# Help! Hanging plasma TV on lath and plaster wall



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

If it was mine I'd open up that area and add a 2 X 6 backer and at the same time run all my wires behind the wall in to a box like this.
http://www.bing.com/shopping/on-q-l...d+outlet+for+flat+screen+tv&FORM=EGCA&lppc=16


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

It may be that your studs were put in flat rather than on edge. Depending on the thickness of the plaster and lathe, you may not have drilled deep enough to hit a stud (although 2" should have gotten you there). Did debris on the tip of your drill bit show any signs of real wood?

In any event, while 50 lbs is not a lot of weight, you cannot tell that the fasteners are going to hold long term by hanging such weight and then putting extra on it. If I read your post correctly you decided to chance what you have?

You may have to use a wall anchor system if the screws seemed like they did not bite into anything and are just hanging around. And, you do not want an expensive television hanging on screwed bracket with screws in drywall or plaster alone without anchors. With anchors, your bracket should hold the television but why risk it? I have hung very expensive and heavy artwork with on plaster walls with anchored hangers but went for overkill, hangers at multiple points, and tried I to make sure I was in a stud when possible. 

Joe's idea is not a bad one. Why not open up the wall, fit a cross brace and box in your connections, then cut some drywall, or trowel on some patching plaster, and seal the wall back up and not have to worry down the road. At least cut yourself a small exploratory hole and use a lighted extension mirror to see what is actually going on in the wall and where the stud is?


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## djlandkpl (Jan 29, 2013)

If there's an electrical receptacle hidden behind the bucket in your pic, remove the cover plate and look inside. The box should be nailed to a stud. Measure 16 inches from it and you hopefully will find the next stud.


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## Maintenance 6 (Feb 26, 2008)

More likely that the receptacle box is screwed to the baseboard. You might try removing the entire receptacle box from the baseboard and looking inside the hole.


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## monkeymonkey35 (Jun 26, 2013)

Hi All,

Thank you for all of your thoughtful posts. MUCH appreciated!

I am inclined to hire a handyman to add the backer for support, and possibly a new box for wires (because, why not if you're going that far?)

Here are 3 more images that might give you a better idea of what I'm working with:

http://postimg.org/image/xxrda8rwx/

http://postimg.org/image/6ppxp5snl/ - Is this a stud? This is an exposed piece of wood from the basement side. I drilled those two holes and the wood was pretty soft. I did a test drill on a wood deck that was exposed to water for around 12 hours, and the deck was harder to drill through

http://postimg.org/image/6ofzvqqtt/

EDIT: Would anyone recommend toggle bolts?


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