Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Frustration!

Well, yesterday, I tried to finish trimming my Theater. All went well, but I had a design change which left me 3 pieces of outside corner short. Plus I needed some stock to trim the front of my equipment stand. I knew I couldn't paint and install in one evening so I decided to install my components, move the furniture, and hang the screen. All went well. All the components worked well, and I got to watch a little of the last quarter of my beloved Steelers crush the Chiefs. Watched a movie with the wife & kids, plus flipping to the nite game. All was great. The screen looked fantastic, and my wife and I found ourselves in the theater until about 11:15 pm. (We usually go into bed around 10:00. Anyway, I took a buddy over to see the room at lunch today. The screen fell, knocked over the center and right speakers, and ruined the screen material on my DIY BOC screen. Anyway, I'll be off to JoAnn's tonite to recover the screen, and rehang in a more secure manner. The speakers were not damaged.

How did you hang the screen?

Share, not so that was can make fun of you or anything, but so that others can learn from it. You can then feel good that your pain helped someone else.

I was hoping no-one would ask I hung it with picture wire (Appropriately rated), but instead of eyelets, I just wrapped the wire around a screw and knotted it. I guess it cut a few strands and couldn't take the strain. The picture wire gave me the ability to level the screen easily, and wasn't my final attachment. I installed the interlocking metal clips also, but, again, wasn't ready for the final install. Oh well, you are right, hopefully it will keep someone else from making the same mistake.

What would be the best way to hang a screen?

With 2" nails into studs?

-Hutz

French cleats are cheap and easy to make and probably the most rigid method anyone could come up that will allow you to remove the screen from the wall without two much trouble.

If you don’t know how to make them, here’s a quick method.

Cut two pieces of dry and straight wood 20” long (hardwood preferred, but pine works too). Each piece should be ¾” thick and at least 3” wide.

Rip them in half on a table saw with the blade set to about 30 deg.

Run them back through the table saw and cut off about 1/8” of the sharp edge of the angle cut, and then again on the square edge to get them all exactly the same width.

Pre-drill pilot holes 2” from each end, find your studs with a stud sensor and use a 4’ level to make sure they are mounted / screwed to the wall level. Depending on the screen height, you’ll want to mount them about 25% down from the top.

I have my screen mounted this way and it doesn’t budge. My screen is 88” X 47” X ¾” Melamine at around 70 pounds.

The thing that makes most upset was that, I knew how to do it the right way, but chose a, theoretically, quicker method with the intention of rehanging it the right way. I had purchased metal cleats that hold up to 200#. Basically a metal tab with four holes for scews. You install one set on the screen with the tab facing down, and then one set on the wall with the tab facing up. They interlock and I didn't lose much space. About an 1/8", which is important in a 14'8" deep room. So, if I do the math, it took me about 1/2 hour to hang the screen the first time! Then it took me 45 min to run to the fabric store to get more BO cloth. About an hour to attach it. Another 1/2 hour in trip(s) to Lowes when I ran out of staples, and then another 1/2 hour to install the wall and screen cleats. I know better

Oh, and it made it through the nite. The room seems to cut us off from the rest of the house. When we walk out to go to bed, it's like walking out of a whole new world. When the wife likes it as much as you, you know you did well