# TV Mount on Metal Studs - What hardware is necessary?



## concretemasonry

The mount may be rated for 175#, but the wall may not be rated for that if you intend to hang something heavy. There could also be damage on the other side of the wall or the load may deform the wall, cracking the drywall joints. The studs my just be the light gage wrinkled tin studes mean for partitioning/separating and not much more.

Check with the owner or association to try to find out if the wall can take that load. - In any case, you will definitely drill into the wrinkled tin studs.

Dick


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## AllanJ

Molly (tm) bolts or toggle bolts would be suitable. These must go into the metal studs, not just into the drywall between studs. Have two near the top of each bracket, and about two inches apart, others further down can be spaced further apart. Drill more holes in the bracket if needed for this.

The entire mount should span at least two studs. Use 1x4 or wider wood horizontal cross strips fastened to the studs and attach your TV bracket, if narrower, to that.

"Three inch lag screw wiith 1/4 inch to go" puzzles me. Metal studs, as well as wood studs, would be 3/4 inch or less inside the wall surface. You may have hit something else like a heating duct or, worse, a water pipe.

Yes, you drill the holes for the Molly bolts into the metal studs first.

I question the use of 3 inch lag screws anywhere except in concrete. Wires and cables in the wall need be just 1-1/4 inch behind the edge of a stud which means slightly less than 2 inches behind the wall surface. For wood studs, use two 2" screws instead of one 3" screw.


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## Mr Chips

AllanJ said:


> I question the use of 3 inch lag screws anywhere except in concrete. Wires and cables in the wall need be just 1-1/4 inch behind the edge of a stud which means slightly less than 2 inches behind the wall surface. Use two 2" screws instead of one 3" screw.


I'm not really following your logic on the screw length. Manufactures include 3" lags as they assume that they will be used in traditionaly famed, wood studded walls. If you are going through the mount frame, then through the drywall, and into the 2x side of a stud that's 3-1/2" wide, a 3" long lag gives you pretty much the max embedment, with no risk of coming out the other side. Depending on the diameter of the lag bolt, using two shorter lags too close together can actually cause the stud to fail and hold next to nothing


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## theproman23

AllanJ said:


> Molly (tm) bolts or toggle bolts would be suitable. These must go into the metal studs, not just into the drywall between studs. Have two near the top of each bracket, and about two inches apart, others further down can be spaced further apart. Drill more holes in the bracket if needed for this.
> 
> The entire mount should span at least two studs. Use 1x4 or wider wood horizontal cross strips fastened to the studs and attach your TV bracket, if narrower, to that.
> 
> "Three inch lag screw wiith 1/4 inch to go" puzzles me. Metal studs, as well as wood studs, would be 3/4 inch or less inside the wall surface. You may have hit something else like a heating duct or, worse, a water pipe.
> 
> Yes, you drill the holes for the Molly bolts into the metal studs first.
> 
> I question the use of 3 inch lag screws anywhere except in concrete. Wires and cables in the wall need be just 1-1/4 inch behind the edge of a stud which means slightly less than 2 inches behind the wall surface. Use two 2" screws instead of one 3" screw.


So figured out the issue. I was actually hitting something other than metal studs with my lag screw. It seems that it's some sort of ducting so I am glad I wasn't able to go any further than just running in to them with my screws which were never really able to puncture the metal. I went to home depot and purchased 1/4" - 20 Diameter togglers for hollow drywall anchoring and when I went to drill the 1/2" holes I could see the metal from the stud literally right behind the dry wall, so what you are saying makes complete sense. So, I ended up using 10 togglers to put up the mount, 4 togglers in to the metal studs and 6 directly to the drywall between the studs. The mount seems to be pretty sturdy and I am happy I was able to figure out the problem. Thank you so much for you help and guidance!


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## theproman23

Mr Chips said:


> I'm not really following your logic on the screw length. Manufactures include 3" lags as they assume that they will be used in traditionaly famed, wood studded walls. If you are going through the mount frame, then through the drywall, and into the 2x side of a stud that's 3-1/2" wide, a 3" long lag gives you pretty much the max embedment, with no risk of coming out the other side. Depending on the diameter of the lag bolt, using two shorter lags too close together can actually cause the stud to fail and hold next to nothing


yup agree with you in the case that the studs are made of wood but it seems that the studs in my condo are made of metal, I was able to use togglers and put the mount up.


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## AllanJ

Mr Chips said:


> I'm not really following your logic on the screw length. Manufactures include 3" lags ...


You might screw through an electrical wire.


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