what do you guys do and use? im nervous....never done metal studs in 20 yrs...... always build in wood somehow

Toggler bolts. I have done many TV wall mounts with these. Once you check their specs on the weight they hold WITHOUT any stud, you will feel even better when you use them with a metal stud. I get them at Lowes. I stock them. They have never failed me! The only drawback might be if you are in a tight space without standard stud depth...such as furring strips in a basement.

[Link: toggler.com]

TV looks to weigh about 75 lbs. I also use a lot of Toggler bolts, great product.

I would feel safe mounting it to metal studs with Togglers.

Think of it as a 60" plasma that weighs 75 lbs...

I would avoid using a mount that moves. If you can get away with a fixed mount you dont even need the metal studs IMO. The togglers tie the bracket to the sheetrock and the sheetrocks vertical installation transfers some of the weight to the floor.

Yes, the snap togglers. Drill 1/2inch hole through drywall and stud. Install and done

Yes.
TOGGLERS
not, and never, toggle bolts.


The wording on the first page makes me think they're talking about a product held in place by plastic. The installations page shows the product.

FWIW, years ago I mocked up some wood studs on drywall and steel studs on drywall. As soon as the steel was properly attached to the drywall, it seemed to be just as strong as wood.

And, after all, they have been approved for use where we would use wood, and decades of such use have not shown them to be any weaker.

Just make sure you drill in the center of the stud so the toggler will sit correctly

Fins inadvertently brings up an interesting point: should the rear piece of the toggler be oriented up and down, or left and right? Fins' suggestion implies these should be horizontally oriented. But if it's okay to have them vertical, you don't have to be RIGHT on the center of the stud.

thanks gents! and your talking about the snap toggle? right? what about regular old toggle bolts, maybe large ones?

!!!!!! Very good point.

Ernie
I have yet to see a stud where a toggler will fit horizontally, and lay flat.
If in the center, the stud acts as if it is a big washer.
If close to the open side, then if is flemsy.
If too close to the closed side, the toggle may not sit flat, and the blot will be in crooked.


I would NOT use normal toggle bolts.
1st. The hole size must be much larger.
2nd. I do not think they are load rated as high as the snap toggler.
C. That would be a major pain trying to hold up the mount while alinging and fighting the stupid things.

Of note. When drilling the hole for the snap toggler, use a StepBit, 1/2". This will leave a much cleaner hole in the stud, allowing the toggler to rest flat on the back of the stud.

Please read posts before asking questions.



Yeah, that's true.


? 3/16" or 1/4" toggle bolts need a 1/2" hole. 3/16" or 1/4" TOGGLERS need a 1/2" hole.
The difference is not the mounting hole. The difference is the strength of the solid back piece of the toggler, versus the flimsy back piece of a toggle bolt. Plus, you can remove the bolt from a toggler and the back piece stays in place. Also, the toggler stays centered. A toggle bolt can be anywhere within about a 1/4" diameter circle and does not stay there when the bolt is loosened.


Please do not keep repeating "SNAP toggler." They are late to the party. I've been using them since the late 80s. From toggler.com:

Hilti now sells them. MPC (TOGGLER brand) sells them. And yes, SNAP has added them to their repertoire of good stuff.


YES YES YES YES. Toggle bolts are pretty stupid.


Actually, a clean 1/2" hole is just a skoshe too small for the front piece of the toggler. You have to ream out the outside of the hole just a bit to make the front piece sit flat.

For technique, I use a small 1/8" bit for a pilot hole. Then I take use a 1/2" unibit on an extension to drill out a smooth 1/2" all the way through the sheetrock and metal stud (without extra abuse to the rock). Next, use the toggler of your choice (snap toggle 1/4 20) and seat appropriately. Last, install as usual.

Tommy just reminded me.

One day I realized that I'm doing this professionally and I should approach Togglers professionally. One motivation was the CRAP bolts they provide, with phillips heads that easily strip out. That they cost nearly a buck also killed me, especially since I was paying for those bolts.

So I found a hundred of them at amazon for about fifty bucks. I went to a wholesale hardware supplier and bought 1/4-20 bolts of different lengths, hex head, by the hundreds, with as many in black as I could get.

This goes into a kit box that I carry with me. Never again do I wonder "where can I buy some togglers today?"

I will continue to use snap toggler since you snap off the front tabs. Maybe they should call them zip togglers. On toggler.com they are called snaptoggle. Anyways. I buy them from a bolt and nut supplier in boxes of a hundred in kind of a generic packaging and they are called snap togglers. But, I will stop if you no longer use the word skoshe. I don't like it.

Also, when drilling through the metal stud be careful of wires that maybe ran inside the metal stud. Once the initial hole is drilled look to make sure there are no wires before reaming the hole out to get rid of any edges so that the toggler will sit flat against the metal stud.