Mounting a TV on NYC walls: drywall, metal studs, concrete and plaster
Your wall decides the mount. How to tell what you have in a Long Island City tower or a pre-war apartment, and what each wall needs to hold a TV properly.
· 6 min read
Your wall decides the mount
The same TV and the same bracket go up four different ways depending on the wall. Long Island City, Queens has both ends of the range: in ZIP 11101 more than half of homes were built in 2010 or later (drywall partitions, often on metal studs, with concrete columns and ceilings), while in Sunnyside, Central Astoria and Greenpoint about half or more were built before 1940 (plaster on lath). Figure out the wall first, then buy the hardware.
How to tell what you have
Four quick checks, no tools past a magnet:
- Age of the building. Built in the last 20 years: almost always drywall partitions. Pre-war: almost always plaster.
- Knock. Drywall sounds hollow between studs. Plaster sounds solid and feels harder. Concrete barely sounds at all.
- Magnet. Slide a strong magnet across the wall. On wood studs it catches the screw heads, one every foot or so. On steel studs it grabs the whole length of the stud.
- Push a pin. It goes into drywall easily, stops dead in plaster or concrete.
Drywall on wood studs
The easy case. The mount's lag bolts go through the drywall into the wood studs, and anything larger than a small TV should catch two of them. Drywall alone, without a stud behind it, is not where a TV goes.
Drywall on metal studs (most newer towers)
Light-gauge steel studs, common in newer LIC towers, don't grip a lag bolt the way wood does. The fix is hardware made for thin steel: toggle-style anchors that open behind the stud or the board, spread across more than one stud so no single fastener carries the load. Check the anchor maker's load figures and the mount's weight rating, and stay well under both.
Concrete
Towers often have poured-concrete columns, shear walls and ceilings. Concrete takes a hammer drill, a masonry bit and concrete anchors, and it holds very well once they're set. Ask management before drilling into concrete; some buildings restrict it or want to know first.
Plaster on lath (pre-war)
Historic flat plaster was applied over wood or metal lath, as the National Park Service's preservation guidance describes. Standard drywall anchors spin in it and pull out. The reliable approach is to find the framing behind the lath and fasten into it, or use anchors made for plaster. Drill carefully and without hammer mode, or the plaster around the hole cracks and lets go.
Cables: what's handyman work and what isn't
Surface raceways and low-voltage cable covers that run the wires down the wall are ordinary handyman work. Moving an outlet or adding one behind the TV is electrical work, and in NYC that needs a licensed master electrician and an electrical permit (§28-429.1). We don't do it; if you want in-wall power, we'll say so and you'll need an electrician for that part.
Renters and co-ops: ask first
Leases and house rules can restrict drilling. Big Six Towers in Woodside, for example, doesn't allow TVs on shared walls. Managed buildings may also want a certificate of insurance on file before the visit; see our guide to working in Long Island City buildings.
When you move out, drywall holes are a routine patch. Plaster patches take longer, because the patch has to cure before it can be painted.
What to send before a visit
Five things make the visit short and the plan right the first time:
- The TV's size and weight.
- The mount, if you already bought one (brand and model).
- A photo of the wall, with something in it for scale.
- Where the nearest outlet is.
- Your building's contractor rules, if it has any.
Written by Long Island City Handyman & Repair Services, 11-25 44th Rd, Long Island City, NY 11101. Questions about a job? (929) 325-1035 or request a quote.