Will my idea for a rolling, pop-up TV mount work?
July 14, 2017 5:13 PM Subscribe
I'd like to have a TV in the main room of my apartment but I don't want a big black rectangle staring at me all day long so I'd like to tuck it away... under my coffee table! I have a plan, but I'm not sure it'll work. Details inside...
Here's the plan.
1. Put casters on wooden base
2. Attach TV (probably 40" or 32") to wooden base with sturdy wall mount
3. TV lays flat and rolls under coffee table when not in use
4. Roll base out, flip up TV
Really bad drawing
One issue is that I'm not sure I'll be able to get it high enough. The bottom of the TV should be about 18" off the ground, so I think with a good arm I can get that, and I can add to the base to make it work. I'll figure out the wiring, I'm not worried about that.
But the main thing is I'm not sure whether there's an articulating TV arm that will handle this type of force. They're all meant for wall mounting and I'm afraid 20 pounds will make any of them just sink down or collapse when turned 90 degrees like this. I could just experiment with a couple arms but I feel like I should be able to work this out beforehand.
Will this work? Do I need some specific heavy duty arm? I've been looking at this one.
Or is there a simpler solution that accomplishes the same thing but differently? Like mounting it on a wood back that itself rises up on hinges? I'm open to suggestions!
Here's the plan.
1. Put casters on wooden base
2. Attach TV (probably 40" or 32") to wooden base with sturdy wall mount
3. TV lays flat and rolls under coffee table when not in use
4. Roll base out, flip up TV
Really bad drawing
One issue is that I'm not sure I'll be able to get it high enough. The bottom of the TV should be about 18" off the ground, so I think with a good arm I can get that, and I can add to the base to make it work. I'll figure out the wiring, I'm not worried about that.
But the main thing is I'm not sure whether there's an articulating TV arm that will handle this type of force. They're all meant for wall mounting and I'm afraid 20 pounds will make any of them just sink down or collapse when turned 90 degrees like this. I could just experiment with a couple arms but I feel like I should be able to work this out beforehand.
Will this work? Do I need some specific heavy duty arm? I've been looking at this one.
Or is there a simpler solution that accomplishes the same thing but differently? Like mounting it on a wood back that itself rises up on hinges? I'm open to suggestions!
Something like this mixer shelf that lifts up and out from under your table might work.
posted by Flannery Culp at 5:19 PM on July 14, 2017
posted by Flannery Culp at 5:19 PM on July 14, 2017
Response by poster: I actually currently use a projector, which is fun but not bright enough to use during the day — I have the "good problem" of a lot of natural light. The way my room is set up isn't ideal for a projector, though I plan to use one in other situations going forward!
That mixer lift is intriguing - it would lift it, but not sure how I could get it to rotate the TV 90 degrees though?
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 5:25 PM on July 14, 2017
That mixer lift is intriguing - it would lift it, but not sure how I could get it to rotate the TV 90 degrees though?
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 5:25 PM on July 14, 2017
Alison at Deuce Cities Henhouse did something like this.
posted by mon-ma-tron at 5:29 PM on July 14, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by mon-ma-tron at 5:29 PM on July 14, 2017 [3 favorites]
You'd need to lift the shelf into place and then manually stand up the TV. It should hold the weight, I swear my KitchenAid mixer is heavier than our TV.
on preview: that is really clever! Especially if the chest is out of the way where no one will sit on it or drop a stack of books or otherwise jar the TV loose inside.
posted by Flannery Culp at 5:33 PM on July 14, 2017
on preview: that is really clever! Especially if the chest is out of the way where no one will sit on it or drop a stack of books or otherwise jar the TV loose inside.
posted by Flannery Culp at 5:33 PM on July 14, 2017
Not your idea, but depending on the geometry of your room this might be helpful and avoids the problem of people scratching or spilling drinks onto your screen when it's in the down position and they want the coffee table to serve its function. Our TV is affixed to on a platform that sits on horizontal sliders. The whole thing tucks back behind a tall bookcase when not in use. If you're interested, let me know and I'll post a photo.
posted by carmicha at 5:47 PM on July 14, 2017
posted by carmicha at 5:47 PM on July 14, 2017
Response by poster: Sitting here thinking about it, I could also have the platform itself lift up and then the TV tilt forward. A spring or gas lift plus a regular ceiling mount might work for that.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 6:32 PM on July 14, 2017
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 6:32 PM on July 14, 2017
They make some coffee tables that hold and secret a computer set up. Like this.
posted by Oyéah at 7:44 PM on July 14, 2017
posted by Oyéah at 7:44 PM on July 14, 2017
This is a plan for building a TV cabinet. The TV descends (via a motor) into the cabinet so it is no longer visible.
posted by H21 at 8:19 PM on July 14, 2017
posted by H21 at 8:19 PM on July 14, 2017
If you could slide it behind a buffet or cabinet or bookshelf or something instead of down and flat under the coffee table, that would be one less dimension of movement you'd have to deal with.
posted by yeahlikethat at 10:37 PM on July 15, 2017
posted by yeahlikethat at 10:37 PM on July 15, 2017
H21, I think you meant to link the TV Lift Cabinet episode. That looks like a normal TV cabinet.
posted by Aleyn at 11:03 PM on July 15, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Aleyn at 11:03 PM on July 15, 2017 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by furnace.heart at 5:18 PM on July 14, 2017