Samsung TV Mounts...

If you have followed my page long enough, you might know that I'm not a huge fan of the Samsung Slim Fit Wall Mount for their TVs. Don't get me wrong, I love the look of the Samsung flush mount TVs when they are installed; but their mount is the most overly engineered mount that I've ever com across with no real adjustability for our U.S. built modern homes. Case in point, this recent installation.

In most of our homes, the stud spacing is either 16" on center or 24" on center, depending on the wall location in our homes. When a TV wall mount installation request comes my way, I will often ask if the stud spacing matches the mount that was purchased. It's a pretty important question because rarely will a TV wall mount manufacturer state that wall anchors are ok to use. When a Samsung flush mount TV installation request comes my way, all bets are off, and this installation is why.

I used Samsung's template for this 65" mount installation, as I always do. The location is determined and the studs are located. Notice something in the photos? I needed four studs for this installation, but only one landed in a location that I could use. Luckily, it was in the critical spot based on how this mount was engineered. The next step was to share with this homeowner what I learned and let them decide how to proceed.

What were the options?
1. Abort the installation
2. Proceed with the installation, but use a backboard to better anchor the TV mount (an ugly approach, defeating the purpose of the mount)
3. Use the stud for the left mount and heavy duty wall anchors for the right mount (knowing that there is a slight possibility that the anchors could fail)
4. Use a completely different mount

The client went with option #3 and assumed responsibility if the TV fell off of the wall. The installation continued. If it was any other mount, I would not have agreed to continue, but the Samsung mount does not have any real adjustability. With no tilt and no ability to extend the TV from the wall, the only real force at play here is sheer load. This is very similar to the heavy mirrors and artwork that I hang, so a similar approach is taken when studs are not available. 

Though I hate using wall anchors for mounting TVs, there anchors are rated to hold 265-pounds each (keep in mind, this is factoring in a sheer load). Probably more anchors were used than needed, but this Samsung mount is not the most rigid, so I wanted to hold it snug to the wall. 

Once the brackets were installed, the TV went up without a hitch. The wires were tucked away and the TV fired up. The result? Another Samsung TV comes to life.