What is behind the wall decides how your TV gets mounted. Here is how we handle wood studs, condo metal studs and the concrete block walls found in so many Florida homes.
Mounting a TV looks simple: find the studs, drive a few bolts, hang the screen. In South Florida it is rarely that straightforward, because the wall you are drilling into could be one of three very different things. Getting it wrong means a sagging TV at best, and a 65-inch screen on the floor at worst.
1. Wood studs
Most interior walls in single-family homes are framed with wood studs, usually 16 inches apart. This is the easiest case: we locate the center of two studs and use heavy lag bolts through the mount. A properly lagged mount holds far more than any TV weighs.
2. Metal studs (very common in condos)
High-rise condos and many newer buildings use light-gauge steel studs. Lag bolts will not grip thin steel, so a mount that would be rock-solid on wood can pull out of metal framing. We use toggle anchors rated for metal studs, spread the load across as many studs as the mount allows, and keep heavy full-motion arms within the anchor ratings.
3. Concrete block (CBS) walls
Exterior walls in a lot of Florida homes are concrete block covered with furring strips and drywall. Block is strong, but it is hollow inside, and the mortar joints are weaker than the block itself. We drill into the solid part of the block with a hammer drill and use masonry anchors sized for the load — never into the joints, and never relying on the drywall layer in front.
Over the fireplace
A TV above a fireplace is popular, but it puts the screen high. For everyday viewing, a pull-down or tilting mount makes a big difference to comfort. With electric fireplaces like the one in the photo above, we also plan the power and cable routing for both the fireplace and the TV at the same time.
Hiding the wires the right way
A regular TV power cord is not rated to run inside a wall, so stuffing it behind the drywall is a code violation and a fire risk. On stud walls we install a recessed in-wall power and cable kit made for the job. On concrete walls, where running cables inside is not practical, we use a slim paintable raceway so the cords disappear into the wall color.
What to have ready
- The TV and the mount (or we can recommend one for your wall type)
- Where you want it and roughly how high — we will mark it before drilling
- Any soundbar, streaming box or game console you want connected
Not sure what is behind your wall? Send us a photo of the room and the TV size and we will tell you what the install involves before we arrive.