Hey Guys, I've lurked on these forums for a while now and I really want to ask my question specifically...

I want to mount my 37" tv above my fireplace... only problem is the studs are about 44" apart.

Any suggestions? This is the only place to put it.... I'm a renter and can't do any of the cutting into the drywall and putting cross braces between to bear the load.

I'm thinking maybe a piece of 3/4" thick birch plywood bolted to the studs and then attaching the tv? Idk how this would look...

Please Help!

I'm sure others will say this as well..... But 44" apart is NOT correct. You must have missed a few in between. The most you can do by code is 24" and that's only if it's a non-load bearing wall.

Take a nail or very small drill bit and drill a few holes at the 14 thru18" points and again at the 22thru26" points. You should find the studs, if noy there are some serious problems with the walls and I wouldn't want to live there during high winds much less an earthquake or tornado.

The fireplace is about 42" wide... the room is a square shaped, with the fireplace in the corner, so this wall is at a 45 degree angle in the corner.

The exhaust goes up the middle and there are no studs there. Its brand new construction, about 2 years old.

If it is a finished wall, the studs have to be there....even a "decorative" wall. You need a stud finder.

If its painted the same color as the walls I think it will look fine

I'm thinking maybe a piece of 3/4" thick birch plywood bolted to the studs and then attaching the tv? Idk how this would look...
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I think it would be fine as well and that's what I would do regardless of whether or not you can find additional studs in the wall. Not sure you even need it to be birch if you are going to paint it to match the wall. I figure a 44" inch piece of wood behind a 37" TV will be barely noticible. I'd try to something as wide as you can and at least 3/4" thick.

Here is another way I have dealt with a situation like this.
get some 50Lb. wall anchors. (the white ones that screw into the drywall at hdepot)
also some washers.
use one for every slot and hole on your bracket top and bottom.

when your done, do a chin up on the bracket. if it holds you, it will hold the tv.
A 37" lcd does not weigh very much.
You will be fine with just these .

IF additional bracing is desired, replace every other wall anchor with a butterfly anchor.
Buterfly anchors will require bigger holes that will need to be repaired later.

Here is another way I have dealt with a situation like this.
get some 50Lb. wall anchors. (the white ones that screw into the drywall at hdepot)
also some washers.
use one for every slot and hole on your bracket top and bottom.

when your done, do a chin up on the bracket. if it holds you, it will hold the tv.
A 37" lcd does not weigh very much.
You will be fine with just these .


Everything I've heard before recommends against wall anchors. I don't wan't my tv to fall...

and what if it doesnt hold my weight (200 lbs)... then i have a bunch of holes in my drywall!!

Consider the source from whom you "heard".

The point is, it WILL hold your weight. and your TV.
The anchors are designed to hold 50lbs. Use about 10 of them and thats 500lbs.
your tv weighs no more than 60lbs.

For what its worth, I have hung over 400 Tv's. A few of them were hung this way because we had not much of a choice.
I have done it this way several times with tvs bigger than this and never had an issue.

I've done the plywood back with small lag bolts through to mount the bracket to it. It works well... The wife even had a good idea and we put some batting and fabric on it so it looks decorative... It's a frame for the tv.

Any chance you have a picture you can share?

My girlfriend is very leery about the plywood idea... I know there are drywall anchors, such as toggler that are high weight rated... but I'd rather not go this route...

Thanks

Adding the plywood would work, but it's going to be bigger than the tv! And be careful not to screw into that exhaust (or a gas line for that matter). My question though is where is the tv jack/ elec outlet for the tv? Usually those boxes are mounted to studs.