

Pros:

Only mount that can move the TV from above or below the fireplace mantel
Solid metal construction that will last
Relatively simple to install

Cons:

Confusing instructions don’t reflect the high price of the mount
Can’t angle the TV left or right

You can buy the Down and Out Mount direct from Dynamic Mounting at www.dynamicmounting.com for $499, though checkout their purchase page on how to get $100 back, and by posting this review, I plan to receive this $100 rebate.

 

[j2048b]

I know I am a very late to this discussion, but I just wanted to help some people see a review in terms of wanting or not wanting to mount your flatscreen above your fireplace. There is a product out there called Dynamic Mounting and here is my full review.



As much as flatscreen TVs have become ubiquitous, so has the mount. The result? Mounts that offer limited functionality and at best articulate the position of the screen from left to right or at a very slight angle up and down. As a result I’ve long stood my ground and said no flatscreen should be mounted above the fireplace. The result is an angle that induces a crick in the neck that will land you in a chiropractor’s office seeking realignment. However, now I can resign from that position thanks to the Down and Out Mount.



As mentioned, traditional flatscreen mounts don’t do much more than angle the TV up and down or from the left to right. For added cash you can purchase one that does all that and extends 20-30″ inches from the wall. But that’s hardly an ideal resolve for anyone that has plans to perch their flatscreen above their fireplaces mantel. A flatscreen above the mantel ultimately means that anyone sitting on a sofa will have to stare upwards, very much like getting the worst seat in the movie theater – you know, the one closest to the screen. It’s hardly the ideal way to watch TV and movies. In fact, ask any home theater enthusiast or professional and they’ll tell you the ideal height for any TV is at eye level while seated. Sure, there is some variability there, but the end game is to ensure that the TV isn’t so high (or low) that one has to lean their head back.



The Down and Out Mount resolves this quandary with what at first appeared to be a complicated design. But after installing it, it’s so simple I’m not sure why I didn’t think of it first. That said, the Down and Out Mount is not cheap, but it does provide something that no other mount on the market does, at least that has crossed my path.



Pros:



Only mount that can move the TV from above or below the fireplace mantel

Solid metal construction that will last

Relatively simple to install



Cons:



Confusing instructions don’t reflect the high price of the mount

Can’t angle the TV left or right



You can buy the Down and Out Mount direct from Dynamic Mounting at www.dynamicmounting.com for $499, though checkout their purchase page on how to get $100 back, and by posting this review, I plan to receive this $100 rebate.

Awesome man! This would be great and yeah its only got an up or down movement correct? I would t care about a left to right unless ur fireplace is a corner unit?

 

[phrehdd]

Awesome man! This would be great and yeah its only got an up or down movement correct? I would t care about a left to right unless ur fireplace is a corner unit?

Down and Out is one maker and the idea is right on.

Btw, I know I shouldn't have laughed but I had a friend who mounted his LCD above his fireplace and he proceeded to destroy his TV when he had the fireplace going due to heat and some smoke that entered the room. The Down and Out should remind one not to have the fireplace on when watching TV (grin) and if one does mount a TV, they might consider putting a mantle between the TV and the fireplace opening.