When decorating walls in modern construction, drywall is most often used. This material is easy to use, has a flat surface, with its help not only walls are leveled, but also full-fledged partitions and niches are created. However, there is an opinion that drywall structures, due to the nature of the material, are not suitable for placing LCD and plasma TVs on them. This opinion is wrong. If, before hanging the TV on a plasterboard wall, you follow all the attachment technologies to this building material, then there will be no problems in the future.
Types of fasteners for plasterboard walls
A TV hanging on the wall fits well into any interior and does not take up extra space. But it often happens that only plasterboard walls, which, due to the softness of the gypsum, do not hold fasteners tightly enough. However, experienced builders who worked with gypsum boards know that with a properly selected mount, such a wall can freely withstand up to 50 kg of weight.
Of course, the best option would be to determine the location of the TV before finishing work. Then it is possible to strengthen the supporting metal structure in advance, and the question of how to hang the TV on drywall will disappear by itself. But most often, the purchase of technical equipment begins after the repair is completed, so the dimensions and weight of the equipment are not known in advance.
Drywall structures can only crack if the fasteners used are not able to properly distribute pressure over the maximum possible area. Therefore, the following types of dowels are used as fasteners for them:
- "butterfly";
- "umbrella";
- "hartmut".
These products are designed specifically for hollow plasterboard structures and are able to expand inside them. They can only be used once. Reuse will reduce the reliability of the fastener, and it will not be able to withstand the load.
Mounting TVs weighing up to 30 kg
A small TV with a diagonal of up to 32 inches, the weight of which will not exceed 5 kg, can be hung on top of the plasterboard using dowels "butterflies". The main thing is that the fastener element pierces the drywall and the metal profile of the crate at the same time. Then the load from the TV will be redistributed from the finishing material to the supporting frame of the structure.
A TV with a diagonal that exceeds 42 inches can weigh about 20 kg. For such equipment, a more secure mount is required. For these purposes, you can use the dowel "umbrella". It got its name because of the way it opens in the design. Contracting while screwing in the screw, it is guaranteed to hold the declared mass, since the weight of the TV will be distributed over a large area. To ensure high-quality fastening, you must use at least 4 parts.
Television screens weighing from 20 to 30 kg are hung on the wall using the Hartmut mounting system. This is a fastener consisting of plastic and metal elements and a screw. It is ideal for hanging heavy objects, as one piece can support up to 55 kg.
When using fasteners for hollow walls, it must be remembered that after the dowel is installed, it must be unscrewed a little to fully reveal the inside of the system.
Mounting TVs over 30 kg
You can hang a TV panel weighing more than 30 kg on a plasterboard wall only with the obligatory use of brackets.
- Rigid brackets, due to their immobility, are more reliable.
- Movable structures make it possible to watch TV from different points of the room.
It does not matter which of their varieties will be used. Both types of structures work equally well.
In order to properly attach the large screen bracket, you must:
- Choose a place where, in your opinion, the center of the TV will be located, and make a markup.
- Find nearby profiles that are under drywall sheathing.
In order to find metallic profile, you need to hold a magnet suspended on a thread near the wall. It is more difficult to find a wooden profile; for this, the wall at the place where the bar is supposed to be located must be tapped and its location determined by sound.
- Make sure that the bracket parts do not touch the electrical wiring and allow free access to it.
TVs are not always equipped with brackets, but they can be freely bought at the store. Dowels for attaching the bracket to the wall must be taken those that are designed for plasterboard walls.
- Drill holes equal to the diameter of the dowel in the marked fastening points.
- Release the dowel from the self-tapping screw and insert it into the wall.
- Screw in the screw and check that it is firmly fixed in the wall.
- Attach the bracket to the wall so that the fastener captures the profile of the crate.
After completing the work, hang the TV on the bracket and, slowly lowering it, make sure that the structure is securely fastened.
