Can You Mount A TV On Lath And Plaster?
It is possible to mount a TV on lath and plaster. And the process is not as difficult as it may seem. You can do it yourself if you have the right tools. Finding the studs is the key. In order to screw in your mounting hardware, you will need to locate the studs using a stud finder. You can also use a rare-earth magnet.
There are some cases where you might have walls made of lath and plaster without visible studs. If this is the case, you will need drywall anchors designed specifically for this type of wall.
There’s a lot of weight involved in the wall mount itself, and then there’s the weight of the television itself. These four lag bolts are under a lot of pressure. You won’t be able to fix anything with those bolts if you hit a stud.
You need to drill a bunch of tiny pilot holes for the stud edges. It is very difficult to find studs under lath and plaster. So don’t anchor it to the lath alone; make sure you anchor it in studs.
A Guide To Mounting A TV On A Plaster And Lath Wall
Most people tend to be intimidated by the challenges of mounting a TV on a lath and plaster wall. In this post, you will learn how to mount a TV to a lath and plaster wall without much difficulty.
Step 1:
In order to drill or construct a wall to mount your TV, you must first decide where it will be located. For example, you want your TV to be placed on your wall near a power outlet, so you need to pick a spot that is close to one.
As well as being strategically positioned to allow you to watch TV comfortably, it should also be positioned to keep you safe. It is therefore important to choose a spot on the wall with a lot of space in front of it to sit and watch TV.
It is also ideal to choose a spot that is away from windows if at all possible. It is important to keep your TV screen away from the window during the daytime since light from the window can cause glare. The mounting process can begin after you’ve chosen the location for your TV.
Step 2:
You will install the mount into the vertical studs in the wall, so you must first identify these studs. A minimum of two studs should be drilled for the TV mount. It is even better to use three studs if possible.
The vertical studs in the wall can be located using a stud finder. Indicating the location of studs with a stud finder is done by stroking or beeping when it runs over them. Using a pencil or marker, mark the stud locations on the wall.
Step 3:
Make sure the TV mount’s screw holes align with the studs you located in step 2 by holding the mount up to the wall. Use a pencil or marker to mark the locations of the screw holes.
Step 4:
Mark the locations you want to drill holes in with your high-impact drill. When it comes to this stage, you must be gentle.
The drill should slowly penetrate the wall as you pull the trigger and slowly push it in. To attach the plaster anchors, you will need to drill holes that are slightly smaller than the anchors themselves.
Step 5:
You can use your drill to secure the plaster anchors into the wall after you drilled holes in step 4.
Be careful not to damage the wall by overdoing it, as that can cause the hole to become much bigger than necessary. The hole would become unusable as a result.
Step 6:
The screws that bind the plaster anchors to the wall should be removed with a screwdriver.
Step 7:
Make sure the screw holes on the TV mount align with the plaster anchors. Then, fasten the mount to the plaster anchors with the screws you removed in step 6. Using a screwdriver, turn the screws as much as you can by hand.
Step 8:
Your TV’s mounting bracket should be attached to its back. To do this, simply lay your TV flat on a soft surface with its back facing you. Use an extremely soft, flat surface to prevent your screen from getting scratched.
Attach the mounting bracket to your TV by inserting the assorted screws that came with the wall mount and tightening them.
Step 9:
In step 7, you attached the wall mount to the wall and lifted the TV up to slide the mounting bracket in. Next, slowly lower the TV until the mounting bracket locks in place with the wall mount after you raise it higher than the mount.
Depending on the manufacturer and model, there may be a loud click or similar sound that indicates that the mounting bracket has been attached to the wall mount.
Step 10:
This pretty much sums it up. It’s just a matter of testing the wall mount’s stability. Try pushing your TV from side to side while holding it gently. There may be a loose screw or several screws if it wobbles a lot.
If the screws aren’t tightened properly, identify them, and tighten them again. Make sure that you repeat this process until the TV is firmly mounted and will not budge.
Tips For Finding The Studs
First of all, all walls have studs. However, walls made of plaster and lathe have a different distance between the studs than homes made of drywall.
Take the strongest magnet you have and wrap it in dental floss or string. Then, slowly move the magnet horizontally across the wall while dangling it against the wall. It’s important to go slowly.
There are times when the magnet sticks to the wall a bit at the stud location. Magnets that are floppy won’t work here, so be sure to get a strong one.
As a result of the wood lath being nailed to the studs, the magnet attracts the nails. The magnet should be over the top of one of the hidden nails if you have not had much luck moving it up or down.
Warnings
If you accidentally drill, you should cover the wrong spot with a plaster. To patch the hole, use a small putty knife to spread the patching material over it.
Your TV can be damaged by improper hanging or left unsecured if it is not hung correctly. So, you don’t end up with a broken TV on the floor, make sure the mounting bracket is firmly anchored to the wall.
Final Words
This concludes our post on mounting a TV on lath and plaster walls. Attaching a TV to drywall isn’t much different from attaching a TV to a wall. You’re good to go with the right tools and supplies like proper lug bolts.
Using the right hardware makes it possible to mount a TV on lath and plaster. It is still advisable to hire someone to mount TVs on lath and plaster if you have no experience doing so. The cost of buying all of these materials would be substantially higher if you did it yourself.