Hang a VESA Monitor on the Wall Just Like a Picture

VESA wall-mount brackets are expensive. While this project doesn't allow for the range of motion that a commercial bracket offers, it is extremely cheap, highly effective and just as easily undone again.

What You'll Need:

Some sturdy key rings and a length of mirror-chain.

The total cost was around $5.00.

The only tools required were the cutters at the hardware store and a Philips' head screw driver which will be used in Step 7.

Removing Individual Links From the Chain:

Obviously at the hardware store a link had to be cut so that I could take my purchase away, but there's no point in wasting links when you can quickly slip them apart one by one. This may appear time consuming but, in reality, it's very quickly done.

Start Linking to the Key Ring:

I was using an HP 2035 monitor which has a VESA mount of 100mm, and eight links in total makes for a fairly comfortable fit.

Reconnecting the Links:

Here you can see the four links on one side of the key ring.

Add the Second Strand:

This is the completed "device"..

Portrait or Landscape?

Make a second "device" so that you can hang your monitor in either Portrait or Landscape orientation. As the HP 2035 is normally on a Pivot stand, it is very well balanced for either orientation.

Attach to the Monitor:

As can be seen in the photo simply use the VESA mount screws to secure the open loops of the mirror chain. The monitor is in Landscape for this photo. The chain on the side allows for Portrait hanging which places the controls on the right hand side. If you're a lefty, simply attach on the other side.

Now Hang It on the Wall:

The 2035 is a fairly heavy monitor compared to much newer models, so it definitely has a down-and-forward tilt when hung. This is quite OK for my application as the monitor is above the workstation and its angle is ideal for glancing upward. If you want it more upright, you can either place over-sized rubber feet or similar to push the lower part of the monitor forward, or you can reduce the number of chain links from 2 * 4 to 2 * 3 however this may prove a little tight when trying to hang it.

For those who think I hacked into the wall to hide the cabling, I didn't. It hasn't been connected. Those odd little blobs of sticky tape serve no purpose; they were left by a former tenant.

If you are using a monitor as heavy as the HP 2035, make sure that your hook is very soundly secured to the wall!

I've been using another 2035 hanging in Portrait for over eighteen months.

(Hint: The little sticker in the lower right hand corner suggests you use a program called Pivot to manage rotation of the monitor. I found a freebee called iRotate that works just as well.)

SERIOUS SAFETY NOTE: The rings that I used for the 2035 handled the weight without problem, but when I tried a larger heavier monitor the rings started to deform and give way in under ten minutes. So they have been replaced with solid welded rings.

Mic