Installing TV in Stucco (Picture)

[bpatters69]

Hello All,

I am hanging a 40" TV (About 16 pounds) on our patio in a stucco wall. I cut down a piece of ply to 24" x 36 to serve as a backer-board and so I could install a shelf for the receiver. I am also using the backer-board for support.   I am looking for some tips on how to hang things in stucco. I have a TV mount which extends the TV 16" or so.

I drilled a few exploratory holes and it looks like there is about 1/2 or so of stucco, wire mesh and then plywood. I am guessing the ply is 5/8? I drilled in other places too and it appears to be the same material - stucco, wire mesh and ply. Can I simply hang the plywood backer-board by drilling holes and attaching the plywood backer-board with screws? I don't think there are any studs as this is an outside wall. There are studs on the inside and I may be able to hit those if I get a long enough screw. 

Wondering if the 5/8 ply under the stucco runs the length of the wall? It appears that it does. 



Thanks, Bill

[Stwood_]

(1)Attach to the studs.

(2)Either that or a bazillion lag bolts into the plywood.

[Mr_Mike]

I would use lag bolts into the ply. I'm thinking that is a shear wall. Stucco doesn't require that kind of support. Also, I'm not sure you have stucco anyway. I'm thinking synthetic stucco. Real stucco is about 1 1/2 inch thick.

Anyway, I'd use about 8 lag bolts. Then, you can secure the TV mount anywhere you want on the ply.

[bpatters69]

Thanks for the suggestions. Yes, the stucco is not very thick. It's about 1/2 to 3/4". There are probably studs holding up the plywood for the stucco but I am not sure ow to find them. The wall is thick too. I should have mentioned this before. To the left of the area where I will be installing the TV is cinder block. Unfortunately the cinder block is too far left for me to mount the TV. Cinder blocks are 8" deep and then you have the studs on the inside and the drywall. So the wall must be 10" thick if you consider the studs and the drywall inside. I am not at my house now but that seems about right.

So back to my thinking on the stucco, if the wall is 10" thick and the stucco, mesh and plywood substrate only take up an inch or two, what the heck is between the plywood substrate and the interior studs and drywall? 10" leaves a big gap. My buddy suggested toggle bolts. If there is a space in between the plywood substrate and the interior studs and drywall, that may be an option... Any thoughts?

[bpatters69]

https://s19.postimg.org/q2syzoker/image.jpg

The URL is a picture of the wall. Sorry... Using an IPAD and I cannot work out how to link the image.

Anyway, the cinder block is the painted part on the left.

[Cooler]

I built a stand-off so that my TV could swivel a true 180 degrees.  Without the standoff the edge of the TV would hit the wall and it limited the range of motion.

The standoff was basically a 10" deep box about 12" wide.  I was able to catch on stud.  But I put in 5 or 6 more toggle bolts to spread out the load.  My walls are plaster.  

I think that toggle bolts will hold better against the plywood than any other fastener.

No problems with mine and its been over a year.  I toyed with running a threaded rod through to the exterior but I'm glad I did not go through with that.

[Mr_Mike]

My buddy suggested toggle bolts. If there is a space in between the plywood substrate and the interior studs and drywall, that may be an option... Any thoughts?

Overkill. Modern TVs are fairly light weight. Go back to my suggestion of a few lag bolts and be done. If you could hit a stud, the ply backer would not be necessary as all.

Hang the TV mount and pull down on it if you really want to.

You've already done a lot of damage to the wall - quit doing that!

[bpatters69]

Thanks all. The holes that I made will not be seen as the 3 x 4 piece of ply that I am installing will cover it.

[Mr_Mike]

Thanks all. The holes that I made will not be seen as the 3 x 4 piece of ply that I am installing will cover it.

Understood, however, unseen does not equal unimportant. One should seal those holes appropriately.

[Lynden]

There are probably studs holding up the plywood for the stucco but I am not sure how to find them. The wall is thick too. 

My buddy suggested toggle bolts. If there is a space in between the plywood substrate and the interior studs and drywall, that may be an option... Any thoughts?

To find the studs go around to the other side of the wall and locate them with your stud finder. Measure their locations to the jamb of the sliding door and then transfer the measurements to the stucco side of the wall.

Toggle bolts would work or lag screws would also work. If the thickness of the stucco plus plywood is 1-1/4" or less, you can use Wingits instead of toggles. They're designed for mounting TVs.

http://www.wingits.com/details.php?id=90

http://www.wingits.com/products.php?id=2