All You Need To Know About Hanging Your Projection Screen

So you finally got that projection screen for your home theater room. Now you’re faced with the task of hanging that screen. Before you start thinking you should have dished out the cash for a contractor to hang this thing up, take a few minutes to find out what your options are. If you’re the do-it-yourself type, you may find that getting that projection screen on the wall isn’t as daunting a task as you might think.

There are basically three general ways that you can install a projection screen. Here’s the general information on each type:

1. Wall mounting. This is exactly what it sounds like. You are hanging a screen up on the wall. The biggest benefit to this type of hanging is that you get to decide at which height you’re going to hang it. Controlling the height of the screen gives you the ability to determine whether to start the projected image at a lower or higher position. This comes in especially handy if the screen you purchased has a small or a non-adjustable black border at the top.

When you wall mount your projection screen, the case in which the screen rolls up will remain clearly in sight. This can be a problem if you’re wanting a more “invisible” installation outcome.

2. Mounting on the ceiling. If you want your screen to be virtually invisible, you want it as close to the ceiling as possible. If you have the screen placed up that high, it is not as easily noticeable. You will lose, however, the option to influence where the projected image will first be viewable. This style of installation usually works best when the screen you are installing has a large black border at the top, and it can be adjusted.

3. Suspension installation.This type of installation may be the best choice if you have a sloped ceiling or you’re thinking of creating a floating screen effect. In this installation method, you use wires to suspend the projection screen from the ceiling. The floating effect gives a distinctive look to your theater room.

There are some issues with the suspension installation, however. The hanging screen does give up some stability. This will be most noticeable when you operate the screen, especially if you have a manual draw down and roll up system. If there’s a draft in the room from heating or cooling systems, you may notice the screen wavering. If this is going to present a problem for you, you may need to reconsider using a suspension installation.

Getting the screen properly leveled and balanced for a suspension installation can be exacting work that can take a great deal of time. This needs to be considered when calculating installation time.

Conclusion

The bottom line looks like this:

• Wall mount your screen if you don’t have a flexible border or a large black strip at the top.
• Use a fixed ceiling mount if you want the protective screen to be less visible when you aren’t using it.
• For a sloped ceiling, or if you want to have a floating effect, then a suspension installation of your projection screen may be what you want.

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This is a guest post contributed to us by Ron Burg from ProjectorScreen.com, who sell projector screens in all types and formats, from pull-up screens to tripod screens providing you a one-stop shop for all the fixin’s you need to make a great home theater, classroom, or presentation space.

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