Mounting question. (1 Viewer)

I saw some similar posts but I couldn't find anything that really answered my question. I have a 50" led TV that I am trying to mount. I bought the mount and was going to install the bracket to the WL when I found that my studs are too far apart for the bracket. The specs for the TV says that it only weighs 32 lbs, so I was thinking I could center the TV and a stud, then mount the corners into the dry wall. Do you think this will give enough support for the TV?

How thick is the drywall?

If this is a wall next to a garage, probably 5/8". Rest of the house is 1/2". Those are "normal code" sizes...assuming we aren't working with a "DIY nightmare".

If standard 1/2", probably not a good idea.
If 3/4", maybe.

Your best option is to tear out the wall behind where you want to mount the TV and put in a cross-brace stud*. Then your mount will screw into that.

*Every local hard-ware store will have guides to do this. Doing this CORRECTLY will add maybe 2 hours and $50.

I've coordinated mounting projects at my work - marquees (essentially large TV monitors that can be connected to a network to "scroll" information, such as a list of classes in various rooms inside a building). The contractor I've hired uses an approach very similar to the approach Sam described. In my situations, the contactor has cut a backboard (thicker than plywood), then mounted the backboard inside the wall, and then mounted the bracket onto the backboard. I hope your bracket is a swinging/articulating arm! In another, more unique case, the same contractor mounted a pipe into concrete above the ceiling tile - the length of the pipe was designed to extend through/below the ceiling tile (through a neatly-cut hole), and then the bracket was mounted to the pipe. We've survived at least two eathquakes above 4.0!

I would have suggested a backboard, but...

No idea the spacing of studs(OP didn't say) and the TV is only 37 pounds.

Now if you are mounting this on an arm, where it will extend more than 2 feet off the wall...do a backboard(which itself will screw into the studs).

You won't need a very large piece of drywall no matter what you do. Most hardware stores will sell a broken piece(if they have one good enough where the good part is big enough to use) if not just give it away(again, depending the size you need).

Thanks for all of the replies so far. Just to give a bit more info... from what a can tell the studs on this wall are 3' feet apart the house was built by the owner from whom I'm renting. So I would rather not open the walk up, although I can if absolutely necessary. Also, it is a fixed mount. It extends just a couple of inches from the wall.

Up to you...

Mount it and hope the mount doesn't fall out of the wall...

Or go in and put 3 feet of cross stud in. Your landlord(if he gave the go-ahead on mounting in the first place) might go in half on beefing up the wall structure for future renters.

Besides. Then he can choose the mount that actually goes on the wall...then when you move...mount stays behind for the next renter...unless you want to fix the wall, again, after taking the mount down.

Do it once(with the cross stud) and you have minor holes to fill.
Or do it twice, as "your way", you can't really fix holes in drywall with open air behind them(or at least, if I was the landlord, I'd make you put in a fresh piece of drywall...not "just use putty").

I'm sure that I will hear the snorts of derision but the size of the TV will hide anything that you do. Either attach a sheet of 3/4" plywood or even 2/4s to the studs on the surface of the wall and then attach your mount to that.

Yes, the TV will hang a little further out from the wall. If you choose plywood, you might want to countersink the holes for the mount on the back side. (and use carraige bolts) You can paint it to match the wall also.

Steve Berger said:

I'm sure that I will hear the snorts of derision but the size of the TV will hide anything that you do. Either attach a sheet of 3/4" plywood or even 2/4s to the studs on the surface of the wall and then attach your mount to that.

Yes, the TV will hang a little further out from the wall. If you choose plywood, you might want to countersink the holes for the mount on the back side. (and use carraige bolts) You can paint it to match the wall also.

Click to expand...

That would be great if the landlord goes for that. But...when he moves the landlord would probably make him take it out...

Which would be more work than doing the 3' cross stud to begin with.

But yes, short term...

1. Easy
2. TV covers it.

What we say probably doesn't matter anyway. It's up to the landlord.

schan1269 said:

That would be great if the landlord goes for that. But...when he moves the landlord would probably make him take it out...

Which would be more work than doing the 3' cross stud to begin with.

But yes, short term...

1. Easy
2. TV covers it.

Click to expand...

When you take it out, you only have a few drywall holes to fill and some touch up paint. (similar to cleaning up after mounting picture frames) You could even sandwich a sheet or some other fabric behind the wood to minimize scuffing the paint.