putting TV onto plaster wall with metal frame

[ltodd2]

Evening all
I have a 32inch lcd that we want on the wall in the bedroom. The wall is only plaster with a metal frame. I dont think I will have any of the virtical frame behind the TV so cant use that to fix to. Any ideas of how and what is a good and safe way to do this?

Many thanks
Lee

 

[wingcoax]

" Plaster with metal frame"? Do you mean that there is metal strip on the corners? If so, you probably have solid wall behind the plaster as the metal is used to create the sharp corners on the plaster.

 

[ChrisFrost]

As wingcoax has hinted, are you sure you have a steel frame construction wall? It's certainly possible if you live in mill conversion or your house has undergone some seriously major renovation work (see steel frame here.) But it hasn't then it's more likely you have regular wooden stud partitions or dot'n'dab.

If you are sure it is steel frame then you can still fix in to the vertical studs, you just need to find the centres and drill through the metal and use some butterfly-wing fixings.

 

[ltodd2]

Both

Yes that link shows it. Its like what your office would have. Its a new ish (2003) house. I have found some small holes in the metal frame in the loft for the cables for the light switches so am going to use this to get the power are coax down. On the other side of this wall is the shower so I need to be careful . I was linking a bit of wood behind but getting it there im not sure. Any ideas?

 

[ChrisFrost]

Don't run your power and signal cables together. That's just asking for all sorts of interference problems. You'll end up ripping out the cable you've just put in, then doing the job a second time but correctly this time. Get it right first time.

If it was me, I'd run a stud finder over the wall to find the steel stud drops. Then I'd use a mains cable finder to see where the live cables are. You'll know then where not to drill. Next, using a thin pin/needle/nail I'd probe through the plasterboard to find the metal stud edges - left & right. Now you know where centre is. Next I'd do my cable runs. If the wall is hollow they'll be easy. If it has insulation then a rodding kit and a bit of brute force will sort the job. Be careful with mains cable if the wall is insulated. Drop some cunduit tubing and run the cablke inside that to avoid issues with heat. Finally, offer up the bracket, mark the hole points over the stud centres, then drill and use butterfly fixings.

IMO, getting some sort of noggin in there is going to be either and exercise in frustration trying to do it from the top, or you're going to have to break in to the wall then reboard and patch up. Even if you do this there's no guarantee you'll be able to get a solid fixing and you'll be relying on the strength of the plasterboard nailed to the steel studs rather than fixing to the battens direct. All in all it turns a relatively simple job in to something altogether more messy and time consuming. It's up to you though.

 

[ltodd2]

Attached is a pic of the wall and where the metal fram is and where the TV will go ish. (Very crude) The green shows the rough size of the TV so you can see that the bracket will be no where near the metal work to fix to.
If I cut between two holes in the loft to allow me to drop down a wood board will this affect the strenght of the wall?

Lee
View media item 37851

 

[ChrisFrost]

I'm very surprised at such a large gap between the centres. I'd expect 600mm centres. By the look of your picture the board is unsupported until it reaches the right hand door casement. Very odd.

The way these steel partitions usually work is there's a rail at ceiling level and one at floor level, then the vertical studs are dropped and fixed in to place. With the top rail in place I think you'll find it hard work to cut a slot to drop in a supporting board, but that might be your only option.

 

[Sam Gangee]

I'm not a building expert but I wonder if it would be possible to drop a couple of wires down to support the weight of the TV? The wires could have threaded eye bolts to allow for tension adjustment.

 

[sparky2488]

Snap Toggles

We use them all the time on commercial AV installs for hanging screens onto plasterboard.

do a search for Snap Toggles by Toggler

 

[imamartian]

Snap Toggles

We use them all the time on commercial AV installs for hanging screens onto plasterboard.

do a search for Snap Toggles by Toggler

sparky2488 has only made 2 posts and he's screaming angry !!!! that doesn't bode well does it?

Just get the fooking snap toggles in quick before he returns !!!!

 

[sparky2488]

Snap Toggles

We use them all the time on commercial AV installs for hanging screens onto plasterboard.

do a search for Snap Toggles by Toggler

sparky2488 has only made 2 posts and he's screaming angry !!!! that doesn't bode well does it?

Just get the fooking snap toggles in quick before he returns !!!!

Wrong Icon, sorry . . .