[Jon Weaver]

My house has internal stud walls, where the vertical studs are metal, rather than timber.

I recently knocked 2 rooms into one, and this is the stud work which is in use around the house:

When I installed my 32" LCD (approx 15-20kgs) in the bedroom I deliberately screwed into the studs using standard self tapping screws and was surprised how strong it felt.

And its been fine for years with no sign of anything moving..... But now I have a spare 50" Plasma and would like to install that.. Unfortunately its a lot heavier (40kgs) and I wonder if the wall can take it..

I would obviously mount the back plate onto the studs again, but this time I would used some different fixings. My plan is to secure the plate to the plasterboard using some standard plasterboard fixings.. I would also fix it to the studs using the same methods as I have now (pilot hold and self tappers).. This would stop the plate from sliding down.. But to hold it in place and give it strength, I would use these:

I have no doubt that using this method the screen will not fall off the wall.. BUT.. Can the wall take a 40kg load?

Jon

[SlinkDaddy]

In a word yes.

A lot is said about how you shouldn't mount plasmas etc on stud walls but a lot of it is scare mongering from people that have never hung a picture never mind a TV.

I've got a new build house and there is no way they will have attached all my kitchens cupboards to anything other than at best the stud work and i've got loads of crockery in them where the cupboards stick out and the load is pulling them slightly away from the wall. A TV hung flat to the wall will be safe how you want to do it. To be honest unless your plaster board is rubbish i'd better money on it holding just in that with the right fixings (though i'd still go into the batons to be safe).

[larkone]

I would only use the plasterboard screws in your pic to hold the back plate whilst you put decent size self tappers into the metal studs. The metal work has the strength, not the plasterboard.

Rather than using S/T screws you could go up a bit and use S/T bolts - google for these. Just make sure that you hit the centre of the studs. If you are still worried the other way would be to cut a hole in the plasterboard so that you can use proper bolts/nuts and penny washers on the metal studs then it will never come down.

[Jon Weaver]

Originally Posted by larkone

I would only use the plasterboard screws in your pic to hold the back plate whilst you put decent size self tappers into the metal studs. The metal work has the strength, not the plasterboard.

Rather than using S/T screws you could go up a bit and use S/T bolts - google for these. Just make sure that you hit the centre of the studs. If you are still worried the other way would be to cut a hole in the plasterboard so that you can use proper bolts/nuts and penny washers on the metal studs then it will never come down.

I was actually going to use the 'spring fittings' through the metal studs.. The arn't elegant by any means, but it would give me the reassurance that if the screws failed, there is NOTHING which could pull these out of the holes..

I will look at Self Tapping bolts... That sounds like a good idea.

Jon