Hi, looking for advice for the best way to hang tv on the fireplace wall. Right now the mantle is too high. Needs to be removed or fixed lower. Also the bricks on the wall are sticking out near the mantle. So just removing the mantle is not the issue. The brick wall needs to be made flat/vertical. Can anyone please offer any advice? It is an old home and has a chimney and vent that goes up to the roof of the house.
Don't do it. TVs above fireplaces are tacky and impractical. You'll also need electrical, and if that's a solid brick chimney with a flu behind it that will be a PITA. The mantle is also likely at that height due to combustion and shouldn't be significantly lowered (if this is an active wood burning fireplace)
Thank you. Didn't think the height of the mantle had anything to do with the heat etc. It is a electrical fireplace. You are right and this is best advice I guess. Just that the middle of this room is where the fireplace is and it seems to be best for placing the speakers.
The mantle looks like it's the original one when it was used as a wood burning fireplace. You can still see the soot stains. Since you say it's an electric one now, there's no real issue of heat anymore per se. You can get mounts that lower when you want to watch it and push it back above the mantle when not in use. I think someone here on RFD has one of them.
exrcoupe wrote: ↑
You can get mounts that lower when you want to watch it and push it back above the mantle when not in use. I think someone here on RFD has one of them.
I know people use them but I wonder how practical they are. Just imagine you are relaxing on the sofa when you decide to watch tv. Instead of just grabbing the remote you have to first get up to adjust the mount. Definitely not for me! Reminds me of the 80s when we didn’t have tv remotes and had to get up to switch on the tv
Edit: just saw that they now have motorized mounts.
”If you buy things you don’t need, soon you will have to sell things you need.”
Remove mantel
Paint fireplace white
Hang tv at whatever height you want. Where existing mantel was is perfectly fine
Nobody will see the old brick sticking out if the fireplace is all modern white paint / won’t care
It will look a million times better than anything else you can do
And cheap too. White wire mold will somewhat hide the wiring too if you use thing power and hdmi cables. That saves drilling a million holes and running wire through brick. If you can knock out one brick and fish all your wiring behind the fireplace/wall it will look even better. Keep the brick and it can be reinstalled years down the road if required.
Holystone wrote: ↑
I know people use them but I wonder how practical they are. Just imagine you are relaxing on the sofa when you decide to watch tv. Instead of just grabbing the remote you have to first get up to adjust the mount. Definitely not for me! Reminds me of the 80s when we didn’t have tv remotes and had to get up to switch on the tv
Edit: just saw that they now have motorized mounts.
I'd like to see a layout of the whole room to see what other options you have available to you.
The natural reaction seems to be to put the TV above the fireplace, but often there are better places for it - even if it requires re-arranging furniture in the room.
What I would do, replace the mantle install a new one that's trimmed out on the sides and top.
On the top of the mantle install drywall over the brick. Fir it out abit so you can install an electrical box and low voltage box behind the TV. Crown on the top to match your new mantle.
