TV mounting issues

[FS7]

I have a stone fireplace with a stone mantle about 6.5" deep. I'm thinking of putting a TV up there, but I don't want to drill into the stone. Mortar is repairable, while stone is not.

Obviously, 6.5" is not deep enough for a TV with a stand. I have several ideas.

1) I can build a mantle out of wood on top of the existing one. I can make this as deep as I want, though the more depth I add the stranger it will look. My first thought was something that fits over (top, front, and bottom) and clamps on to the bottom with threaded knobs. I don't think there would be much force wanting to cause rotation as the TV stands are back-heavy. If there were any rotation, I could add legs that extend down to the hearth, which would squash that. This might look more forced, though.

2) I can do the above, but build a reinforced vertical frame to mount a traditional wall mount to. A picture would be easier, but my design would be about a 24" wide and 36" or so high vertical frame, attached at the back of the mantle on the top with 91 degree triangle blocks forcing it back slightly. This would be to counter the rotation forces that would occur. Another option is to create a truss rod type of system in the frame to reinforce it.

3) I can try the vertical frame, but put one screw through the mortar into the studs. I took pictures prior to drywalling so I know about where the studs are. There are two mortar spots (it's stacked stone, not brick, so the gaps are few and far between) that might be usable for that purpose. This would anchor the frame to the wall and remain thin enough to not require adding much depth via the fireplace.

4) I can try to anchor a frame to the studs via a frame mounted only to the wall through mortar gaps. The stone is not at all even, as you might imagine, but this should work well enough in theory.

5) Ceiling mounting is an option, but with 10 foot ceilings it might stick out like a sore thumb.

Any thoughts? Is this a fool's errand?

[bottd]

Careful with the idea of making the mantel deeper. Depending on the size of the fireplace there are limits on depth of projections from the face of the fireplace and there vertical distance from the top of the fireplace opening. If you really want it mounted over the fireplace I would pursue the regular wall mount using appropriate anchors and spacers to make it solid and just off the surface of the stones. What about power and cable connections?

[FS7]

As I understand it the projection is unlimited 12" above the firebox, and I have about 18". I was more concerned about the aesthetics and having it look odd, but I can revisit that code.

Wiring was going to be on the surface with probably gray painted raceway. Nothing fancy.

[JGrout]

Well I did this one several yrs ago clients are still happy  with it.  it is just under 12" deep

locks from the bottom to the existing mantle (stone)  with floor levelers mounted under the corbels, that I did not choose for the look but the client loved them. 

To each their own 

Joe

[jamesglenn]

I think a picture would be useful to get a sense of the stone and what is happening. Are you trying to mount a new flat panel TV with a wall mounted frame; or do you just want it to be on a stand?

Many of the wall mounts (not the arms to allow swing) have a mechanism that allow shifting to center the TV despite where it is mounted. Have you reviewed the hole locations for the mounts with relation to the mortar joints? If they align, then I would fabricate some sort of block stand offs (thinking small pipe pieces painted black) if the stone is not all flush to allow pluming the frame and anchor bolting thru to studs.

If they don't align, maybe the same stand offs above with steel angles with holes for securing the wall mount to. Paint them black and they will look like part of the wall mount hidden behind the TV.

But again, a picture and a little more information may help.

Jimmy

[KC]

My stone fireplace is also wired for TV and power, but also has a small brick mantle.  Which is not only not deep enough, it's not level.. tilts down in front.
  I think about what the TV might look like up there about 13 times a week... and then reassure myself that I've been watching it for 5 years now without having it way the hell up in the air.  So I keep stuff up there to hide the outlet(s) and get back to napping.  Which is really what I do during most of my TV watching.  

[Phil Thien]

How about mounting a piece of plywood (smaller than the TV) through the mortar and into the studs, then mount a conventional TV bracket to the wood?

I'd start by selecting a piece of plywood wide enough to hit the studs and tall enough to accommodate the bracket.

I'd mount the bracket to the plywood using tee nuts and machine screws.

Now I'd mount the plywood to the studs, and likely finally paint the plywood flat black (taking the bracket off before painting).

Should only add about 3/4" to the mounting depth and if you don't mind the TV floating just above the mantel, you can run the plywood all the way down to the mantel and transfer most of the weight thusly.

[daddo]

My SIL has a TV mounted that high over her FP. I get extremely tired of looking up.  

I suggest sitting on your couch and staring at the wall where the TV is going to go for an hour before you decide. Or put a lift on the couch.

[GHR]

My 55" tv has legs that make the TV 9" deep at the base. If they had flat bottoms rather than an inverted "V", it would be easy enough to fasten them to the mantle.

I would make  a 6-1/4" deep base and fasten it to the top of the mantle.

[FS7]

http://www.flint7.com/Furniture/before.jpg

http://www.flint7.com/Furniture/after.jpg

The studs are there, but slightly off center. I can hit the "middle" one through a mortar joint. I do not think I can hit it twice vertically without drilling though stone. Also, it's not very clear, but the stone varies in depth by as much as 1.5" or so across the face. Plywood would be a good solution if I could get at least two anchor points on the wood. However, it would not be that bad to have only one provided the bottom of the plywood was resting on the mantle. That one screw is not an ideal anchor point, but it will certainly hold. That could be shimmed behind and painted black to blend in, but the bottom part would definitely show (may be a good place for a soundbar).

I am trying to talk my wife into using another wall (it's a three-wall great room, with the biggest wall being all windows. Just out of frame are the two windows on this wall. The other has a large mirror that she got from her grandmother, but ideally that's a spot for an eye-level TV placement. Half the reason I want to avoid putting the TV flat on an extended mantle (or fastening it to one, which is also a good idea) is that line of sight would be about 7' off the floor (or more). Typically those TVs are tilted down. My wife's grandmother has a TV above her fireplace and raised hearth in a similar configuration, though, and you don't notice that it's not tilted down.

I enjoy the problem solving aspect of this, but I don't watch TV so my motivation to do this is pretty low.