Wall Mount LCD - install help

Greetings,

I'm a novice techno junkie with a 37" (68lbs) LCD tv that I am interested in wall mounting. I have a non-articulated brand name mount. The chosen wall is made of 5/8" drywall, shared with my neighbor and has incoming power and coaxial cable already. My goal is to put the components in the kitchen cabinets (3 1/2 feet down the wall, six feet over, under 3ft carpeting). I have 2 questions.

1) How do I mount the TV securely on drywall? Can I use toggles or screw-in anchors (up to 100lbs?) or do I have to use studs? Now, I've never dealt with metal studs before - do they require toggles?

One suggestion I've gotten is to remove the drywall behind the tv and mount a 3/8" piece of plywood between the nearest studs and then mount to the plywood. That sounds like a lot of home destruction and work.

2) To run the cables will I need to run conduit? Do I make several holes to pass it along?

I must be missing something. Flat panel TVs in new construction condos are probably very common. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

If this wall is between two condos it is a fire wall. Any penetrations to this wall must be sealed again with fire rated foam.

Yes you should use the studs to hang the LCD. Sheetrock is just not strong enough to handle the weight. You should be able to just drill your holes and use lag bolts but don't over size your holes. You could also use toggles, the butterfly type, but you would have to drill large enough holes to do so.

The best way to run the cables would be to run them in the wall with conduit, I believe this is code in firewalls anyway.
You should be able to cut a hole in the sheetrock and run the conduit sideways in the wall as steel studs usually have holes in them that sometimes line up.
You may have to cut a couple of extra holes but it would be alot better than running wire under the carpet.

 

Also,
If you plan on running power through metal studs, remember that the new hole needs to have either plastic or rubber grommet to protect the cables.

 

Are you going to also add component w/audio or an HDMI cable?
You'll need these for HD.


fred

 

i agree that you should mount to your studs. Be sure to locate the CENTER of each stud, pre-drill a hole, and use the lag bolt (usually comes with most universal VESA mounting kit). You don't want to install the lag bolt to close to the edge of the stud. Find the center of the stud by scanning a stud finder from the left of the stud then from the right. Mark and split the distance.

 

Suggest you look for another wall. If this wall is between you and another unit, have you thought of the extra noise that a TV mounted on the wall will create ? You don't want your neighbour complainng about noise and forcing you to relocate.