Hanging a big plasma on brick???

lendaddy · 12-13-2006, 05:31 AM

In one of my impulse type actions I sold my beloved 60" Pioneer Elite rear projection and solid oak entertainment center to a friend so I could get back the floor space for my kids (the thing really is huge).

The funds from that paid for most of the 50" plasma I picked up last night.

Anyway, I have a massive brick fireplace (12' wide to the top of a cathedral type ceiling) that I want to mount it on above the mantle. The TV is much heavier than I thought and now I'm a little worried about the mount. I also don't like the idea of drilling into my brick for a damn TV if I can help it.

My wife mentioned cables from the ceiling like they do in museums, any thoughts about that? Other ideas?

turbo6bar · 12-13-2006, 05:41 AM

What does it weigh?

You can drill into the mortar and use concrete anchors. The holes can be filled in when you leave.

The cable idea would work, provided you find ceiling joists.

Rot 911 · 12-13-2006, 05:42 AM

Drill some holes and use metal anchors. Make sure you drill into the brick and not the mortar. That is the safest method. If you ever want to fill the holes back in just find another brick the color or the ones you drilled into and use a drill to make a bunch of brick dust. (If you can find a way to save the brick dust when you drill the holes in your fireplace even better) Mix up a bit of mortar and fill the hole almost flush. Then mix the brick dust with a very small amount of mortar and fill the rest of the hole up flush.

lendaddy · 12-13-2006, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kurt V
Drill some holes and use metal anchors. Make sure you drill into the brick and not the mortar. That is the safest method. If you ever want to fill the holes back in just find another brick the color or the ones you drilled into and use a drill to make a bunch of brick dust. (If you can find a way to save the brick dust when you drill the holes in your fireplace even better) Mix up a bit of mortar and fill the hole almost flush. Then mix the brick dust with a very small amount of mortar and fill the rest of the hole up flush.

Seriously that works? Well that changes everything. Though I still worry about chipping off huge chunks or something when drilling. The TV weighs 110lbs.

Tim Hancock · 12-13-2006, 05:49 AM

Should you be worried about the heat from the fireplace? It seems like maybe that might be bad for the tv.

Nostril Cheese · 12-13-2006, 05:49 AM

3/8" expansion bolts with some acrylic epoxy should work fine

stomachmonkey · 12-13-2006, 05:51 AM

Build a stand to sit on top of the mantel. If you plan it right you can have space for components like your DVD/VCR, surround etc...

The question that I would have is whether or not the fireplace is a good environment for a plasma. How much heat comes through the brick, what will smoke that escapes the front of the fireplace do to the screen? Things like that.

I'm not saying it's an issue, I really don't know, just throwing it out there.

Scott

lendaddy · 12-13-2006, 05:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tim Hancock
Should you be worried about the heat from the fireplace? It seems like maybe that might be bad for the tv.

It's plenty far away from the actual fireplace and above the mantle. I'm not worried at all about heat.

IROC · IROC's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Tim Hancock
Should you be worried about the heat from the fireplace? It seems like maybe that might be bad for the tv.

I've heard the answer is "yes", but I don't know the specifics. I read an interesting technical article on displays and it was not kind to plasma for a variety of reasons - heat being one of them.

Mike

Jims5543 · 12-13-2006, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tim Hancock
Should you be worried about the heat from the fireplace? It seems like maybe that might be bad for the tv.

I have a propane log fireplace in NC and I have been keeping an eye on the temps over the mantle. The mantle seems to deflect a lot of the heat and the stones above it are cool to the touch. As least on mine.

I am going to put a small (32") LCD Panel over our mantal some day, right now, a TV is not on my priority list up there.

lendaddy · 12-13-2006, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jim Cesiro
I have a propane log fireplace in NC and I have been keeping an eye on the temps over the mantle. The mantle seems to deflect a lot of the heat and the stones above it are cool to the touch. As least on mine.

I am going to put a small (32") LCD Panel over our mantal some day, right now, a TV is not on my priority list up there.

Sounds similar to mine, the brick does not get hot and the mantle extends past the tv's profile.

I also wanted a smaller TV, but the brick "wall" is so huge that we thought it would look a little goofy to hang a small one up there.

lendaddy · 12-13-2006, 06:03 AM

I could put this on a normal wall as well, but I like the idea of focusing the seating toward the brick fireplace. But since I'm not sure how it will all pan out I would rather not drill holes in my brick.

The idea of bulding a stand to the mantle is a good one too. It's nothing special and wouldn't bother me to drill into.

motion · 12-13-2006, 06:08 AM

Mike is right.... plasmas run very hot. Can you return it for an LCD?

Tim Hancock · 12-13-2006, 06:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by lendaddy
I could put this on a normal wall as well, but I like the idea of focusing the seating toward the brick fireplace. But since I'm not sure how it will all pan out I would rather not drill holes in my brick.

The idea of bulding a stand to the mantle is a good one too. It's nothing special and wouldn't bother me to drill into.

I bet you know where to get some nice stainless tubing to build a stand

lendaddy · 12-13-2006, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by motion
Mike is right.... plasmas run very hot. Can you return it for an LCD?

The lack of true black on the LCD's ruled them out for me. Side by side the difference was stark.

Regarding the heat I did not notice any extreme heat on the store display, or do you mean that I'm adding fuel to the fire with the fireplace?

Jims5543 · 12-13-2006, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by lendaddy
The lack of true black on the LCD's ruled them out for me. Side by side the difference was stark.

Regarding the heat I did not notice any extreme heat on the store display, or do you mean that I'm adding fuel to the fire with the fireplace?

I have had a 42" plasma at my home in Florida for 4+ years now. I will take some pyro readings off of it tonight for you.

I really do not think it will be a huge deal as long as it is vented and not closed in. You have alreay established there is no heat from the fireplace affecting it.

How high is the ceiling above the fireplace?

lendaddy · 12-13-2006, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jim Cesiro
I have had a 42" plasma at my home in Florida for 4+ years now. I will take some pyro readings off of it tonight for you.

I really do not think it will be a huge deal as long as it is vented and not closed in. You have alreay established there is no heat from the fireplace affecting it.

How high is the ceiling above the fireplace?

Thanks Jim, the ceiling is probably 14'-16' at the peak so there is a ton of room above it.

Rot 911 · 12-13-2006, 06:27 AM

Quick search came up with this:

"Will the heat from the fireplace harm the plasma TV?

There are a few precautions to take before hanging a plasma screen TV over your fireplace. First, take a thermometer and tape it to the wall above the mantel, in the place where the plasma TV will reside. Then build a fire, and let it roar awhile. Now, check the thermometer. If the temperature is above 90 degrees F, then the area is receiving too much heat -- either escaping from the front of the fireplace and rising up the face, or radiating through the chimney to warm the outside wall -- for a plasma TV to hang there without receiving some modicum of residual damage. It would not be advisable to run the plasma for a long period of time while its environment is this hot. Though the Plasma TV has its own cooling system, the surrounding heat will force the Plasma display to work harder to cool itself, thus shortening the overall lifespan of the unit over time. A Plasma TV may still be run for short periods of time without harming the unit (even with the environment heat at 90 degrees F or above).

If the plasma display is not turned on while a fire burn in the fireplace, then the unit will not be harmed at all even though the temperature surrounding the unit may be warm. Of course, this might not be an option for people living in places where winter lasts seemingly forever, and fires are an everyday fact of life. In such cases, you should be advised to monitor the amount of heat your plasma display is exposed to while it is running.

Can the Plasma TV be mounted onto a brick fireplace?

Yes, cement anchors may be used with the wall mount to secure this application. Again, the amount of heat to which your plasma is exposed should be a concern here, as some brick fireplaces can radiate quite a bit of heat.

Will the Plasma Display TV be too high? Can I tilt it?

Even though plasma TVs typically have a 160-degree viewing angle, tilt wall mounts may be purchased if the mantel is high. A tilt wall mount application will allow the user to tilt the unit from up to 15 to 25% vertically (in this case, downward). With this mounting installation the user will have the choice between a flat or tilted affect while adding only 1.75 inches depth to the plasma TV. A flat wall mount can add as little as 1.25 inches to the depth. So, the difference is only half an inch.

Can I just place the plasma on the mantel?

A typical table stand for a Plasma TV is between 4 and 6 inches in depth. If your mantel can accommodate such a plasma TV stand, you have it made."

Jims5543 · 12-13-2006, 06:31 AM

If you have any questions feel free to ask. We use ours a lot and I play PS2 GT4 on it all the time. I never have a problem with burn in. The screen still looks as goodn ow as the day I bought it.

There are a lot of stories out there about how bad they are and I honestly have no issues at all. I will admit they do get hot but so does the back of my 32" Tube TV.

I have a 42" Zenith Plasma Monitor, no sound or tuner. I used a Bose321 for sound and Digital Cable for tuner.

lendaddy · 12-13-2006, 06:32 AM

Wow Kurt thanks!