One for the floating/false wall experts

[Pete1980]

Hi all. To cut a long story short I picked up the keys to my new flat today, and with a floating wall design in my head, I went straight round and began tapping the walls - as you do.

The majority of the wall sounded pretty hollow, with the odd solid sound spaced here and there. I'm pretty sure its a stud wall but not 100%.

Is a floating wall possible on this kind of wall? Whats the best way to go about it? I've already bought the 42" plasma, planned to buy units this weekend and hopefully get cracking, but now I'm not too sure

Any help or advice would be much appreciated

 

[Pete1980]

Seems I may have posted in a blind panic
I am currently reading through the various threads on stud wall mounting....

 

[Pete1980]

OK guys, I'm back and a bit more clued up.

It looks like the process is something along the lines of...

1) Find studs with a joist finder
2) Cut back plasterboard to expose joints
3) Fix some horizontal baton between the studs, making a sturdy frame to mount the bracket onto
4) Re-fit plasterboard, skim and paint.

I know I have simplified it alot, but is that basically the right process?

 

[trophy160]

Hi,

The other alternative depending upon the size & type of the studs is to buy a bracket will a large 'span' and fasten the bracket through the plasterboard into the studs.

This is the method that I've used to attach my TV to the wall of a timber framed house.

Regards

Paul;

 

[Pete1980]

Cheers Paul

How relaible are these 'joist finders'? I don't reall want to pull the plasterboard down unless its pretty much spot on.

 

[trophy160]

Hi,

Joist finders are a bit hit and miss, I got an idea where the studs were by looking for the screws in the plasterboard, checking with the stud finder and then drilling a few small holes to find the extent of the stud.

Regards

Paul;

 

[andicapped]

the joists will be roughly 400mm aprt if i'm correct and as you will probably be putting in further batons to make a strdy frame work for a bracket just find roughly where you want to mount the and cut the plasterboard out, go left to right till you hit a joist either side then you can go up as far as you want (you may hit a baton) and then down eventually you'll cut out a square of plasterboard. then you have a hole to put more studwork into.

fix in more batons and then put the square of platerboard back up skim it over dowsn't need to be the best job for now as your TV will be over it.

job done, simple

 

[Pete1980]

Thanks for all the input people, I am now in two minds and would like a bit of advice/recommendations.

The way I see it, I have two options. Either mount the plasma and speakers onto the plasterboard (obviously after reinforcing) and send the cables down behind the plasterboard. Or I could go ahead with the floating wall idea and build the framework up off the studs.

Hmm..

 

[Franco50]

For a long time I was in two minds much like yourself - floating wall or wall mount! After literally months of juggling one thought against the other I evetually went with a straight wall mount project, partly because the wall in question is just an internal stud wall with no insulation to get in the way and another reason is that the door from my lounge to the hall is just to the right of the TV location and my eye (if nobody else's) would always be drawn to the back of a floating wall. Ideally a floating wall would always be on a wall that has no doors in it. That's my opinion anyway.

My end result can be viewed in this thread
http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=831751

It was by no means a major DIY project like some of the top notch installs on this forum but I'm happy enough with it.

I tried using a stud finder but as someone has already said the results are iffy to say the least, or maybe it was because I just bought a cheap crappy model off EBay . I ended up looking for the plasterboard nail heads and used a spirit level to draw a pencil line so I knew where the studs were. Because of the spacing of the studs relative to where I wanted the TV positioned, I was only able to to get a fixing for two holes in the bracket. For these I used a couple of sturdy coach screws with another six screws directly into the plasterboard using those nylon toggle fixings - the kind which spread out behind the plasterboard when screwed up tight. I know there will probably be a sharp intake of breath from some people at that thought but the bracket is solid - honest!

I was able to pull all the cables from behind the bracket using a bit of fencing wire, courtesy of my neighbour who had some in his shed! Because there was a stud in the way between the TV location and where I wanted the cabling to exit I did have to cut out a small bit of plasterboard and notch out part of the stud with a chisel to allow the cables past it. The resulting hole in the wall was patched using the bit I'd cut out and some filler.

Cabling exits the wall in the corner behind the AV stand via a brush faceplate. The cable to the subwoofer is in some trunking to the rear of the room and speaker cables for the rears were laid underneath the new laminate floor.

Good luck with your install - whichever method you decide upon.

 

[Pete1980]

Thanks Franco, good points there

Popped round again last night to try and see the edges of the boards or even some screwheads, but nothing I think the only way foward for me is action!

I'm buying some units from Ikea on Saturday, the centre line for the plasma will be based on them, then I think I'm going for the wall mount option. I just need to pluck up the courage to cut holes in my new walls

My only real fear is getting the finish back to how it is now. The flat has recently been redecorated to quite a high standard throughout.

 

[Pete1980]

OK, work starts this weekend.

find roughly where you want to mount the and cut the plasterboard out

Without trying to sound daft, whats the best tool to cut plasterboard out with??

 

[Sonic67]

Stanley knife and Padsaws.

Something like this:

Blue Spot Drywall Saw only £1.99 - Buy Online or Call 0800 310 2852

 

[bardel]

Are you positive you have a stud wall and not dot and dab plasterboard?

From your initial post where there were random points that didn't sound hollow rather than vertical / horizontal lines that would sound more like dot and dab to me?

Dot and dab is where the plasterboard is fixed directly to a wall (usually breeze block) using a fixing compound which hardens.

If it is dot/dab, you can fix directly to it, the plasterboard will be mounted no more than 1cm from the breeze block wall and you can drill your fixings directly into the breeze block.

I guess the easiest way to tell is to make a hole where it sounds hollow, stick something in and see if there's a big void (stud work frame) or a shallow void with brick behind (dot/dab).

Barry

 

[bardel]

Actually, I think this thread will help you...

http://www.avforums.com/forums/home-cinema-diy/840679-stud-finding-mystery.html

All the best

Barry

 

[Pete1980]

Cheers Barry, that was a good read

I pretty sure its a stud wall, but not 100%. The stud locator picked out a pattern that suggests a stud wall - 5 solid signals all 40-42cm apart.

I'll know more at the weekend when I get up there and start work. I'll drill a small hole through first and see if theres any sign of breezeblocks behind the boards. How big would any gap be between blocks and boards? I've put some shelves up in the kitchen, drilling through the board and hitting some kind of void but I didnt dare/need to go any furthur.

 

[Pete1980]

OK, work has begun sort of...

I've just quickly hole-sawn either side of what I believed to be a stud which will be behind the tv. It's definately a stud wall, with two layers of 12.5mm plasterboard.

Part of me thinks that with a dozen fixings this will be plenty but I'm not willing to take the risk.

I've made a cardboard template of the tv and have taped it to the wall giving me an idea of height etc. But as my sofa is not yet here I'm not sure on the ideal height for eye level, anyone know of a general measurement?

Then I need to see how the bracket sits on the back of the screen and transfer the measurements to the wall.

Thats how it goes in my head anyway, if I'm doing something wrong please let me know