the_elf
New Member
Terry Love Forum:
I was the fortunate grand prize winner of a 50" Samsung Plasma HDTV a few weeks ago. Now comes the tricky part, getting the thing mounted. So, to save the $500+, I'd like to put it in myself.
The problem that I'm facing is that I want to mount it over my nil-used fireplace (I already know about heat issues in regard to the plasma's cooling, etc. I don't really plan to burn the fireplace anymore at this point.).
The mounting bracket is approximately 30" wide. The distance between the two full studs on either side of the firebox is about 38". Here inlies the problem.
There is a half stud in the very middle between the two full studs, but I'm not an engineer, and I'm not sure if it's a good idea trying to arrange to mount to it. Even if I mount to one of the fulls, and the half, I'm not certain that the siding mount points will shift over enough to center the plasma TV.
To put the situation in perspective, here are a couple of shots of the framing from when the house was built:
I really don't want to have to reinforce (add more studs). It's a lot more work that I was hoping to have to do, and me and my buddies don't have a lot of expertise with it. Ripping out sheetrock and getting in there to add lumber just seems like a real un-fun job.
HiFi Buys (Tweeter) says that they'll put in the bracket for $450 (money I don't really have to spend), but that doesn't include any sort of structural reinforcement, if they deem that it is necessary.
My options are:
1) Hang it on a full stud and a half stud such that there's enough sliding room to be able to center the TV. (And hope that it'll hold)
2) Tear out sheet rock, get in there and reinforce. (Really don't want to have to do)
3) Slap a couple of 1x6s or 2x6s up on the wall across both full studs and the half stud, and mount to that. (Not terribly hard, more confident about it holding, but it might be a mess to clean up if/when we sell the house)
Any suggestions for my installation? Has anyone else mounted above a fireplace like this, encountering the same delima?
I was the fortunate grand prize winner of a 50" Samsung Plasma HDTV a few weeks ago. Now comes the tricky part, getting the thing mounted. So, to save the $500+, I'd like to put it in myself.
The problem that I'm facing is that I want to mount it over my nil-used fireplace (I already know about heat issues in regard to the plasma's cooling, etc. I don't really plan to burn the fireplace anymore at this point.).
The mounting bracket is approximately 30" wide. The distance between the two full studs on either side of the firebox is about 38". Here inlies the problem.
There is a half stud in the very middle between the two full studs, but I'm not an engineer, and I'm not sure if it's a good idea trying to arrange to mount to it. Even if I mount to one of the fulls, and the half, I'm not certain that the siding mount points will shift over enough to center the plasma TV.
To put the situation in perspective, here are a couple of shots of the framing from when the house was built:
I really don't want to have to reinforce (add more studs). It's a lot more work that I was hoping to have to do, and me and my buddies don't have a lot of expertise with it. Ripping out sheetrock and getting in there to add lumber just seems like a real un-fun job.
HiFi Buys (Tweeter) says that they'll put in the bracket for $450 (money I don't really have to spend), but that doesn't include any sort of structural reinforcement, if they deem that it is necessary.
My options are:
1) Hang it on a full stud and a half stud such that there's enough sliding room to be able to center the TV. (And hope that it'll hold)
2) Tear out sheet rock, get in there and reinforce. (Really don't want to have to do)
3) Slap a couple of 1x6s or 2x6s up on the wall across both full studs and the half stud, and mount to that. (Not terribly hard, more confident about it holding, but it might be a mess to clean up if/when we sell the house)
Any suggestions for my installation? Has anyone else mounted above a fireplace like this, encountering the same delima?