Want to install SANUS Full-Motion TV Mount on Metal Studs

[Letareus17]

Not 100% sure this is the right forum for this, but there is no TV/Video forum and this relates primarily to putting something on the wall, potentially opening up the wall, and wall studs.

I want to install a SANUS Full-Motion TV Mount (Model SLF428-B1) for my 65" TV, but it requires wooden studs or concrete. What's the best way to make this happen? I am a total novice when it comes to TV mounting. According to my building manager, the walls in my building have metal studs that are 16" on center (which I think means they are 16" apart" and are about 2" x 3".

These are the products involved in this installation:

Mount: SANUS Preferred 37"-90" Full-Motion TV Mount
Model SLF428-B1
24.7 lbs.

https://content.syndigo.com/asset/c553df21-5189-40c0-90ce-2d80e63d2e5a/original.pdf

TV: Sony A80CK 65"
50.7 lbs.

https://www.costco.com/sony-65%22-class---a80cl-series---4k-uhd-oled-tv---allstate-3-year-protection-plan-bundle-included-for-5-years-of-total-coverage*.product.4000187548.html

Soundbar: Sony HT-S2000 8.16 lbs.

Amazon.com

Soundbar Mount: SANUS Universal Soundbar TV Mount Kit: 3.52 lbs.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09V8DW4FF?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_detail

All these products have already been purchased. I actually brought a guy over to install all this, and he told me that it requires wooden studs (not knowing anything about TV mounting, I thought one bracket was as good as another for whatever wall), and recommended that at least 2 floor to ceiling wooden beams/studs be put in behind the drywall, and that he's not able or willing to do that.

Afterwards, I did some research, and while the SANUS does require wooden studs or concrete for this mount, this guy did manage to install a similar mount on metal studs by putting a piece of wood in front of the drywall:

If that's a viable solution, someone please explain to me why putting a piece of wood on top of the wall works. And is it the best solution? I won't be able to do any of this myself regardless. What he did in the video is way beyond my capabilities. And I would prefer any wood reinforcement be done behind the wall so the TV has a lower profile (which is important to me). I would have my GC do it if he's willing/able. However, it may be extremely costly and messy to open up the wall and install anything there. What would be the best solution for me here?

 

[Snoonyb]

Interestingly, how drastically would, even as must of an 1-1/4", affect your desire for a, "low profile", appearance, be affected, when your stand-off, with the appliance attached, would likely already be about 5", + the thickness of the ply or OSB.

Since the wall framing is likely 25ga steel studs, opening the wall and inserting a 2x3 backing in the stud pocket, would satisfy the, suggested, mfg's. backing req.

Spend you money wisely.

 

[bud16415]

I actually did this same project last week in our bedroom with a very similar mount and a 55” TV. Luckily I had wood studs 16” OC, and my stud finder worked well letting me know where they were located. The kit came with four .25 lag bolts and going thru plaster there was no doubt it was up there way strong enough.



In your case the manufacture has to be very careful in what they suggest you can do, just as the guy you hired to do the work doesn’t want the responsibility of the TV falling and even possibly hurting someone. The thing with these mounts is they allow the TV to be extended out close to 18” from the wall, and that provides a big lever arm holding the rated weight.



I personally feel the steel studs if you can find and hit them correctly with proper screws suitable for self-drilling and tapping would most likely be ok. I do understand where it could also be questionable to someone doing it professionally.



The idea behind the plywood backer is that the guy in the video split the load up over 3 studs instead of 2, and likely used more than 2 screws into each stud. If he put 4 screws x 3 studs he now has 12 holding rather than 4. He could then use the .25” lag bolts into the plywood.



I think if you did it with good quality .75” thick plywood and then framed it with .75” quarter round mitered in the corners filled the screw holes where the plywood was held to the studs, then sand prime and paint it wouldn’t look too bad.



The other option is to remove the drywall floor to ceiling place in some new wooden studs solidly and then patching the drywall so it will all look like it was never touched.



Again I would be tempted if DIY to just try it using Tek Screws and if you don’t need it to pull way out from the wall maybe put a strap or something that limits it say 6-8”. Mine I angle the TV side to side and also top to bottom so it can be viewed from the bed and I only pull it out about 8”.

 

[Letareus17]

So after much discussion with the GC we used for the renovation, he is going to open up the wall to reinforce the metal studs with wood. Not sure entirely exactly what he's going to do, but I want to go into the discussion prepared. Given that we're opening up the wall, should we put a plywood board like the guy in the video did but behind the drywall, or put some partial 2x4's on the studs we're mounting it on, or put in full floor to ceiling wooden studs (I don't think this is the option he's going with)?

I called the manufacturer (Sanus) and they insisted that it be mounted on actual wooden studs, that reinforcing the metal studs wouldn't be sufficient. They said that the only thing they'd recommend is putting full floor to ceiling wooden beams behind the drywall, effectively giving me wooden studs. Otherwise I'd void my warranty. Are they just covering their behinds legally or should I do what they said?

 

[Snoonyb]

Your paying, so have the contractor open the wall, floor to ceiling, and insert whatever you want, wherever you want.

Both the top and bottom of the walls will be 20ga. steel channel.

 

[Letareus17]

So we originally decided to open the wall and put full floor to ceiling wooden studs inside. However, the contractor (who is the only contractor we can use, because he was used for the rest of the renovation and has already cleared the painstaking approval process and carries insurance for this project) refused to do that. He is only willing to open a smaller hole in the wall and putting some wood reinforcement inside (not clear on the details). Before I try to discuss wit him how he should do this, I would like to be better informed.

I've heard a suggestion of putting partial wood beams inside the U-shaped steel studs and joining them with horizontal wood beams. I've also heard a suggestion of putting partial wood beams in front of the steel studs and attaching the mount to that. That may have been what you were suggesting Snoonyb? And finally you can obviously implement the guy in the video's suggestion except put the wood board inside instead of outside. This way you don't have to sand, coat, or corner it to make it look and feel nice and it would be lower profile. Which of these 3 suggestions do you think are best?

 

[Snoonyb]

You are paying your contractor to act, as requested, on your behalf, PERIOD!

Please reread the 2nd sentence in post #2, for clarification.

 

[Letareus17]

You are paying your contractor to act, as requested, on your behalf, PERIOD!

Please reread the 2nd sentence in post #2, for clarification.

The problem is, he already fulfilled his contract, sort of. We're asking him to do a little something extra for more money of course. He could just ignore us and not return our calls. It was hell just to get him to respond to this request in the first place and agree to do anything for this. He's really busy and I think he wants to spend his time on new, more lucrative projects.

If we want to get someone else, it would likely cost $5-10k more because we have to start a new application/approval process, we have to get a bunch of new permits and pay a bunch of new fees, we have to pay for an architect to approve the plan (basically we can sneak in anything additional we want if we use the previous contractor who already was approved), we have to pay for new insurance for the new contractor, and it would likely take another 2 months. This project (meaning the entire condo renovation) has already taken 9 months and is like 6 months behind schedule. The building management company is a PITA, it used to be a lot easier to do things in this buildng.

By the 2nd sentence in post 2, did you mean the part about putting in 3x2 backing in the stud pocket? Yeah that's what I was referring to when I mentioned you in my previous post. I'm not sure what you mean exactly, but I suspect it means putting plywood on the metal studs to reinforce them. That means putting partial wood beams in front of the steel studs and attaching the mount to that, right? Is that vertically on stud itself or horizontally between them? The other suggestions were to put wood backing INSIDE the studs themselves, and then connecing that with horizontal wood pieces, or to put a wood board covering multiple studs on the metal studs, like the guy in the video did except inside the wall instead of outside.

 

[Snoonyb]

The problem is, he already fulfilled his contract, sort of. We're asking him to do a little something extra for more money of course. He could just ignore us and not return our calls. It was hell just to get him to respond to this request in the first place and agree to do anything for this. He's really busy and I think he wants to spend his time on new, more lucrative projects.

If we want to get someone else, it would likely cost $5-10k more because we have to start a new application/approval process, we have to get a bunch of new permits and pay a bunch of new fees, we have to pay for an architect to approve the plan (basically we can sneak in anything additional we want if we use the previous contractor who already was approved), we have to pay for new insurance for the new contractor, and it would likely take another 2 months. This project (meaning the entire condo renovation) has already taken 9 months and is like 6 months behind schedule. The building management company is a PITA, it used to be a lot easier to do things in this buildng.

By the 2nd sentence in post 2, did you mean the part about putting in 3x2 backing in the stud pocket? Yeah that's what I was referring to when I mentioned you in my previous post. I'm not sure what you mean exactly, but I suspect it means putting plywood on the metal studs to reinforce them. That means putting partial wood beams in front of the steel studs and attaching the mount to that, right? Is that vertically on stud itself or horizontally between them? The other suggestions were to put wood backing INSIDE the studs themselves, and then connecing that with horizontal wood pieces, or to put a wood board covering multiple studs on the metal studs, like the guy in the video did except inside the wall instead of outside.

Well, I said what, were I you, I would do, in the 2nd sentence of post #2, so now you can do what ever you decide best fits your needs.

Please be sure and keep the community updated on you progress.

 

[bud16415]

@Letareus17 you have been offered a great deal of information and have much to consider. No one here knows your contractor or would have any influence over changing his mind on what he feels would be the proper method of doing this. If you trusted him enough to do your whole project I would think you could trust him enough to hang the TV.



I don’t know what it is like living in NYC but if it costs between $5-10k to get a TV hung on the wall I feel your pain.



If you don’t like the method suggested by your contractor and are not willing to start over with someone new, that only leaves DIY.



For me to do any of the options DIY would be very easy but I understand in a big city getting a sheet of drywall from point A to point B can be an issue. We also don’t know what your finished ascetics is. The mount you selected is a great option if you actually need all the flexibility of watching the TV from everyplace in the room. The one I just installed we do angle a bit but to be honest she has been watching it left flat against the wall. The mount that hangs just flat to the wall I would totally trust just being attached to the metal studs as they are.



Good luck and keep us posted on what you end up with.