Transporting a Flat Screen TV (Everything You Need To Know)

Moving comes along with lots of responsibilities, and protecting your prized possessions is the biggest one. It may be easy to pack up tables, chairs, and your wardrobe, but moving a flat-screen TV comes with more uncertainty. Luckily, there are several simple tips to transport a flat-screen TV that make it easy.

First, you must remove the screws and cords from your TV and put them in a safe place, so you don’t lose them. Next, you must pad a box with foam and double-wrap your flat-screen TV with bubble wrap to protect the screen. Don’t lay your flat-screen TV down as it can damage the screen. Simply keep it upright and tape the box shut.

You can lay a flat-screen TV down, but the pressure will shift to the center, and that’s risky. Follow along as we highlight the best tips to transport a flat-screen TV to avoid damage.

How to Pack a Flat-Screen TV

It’s not as hard as it seems to transport a flat-screen TV if you follow a few simple tips. Your biggest priority should be to protect the screen and make sure the TV doesn’t move around. Let’s look at what you can do to protect your flat-screen TV when you transport it.

Keep the Cords in One Place

Before you do anything else, it’s a great idea to organize your TV’s cords. It’s all too easy to lose or damage cords when you transport a flat-screen TV, and they can be expensive to replace. Remove and wrap each cord one at a time.

Don’t put the cords in a pile near each other as they will most likely become tangled. If you’re worried about knots, simply zip-tie each cord separately. You can even secure the cords with yarn or twine if you don’t want to put too much pressure on them.

Take pictures of the cords when they’re plugged in if you’re worried you’ll forget where they belong. Otherwise, you can label each cord with a sticky note or piece of tape, so you don’t have to troubleshoot later.

Remove the Hardware

Next, it’s time to remove the hardware that came with your TV. Most flat-screen TVs come with mounting hardware that consists of small screws that are easy to lose. Because of that, it’s a great idea to keep a plastic bag handy.

Place each screw in the bag as you remove them, so you don’t lose them. When you’re done, seal the bag and even label it if you want to be extra cautious. You’ll need the screws later when it’s time to set your TV back up.

Protect the Screen

The biggest concern for many people is that they’ll damage the screen when they transport their flat-screen TV. That’s an understandable concern as screens are more susceptible to scratches and cracks than you may know. Luckily, it’s easy to protect the screen from scratches and cracks with something as simple as bubble wrap.

Simply wrap the TV with bubble wrap and pull it tight. Add a second layer of bubble wrap at least over the side with the screen. Secure the bubble wrap in place with packing tape so no parts of the screen are exposed.

It helps if you keep the dust cover your flat-screen TV came with. In that case, you can put the dust cover on the screen first and then use bubble wrap to fortify it.

Prepare the Box

Did you keep the box your flat-screen TV came with? Keeping the box makes it much easier to transport a flat-screen TV. The boxes that come with flat-screen TVs typically include foam and padding for protection.

Luckily, it’s easy to find boxes for flat-screen TVs online that should fit your model if you don’t keep the box. That said, you may have to buy foam, bubble wrap, and padding separately to protect the TV. Line the bottom and top of the box with foam and or bubble wrap.

This will ensure that the TV doesn’t slide around in the box, and that’s the biggest concern when transporting flat-screen TVs. If you don’t have foam and bubble wrap, you can use towels, blankets, and pillows to protect the TV. Simply pack the towels, blankets, or pillows along either side of the TV.

Slide the TV in Place

Once you’ve padded the box well enough, it’s time to slide the TV into it. It helps to have someone help you with this step. That way, you can keep the box and padding intact, so your flat-screen TV is well-protected. Make sure to seal the box with packing tape so the TV doesn’t slide out as you move it.

Can You Lay a Flat Screen TV Down?

While you can lay a flat-screen TV down, it’s not a great idea. It’s particularly harmful to lay a flat-screen TV face down as the screen is susceptible to damage. If you must lay your flat-screen TV down, make sure to put it face up so there isn’t too much pressure on the screen.

The glass plates and LCD crystals within flat-screen TVs are somewhat delicate. When a flat-screen TV is laid face down, weight will shift from the perimeter to the center of the screen. This can cause excessive pressure, and the screen is more likely to crack.

Ideally, the best way to transport a flat-screen TV is to pack it upright like how you would typically mount it. Depending on your transportation method, this may not be possible, so you must lay it on its back. If so, avoid putting anything on the box or around it that could fall and damage the screen.

So, What’s the Best Way to Transport a Flat Screen TV?

The best way to transport a flat-screen TV is to put it in a box with bubble wrap and foam padding. Pack the box tightly on either side so the TV won’t slide. Secure the box with packing tape and transport the TV in the upright position. Laying a flat-screen TV down can cause cracks and damage the screen.