LCD and plasma TVs make it possible for any home to feel like a private theater. Unfortunately, most homes and apartments were not built with this in mind. During the housing boom of the 1950s, most TVs were still built into wooden cabinets or set on small stands. It is tricky to hang an LCD TV on plaster, because drywall and lathe simply will not hold the weight. You can mount an LCD TV on a plaster wall as long as it is anchored to the studs behind the wall.
Instructions
1. Find the studs behind the plaster. Start by looking at your electrical outlets--according to the experts at Repair-Home.com, they are usually attached to studs. Try a stud finder near the outlets; you might get lucky. Drill a small hole 3/4 inches to either side of the outlet. If the bit goes straight through, there's no stud there, no matter what the stud finder says. Drill test holes above the baseboard nails if you have baseboard -- good finish carpenters nail baseboards to studs. Measure the wall off into 20-inch sections and use the stud finder by moving it slowly along the wall, then drill test holes when you think you've found one. Finding studs can take some time, but you can't hang your TV without them, so be patient.
2. Measure 16 inches to the side, once you have found your first stud. You should find another one. If not, try again at 15 and 17 inches, because the hole on the stud you found might be off-center. If there's nothing there, try around 24 inches. If all else fails, just drill a small hole every 3 inches, you can patch them later.
3. Follow the instructions on your mounting kit to drill the pilot hole for your lag bolt. Mounting kits vary, so read the instructions carefully to make sure you are securing the TV to the studs correctly.
Tags: stud finder, small hole, studs behind, test holes
