Mounting a 42" Plasma on 3/4" Wood Paneling

Hi Folks,
I am considering purchasing the 42" Panasonic plasma TV (TH-42PX60U).
Before I do this, I want to vet this idea with the experts out there.
We have 3/4" wood paneling in our family room - behind that are plaster
walls. I'd like to know if I can mount a 70-lb. flat panel television
on the wood paneling. If not, how would you recommend finding the
studs? I'm not sure even the strongest stud finder could locate studs
behind wood paneling and plaster.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Ryan

On 20 Dec 2006 12:03:27 -0800, wrote:

I am considering purchasing the 42" Panasonic plasma TV (TH-42PX60U).
Before I do this, I want to vet this idea with the experts out there.
We have 3/4" wood paneling in our family room - behind that are plaster
walls. I'd like to know if I can mount a 70-lb. flat panel television
on the wood paneling. If not, how would you recommend finding the
studs? I'm not sure even the strongest stud finder could locate studs
behind wood paneling and plaster.

If the paneling is installed well I suspect it would hold since it's
3/4". I will say that 3/4" paneling is pretty rare but I wouldn't
worry about the screws pulling through 3/4" paneling. I might be more
concerned about the paneling coming off the wall.

If I didn't know how well the paneling is installed, I'd probably
still look for a stud. Look for where the paneling is nailed to see
if that reveals a stud pattern. Nails in the base board might also
reveal a stud lay-out. Also there should be a stud next to an
electrical outlet so you might be able pull the cover, angle a nail to
see if you can find which side the stud is on and then measure for the
next one.

Mike O.

"Mike O." wrote in message
...
On 20 Dec 2006 12:03:27 -0800, wrote:

I am considering purchasing the 42" Panasonic plasma TV (TH-42PX60U).
Before I do this, I want to vet this idea with the experts out there.
We have 3/4" wood paneling in our family room - behind that are plaster
walls. I'd like to know if I can mount a 70-lb. flat panel television
on the wood paneling. If not, how would you recommend finding the
studs? I'm not sure even the strongest stud finder could locate studs
behind wood paneling and plaster.

If the paneling is installed well I suspect it would hold since it's
3/4". I will say that 3/4" paneling is pretty rare but I wouldn't
worry about the screws pulling through 3/4" paneling. I might be more
concerned about the paneling coming off the wall.

If I didn't know how well the paneling is installed, I'd probably
still look for a stud. Look for where the paneling is nailed to see
if that reveals a stud pattern. Nails in the base board might also
reveal a stud lay-out. Also there should be a stud next to an
electrical outlet so you might be able pull the cover, angle a nail to
see if you can find which side the stud is on and then measure for the
next one.

Mike O.

If you take the cover plate off the outlet, you should be able to tell which
side the stud is on.
Tam

wrote:
Hi Folks,
I am considering purchasing the 42" Panasonic plasma TV (TH-42PX60U).
Before I do this, I want to vet this idea with the experts out there.
We have 3/4" wood paneling in our family room - behind that are plaster
walls. I'd like to know if I can mount a 70-lb. flat panel television
on the wood paneling. If not, how would you recommend finding the
studs? I'm not sure even the strongest stud finder could locate studs
behind wood paneling and plaster.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Consider that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link; the
plywood should be plenty strong to hold that TV set (possibly four
or five times that weight would still be ok). But what is the
plywood relying on for support?? If the plywood is not solidly
attached to something capable of holding that weight, then the
whole thing plywood included) would come down.

My typical idea/solution for these kinds of things is to use a
good bunch of drywall screws (well, the plugs to which you now
screw the real screws) to attach something solid (like real,
solid wood, or a piece of *good quality* plywood), then attach
whatever you need to that solid panel, using as many screws as
needed (but still far less than you'd need if directly attaching
to the drywall).

The advantage is that by putting that solid panel, you're
unconstrained in how many and where to put the screws that
attach it to the drywall --- then, whatever needs to be
attached to that panel with a given number of screws in
specific positions (or even nuts/bolts), now you're attaching
it to something solid.

HTH,

Carlos
--

Tam/WB2TT wrote:

If you take the cover plate off the outlet, you should be able to
tell which side the stud is on.
Tam

Chances are very good that the stud is to the left of the outlet, since most
people are right handed. It's quite awkward to nail the box onto the other
side of the stud.

"Anthony Fremont" wrote in message
...
Tam/WB2TT wrote:

If you take the cover plate off the outlet, you should be able to
tell which side the stud is on.
Tam

Chances are very good that the stud is to the left of the outlet, since
most people are right handed. It's quite awkward to nail the box onto the
other side of the stud.

Compressed air nail guns make it very easy.

"Carlos Moreno" wrote in message
. ..

If the plywood is not solidly


Where did the OP say plywood?

What if he REALLY has 3/8" masonite veneer?
(VERY common for paneling)

wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi Folks,
I am considering purchasing the 42" Panasonic plasma TV (TH-42PX60U).
Before I do this, I want to vet this idea with the experts out there.
We have 3/4" wood paneling in our family room - behind that are plaster
walls. I'd like to know if I can mount a 70-lb. flat panel television
on the wood paneling. If not, how would you recommend finding the
studs? I'm not sure even the strongest stud finder could locate studs
behind wood paneling and plaster.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Ryan


I'd be hell bent on finding a stud. 16 inches on center is standard,
from a corner or edge.

*If* you own a newer home, the wallboard is nailed to the studs.
A stud finder (magnet) will seek these nails out. Measure 16" from
a corner/edge, a move stud finder around this area. Confirm by
moving from the floor to the ceiling when you think you found a stud.

*If* like me, your home is old, then you most likely have latt & plaster.
These are vertical furring strips nailed to the 2x4's to hold the plaster.

Then, an option is using heavy duty toggle bolts.
http://tinylink.com/?OgbSc8zvsz

On Wed, 20 Dec 2006 18:29:19 -0600, "Gary C"
wrote:


"Anthony Fremont" wrote in message
...
Tam/WB2TT wrote:

If you take the cover plate off the outlet, you should be able to
tell which side the stud is on.
Tam

Chances are very good that the stud is to the left of the outlet, since
most people are right handed. It's quite awkward to nail the box onto the
other side of the stud.

Compressed air nail guns make it very easy.


No, nail guns are not used for these devices. The nails come with the
outlet box, and have to be driven by hand. However, since they are
located fairly close to the floor (usually) the position the installer
takes while driving them (leaning over, back to the wall) makes it
easy to install them on either side of the stud.

Charlie Hoffpauir
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~charlieh/

Gary C wrote:

If the plywood is not solidly

Where did the OP say plywood?

Whoa!! I'm kind of speechless... I would have sworn in front of
a Jury on a criminal court that the OP had written plywood panels
(and my mind was particularly stubborn --- I had to make an effort
to try to picture *what exactly* his family room would look like,
and even though i was completely drawing a blank, my mind was
still sure that I had read plywood!!! Oh well, time to take a
break from the computer! :-))

What if he REALLY has 3/8" masonite veneer?
(VERY common for paneling)

He seems to *know* that it is 3/4" wood --- the thing is, and
I ask this without really being familiar (at all) with these
paneling techniques: aren't those panels little "bands" of wood
that may or may not be properly attached to each other? Also,
those panels may be just "placed" next to the walls and held
with tiny nails (I think this is typical --- at least up here
in Canada).

Anyway, my argument about the weakest link should still be
valid (regardless of my misunderstanding in thinking he had
plywood panels) --- in fact, those wood panels would scare
me even more, in that I don't think one should trust the way
they're attached to the wall --- certainly the persons that
installed them were not concerned or constrained by
structural support issues. They just needed to make sure
that the panels would not fall off the wall by their own
weight; teeny tiny little nails are plenty enough to make
sure they don't fall off by their own weight.

Carlos
--