Hey, I've just moved into a new apartment and I've begun the somewhat laborious task of setting up my home theater system (LCD + 5.1). Being in an apartment puts some limits on how much I can tear up the walls, but a bunch of small holes for a TV and speakers can easily be patched before I move out.

I have my LCD panel mounted at the center of one stud, and my front left and right speakers (10lb satellites) are mounted with drywall anchors. I ran into a problem trying to mount the center speaker above the TV, though, and I need some help.

The center speaker attaches to the wall by hanging off the heads of 3 screws in an isosceles triangle pattern. Unfortunately, the width of the stud is about the same as the distance between the 2 bottom screws in the triangle pattern, so with the speaker centered, I wasn't sure whether to use wood screws that might not bite fully into the stud, or drywall anchors that might not be able to expand properly for the bottom 2 screws.

Anyway, I tried putting in a drywall anchor, and as it turns out, there is some cabling (romex?) running up the side of the stud. I don't think I punctured the outer sheath of the cable, though I may have nicked it slightly.

Now I'm not sure how to mount the speaker. I don't think I can reroute the cable, maybe I could move the speaker over 1/2", put 2 screws in the stud and a drywall anchor on the other side of the stud, assuming there is no romex there too. I don't know too much about construction and wiring. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas? Also, assuming I nicked but didn't pierce the outer sheath of the romex, do I need to make any repairs to it?

Sorry that was a bit long.

Thanks.

 

The romex is probablly going to an outlet or switch which would only be on one side of the stud. I doubt that there is romex on both sides. I would move the speaker to the other side of the stud & either use anchors or toggle bolts if you can't catch the stud at all.

You probably don't have to do any repairs to the romex.

 

I think you're right and moving it probably would be the best. I can get a little compulsive about symmetry sometimes, hehe. I hadn't thought of this when I posted before but I think the apartment circuit breaker is right around the same place on the other side of the wall

I will try and move the speaker sometime tomorrow.

Thanks