50" Wall mount to Plasterboard & Metal Studs

nanoblade · 14-10-2009, 10:33 AM

I am aware that this question has been asked before, but am yet to find a satisfactory consensus answer.

I plan to mount a 50” plasma (32kg) onto a plasterboard wall with metal studs (600mm centres). Including the mount the total weight of this will be ~35kg, if I centre the mount between two studs then the load will be spread evenly with 17.5kg on each stud.

I intend to use two toggle bolts on each stud, so that’s 4, plus another 6 into the plasterboard between the studs. The toggles in the plasterboard will be in two rows of three, staggered so that they don’t sit on the same vertical line which would weaken the system. The mount will be an ultra thin flat type (3-4cm) so as to make sure most of the force is directly downwards.

The wall is classed as an external wall, in that it separates me from the neighbour as opposed to a simple internal plasterboard cavity. The wall is plasterboard-metal studs-plasterboard sandwich, then insulation, then another plasterboard sandwich on the neighbours side. It feels a lot more solid than the internal walls do, so I’m not too worried about it being pulled down.

I have spoken to professional installation companies who have all said that the plasma can be easily mounted without special modification, e.g. adding timber braces behind the wall etc. I have spoken to friends who think I'm mental and will wake up to find my new TV in a million pieces on the floor, people on the internet also tend to agree.

The question is, will the plasma pull the wall off, fall onto the very hard floor, or stay there happily for the rest of eternity. Also, how can I improve my mount without having to replaster the walls.

If I end up going through with the wall mount, I'll document the process with photos etc. to help people with these worries in the future.

CrossyX · 14-10-2009, 2:09 PM

I am in the same boat mate, i am starting my construction on Sunday. I am wall mounting a 50" panasonic, i just received the bracket which ways a ton itself lol. Im am having my tv and speakers set back in to a stud wall although the bracket will be attached to a existing original bricked fire place. I am unsure as yet wether to add other measure like timber struts to add more support, ile decide when i get started.

My decision was based upon if they make a wall bracket big enough for these sets then they surely going to stay up... Well i hope so

When are you thinking of starting yours?

nanoblade · 14-10-2009, 6:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrossyX

I am in the same boat mate, i am starting my construction on Sunday. I am wall mounting a 50" panasonic, i just received the bracket which ways a ton itself lol. Im am having my tv and speakers set back in to a stud wall although the bracket will be attached to a existing original bricked fire place. I am unsure as yet wether to add other measure like timber struts to add more support, ile decide when i get started.

My decision was based upon if they make a wall bracket big enough for these sets then they surely going to stay up... Well i hope so

When are you thinking of starting yours?

Will be starting either this weekend or the next, need to order the mount first:

RS100 - TV, LCD, FLAT SCREEN, TFT, PLASMA WALL BRACKETS and MOUNTS

The metal studs and plasterboard are my only worry really, was hoping for some advice/comfort from someone who's done it before.

Indecisive · 15-10-2009, 1:55 PM

I had an old 50" Pioneer 503HDE from new (this was a very heavy beast) and I had it mounted to a Plasterboard & Metal Stud wall for 5 years without problem. Even when it came to taking it down, the bracket was still tight to the wall.

The thing is the load is pulling down on the wall, not away from it. As long as you find the metal studs, you should be ok.

Good luck

kingofjanner · 15-10-2009, 2:10 PM

From the description you have given, I reckon you will be fine. Toggle bolts are a great way to fix tv's to metal studs, they spread the pressure well across their span. Just the toggle bolts on their own would be fine, but you are wise to go for the other plaster fixings. As the other reply's say just be confident you hit the studs.
Just to make you more confident, I fit TV's to boats on metal frames with just the 4 bolts and they bang around at 40 - 50 mph!!!
good luck

nanoblade · 15-10-2009, 6:20 PM

Thanks for the responses guys, that really puts my mind at rest. I'll go ahead and order the bracket tonight.

As you said @Indecisive, the weight is downwards as opposed to outwards, flat up against the wall on a fixed mount should be fine.

SparksCW · 15-10-2009, 6:32 PM

If you use decent sized "toggle" bolts and fit them correctly then you can hang that plasma straight off the plasterboard if required... I've fitted a large old plasma which is damn heavy to an internal plasterboard wall using 6 large toggle fittings. The TV is still up over a year on and that wall gets knocked a lot and TV is still up.

Spreading across 2 metals will make it even better.

People always get scared when mounting to plasterboard walls, you just got to use the right fixings and fit them correctly and you'll be fine! And as indecisive says, the weight is all going down, not out from the wall... toggle fixings do have quite a high pull out strength when fitted correctly, and with all the weight pulling down rather than out they are even less likely to fall off.

Just make sure you use a decent setting tool for best results!

balez · 15-10-2009, 9:08 PM

use these.

Toggler<sup>®</sup> Bolt - Hilti USA

so much easier.

supermonkey · 16-10-2009, 3:33 PM

are you 100% sure of the wall construction? definately a metal frame building and not just metal frame on block?

nanoblade · 16-10-2009, 3:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by supermonkey

are you 100% sure of the wall construction? definately a metal frame building and not just metal frame on block?

According to the site manager of builders who built the development, yes, there is no blockwork in there. But I guess I can only be 100% sure by cutting a hole in the wall and having a look, which I'll do behind where the cabinet will go first.

If there is blockwork, then great news, I can throw up some floating shelves too. If not, I'm confident enough that metal studs and plasterboard can hold it.

Everything ordered this morning, so should be able to start next week.

nanoblade · 16-10-2009, 3:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by balez

use these.

Toggler<sup>®</sup> Bolt - Hilti USA

so much easier.

Thanks, got a pack of 6 of those with the bracket I ordered from RS100.

nanoblade · 27-10-2009, 10:39 AM

So the mount is on, slight change of plan since the perfect horizontal location for the room meant centring over one stud only instead of between the two. However, the wall is double 15mm plasterboard so is plenty strong enough. Hung the TV last night and it felt solid as a rock.

All was going well and then I discovered that the cavity is stuffed with insulation! Spent around 3 hours attempting to thread the cables down there via various methods but failed every time. This morning before work I took out the dry lining electrical box and will try to thread the cables to that first, and then down to the bottom hole. I have a rod which is just about long enough to reach to the top and bottom hole from the socket, so hopefully everything should work out.

Few questions though… In the picture through the plug socket hole, does anyone know what is the metal thing is, it seems to run horizontally and I think that is stopping the cables dropping down? I was going to drop the power cable with the AV cables (all digital), the drop is around 90cm, is this safe and will there be interference issues over a distance this short?

Thanks

Da_Rude_Baboon · 27-10-2009, 1:11 PM

It looks like a piece of metal stud work with a metal back box attached to it.

nanoblade · 27-10-2009, 2:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Da_Rude_Baboon

It looks like a piece of metal stud work with a metal back box attached to it.

There is a metal stud just to the right of the socket, any ideas what the back box is for though? Is it for strength, or is it a casing for something pipes/cables?

Da_Rude_Baboon · 28-10-2009, 1:15 PM

Its a back box for wall sockets, no idea why it would be there. You should be able to knock out the circular part and have a better look inside. It could be there by accident.

nanoblade · 27-11-2009, 2:50 PM

After a bit of fighting a few weeks ago, I ran the cables in the wall which was stuffed with insulation. I also finally got round to going to Ikea to pick up the cabinet I wanted, ended up going for Black instead of White as I was a little more confident it would look good. Attached are some photos (apologies for poor quality, phone camera).

I have everything hidden away: Denon-AV3801 Reciever, a Mac-Mini running Plex and an Airport Express for music. Using a Harmony One to control things, and will be buying an IR extender so I don't have to open the doors. The two outside doors on the cabinet are actually drawers, but I plan to convert one of them into a cupboard door with a shelf so I can stuff some more components in there.