🏡 Better Homes TV Mounting Question

[blakbearddelite]

Unfortunately, this house's exterior walls are cinder block filled with cement. There aren't any studs, just drywall and then the concrete/cinder block. I bought a TV mounting kit that was for either stud or cement.

My hesitation is that the lag bolts that came with the kit might be short by the thickness of the drywall. I would imagine I should have the same amount of bolt into the wall as if there was no drywall in front of it. Should I buy lag bolts that are another .5" longer? Also, do I need anchors in the cement for the bolts or do I just screw the lag bolts directly into the cement?

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[Blownbyyou]

Get concrete screws with some larger washers…

I use tapcon but any name brand will be fine

 

[blakbearddelite]

Longer screws? The ones that came with it are a hair over 2".

 

[Mr Baytchos]

Lag shield anchors.

 

[frank]

Unfortunately, this house's exterior walls are cinder block filled with cement. There aren't any studs, just drywall and then the concrete/cinder block. I bought a TV mounting kit that was for either stud or cement.

My hesitation is that the lag bolts that came with the kit might be short by the thickness of the drywall. I would imagine I should have the same amount of bolt into the wall as if there was no drywall in front of it. Should I buy lag bolts that are another .5" longer? Also, do I need anchors in the cement for the bolts or do I just screw the lag bolts directly into the cement?

I think the walls are only partially filled with concrete and not all the way up, I could be wrong on that. Any new builds in the area you could reference?

 

[Pewter-Camaro]

Are you sure there are no studs? Generally they will always frame it with at least 2x2 then hang the drywall to the studs also it provides space to run electrical. It would be crazy to mount drywall to cinder. Take forever to drill and screw all that.

I’d just use time tapcons, drill, and screw those in. They will work in cinder even if it’s filed with concrete.

 

[Shawn1112]

Are you sure there are no studs? Generally they will always frame it with at least 2x2 then hang the drywall to the studs also it provides space to run electrical. It would be crazy to mount drywall to cinder. Take forever to drill and screw all that.

I’d just use time tapcons, drill, and screw those in. They will work in cinder even if it’s filed with concrete.

Thats how my basement is framed on the outer walls

 

[Blownbyyou]

Yeah there has to be some sort of wood /metal studs back there...

 

[Lord Tin Foilhat]

Hang it from the ceiling

 

[cap42]

Most basements in the midwest would have studs if done properly. There's no way drywall hardware would attach to cinder and tapcon screws aren't going to hold drywall right. Frank is right you need to run electrical and plubming and don't forget vapor barrier or insulation... it has to be framed.

 

[Shawn1112]

Most basements in the midwest would have studs if done properly. There's no way drywall hardware would attach to cinder and tapcon screws aren't going to hold drywall right. Frank is right you need to run electrical and plubming and don't forget vapor barrier or insulation... it has to be framed.

He is in Florida, but I agree with everything said

 

[blakbearddelite]

Yeah there has to be some sort of wood /metal studs back there...

Correct, there are these little studs that go back, but they are not 2x4's. I don't even know how far deep they go. I would have to ask the builder, I think they're less than a half inch thick.

 

[blakbearddelite]

It looks like they are called furring strips, wasn't sure if they were thick enough to use for TV mounting.

 

[FirstWorldProblems]

I learned something new today. Looks like furring strips are typically 1x3? Quick google search says you can mount a TV to them, but what's the spacing? Is it more than 24"? I ask because you'll def want to catch at least two of them.

You really don't have a choice, even if they're smaller than 1x3 you'd have 3/8" of drywall then another 2"+ gap from the drywall to the cinderblock so you're not gonna get a good mounting surface.

That's interesting, I'm curious how they insulate those houses.

 

[blakbearddelite]

I believe they are spaced like normal studs 12-16" apart.

 

[Mr Baytchos]

So there is only 1" to mount to? Yikes. I'd probably drill through into the concrete behind it but maybe that's overkill.

 

[Flyn]

As mentioned above, I'd go directly into the concrete block with screws sized for it. Don't want to trust a TV to furring strips, IMO. I mounted my big screen to an interior wall that I built and I put a solid, double 2X4 framework in the wall for the TV. I could do pullups on my mount if I wanted to. Worked out well because I ran the wires from a junction box right behind the TV through the wall down to another junction box at electrical outlet level behind my entertainment center that has the cable boxes on it. No wires visible.

 

[frank]

My neighborhood is an older build 99-00’ year cinder and drywall, just asked my neighbor who hung a 70-80” tv on the wall and he used those snap toggle to hold the bracket.

 

[radioguy6]

I'd go through the furring strips and into the block wall if you can. Blue tapcon screws are great, just make sure to drill the correct size hole with a good masonry drill bit so they bite into the concrete.

 

[Shawn1112]

My neighborhood is an older build 99-00’ year cinder and drywall, just asked my neighbor who hung a 70-80” tv on the wall and he used those snap toggle to hold the bracket.

He doesnt have the room for those behind the drywall if they used firring strips. 3" Tapcons into the cinder block 2 in each corner and 2 in the middle. New TV's dont weigh shit, so that will be plenty

 

[Milhouse]

Tapcon in each corner will be fine. Even if you went with the smallest diameter tapcon, the shear strength would sill be 3x the weight of the tv and mount combined.

Been hanging tvs, comercial speakers, jukeboxes…etc for 24 years now.
Nothing has fallen yet.


That I know of. [emoji1787]