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importman's avatar
importman
Explorer
Jan 01, 2019

Got a question for the group please...

Hello all, After looking and debating for a while my wife and I have secured a permanent site at Hide Away Campground in Bryson City NC. At 60 years old and with arthritis and bad back trouble it was just getting to be too much trouble setting up and tearing down. So with that we're going to try to make our travel trailer as comfortable as possible considering we will likely be staying in it for longer periods of time especially during the Summer. I've ordered two lazy boy recliners as the first step towards that goal. And I've decided I need to mount the tv to the wall on one of those single arm mounts so I can swing it toward the sitting area or the bed depending on where we want to watch. That leads to my question. My camper has the aluminum frame fiberglass laminated walls. I call them composite but I'm not sure if that's correct. From previous experience I know that getting something to attach to them is about as successful as hanging something directly to sheetrock without anchors. So what I plan to do is attach a piece of 3/4 plywood to the wall; I'll probably bevel the edges and stain it to make it look okay. Then I can attach the mount to the plywood and it should be fine. The question is, how to attach the plywood to the wall or better yet, how do I find an aluminum stud in one of these sandwiched walls? I saw an app called wallabot for android that looks like it would work but unfortunately I don't have an android device. Can anyone tell me how I can find the aluminum studs in my wall? Or does anyone have any good ideas on how to attach the tv mount to the wall? Thanks in advance for any help.
Seeking Advice
  • Deb_and_Ed_M's avatar
    Deb_and_Ed_M
    Explorer II
    Jan 02, 2019
    importman wrote:

    Just thought of something else: I have an infrared digital thermometer that might just do the trick. If I catch it when it's cold outside and run the heat for a little while I may be able to slowly move the thermometer across the wall till I find the colder spot. Surely the aluminum studs won't insulate as well as the full walls. Opinions?


    It might work! Or it will show where they didn't insulate ;-)
  • Deb_and_Ed_M's avatar
    Deb_and_Ed_M
    Explorer II
    Jan 02, 2019
    colliehauler wrote:
    Or you can simply push on the luan paneling you can feel where the studs are.


    LOL! That's how I found mine (and did the same thing the OP suggested, although 3/4" plywood might be overkill. I think I used 1/2" ply)
  • Boomerweps's avatar
    Boomerweps
    Explorer
    Jan 02, 2019
    IF you are going to put a mounting board across the wall with glue anyways, i.e., PERMANENT, you could always drill a series of small "fishing" holes across the area that will be covered with the board to find the studs.
  • bid_time's avatar
    bid_time
    Nomad II
    Jan 01, 2019
    Depending on the wall, you may find out the wall doesn't have any studs on the area in question.
  • importman's avatar
    importman
    Explorer
    Jan 01, 2019
    Wow guys, thanks for the quick responses. I am usually pretty good at finding studs in a sheetrock or paneled wall by knocking. But this wall is like fully bonded together with the fiberglass on the outside and the paneling like material on the inside with something sandwiched in between. So there's no give at all on the inside and the sound doesn't change as I knock along it. The walabot looks like it would work great but it's only available for android devices which I don't have. I had already thought about liquid nails and I plan to use it but I would really like to have a few screws into the stud. I think I'll try looking at it from the outside when the humidity is high. It also seems like I can remember being able to tell something about it from the inside one time when it was really cold outside and I had the heater on. Like maybe the wall was sweating everywhere except at the studs. Anyway, thank you all for your help. Now I have something to work with. I do appreciate it.
    Just thought of something else: I have an infrared digital thermometer that might just do the trick. If I catch it when it's cold outside and run the heat for a little while I may be able to slowly move the thermometer across the wall till I find the colder spot. Surely the aluminum studs won't insulate as well as the full walls. Opinions?
  • Boomerweps's avatar
    Boomerweps
    Explorer
    Jan 01, 2019
    Don't know how strong your walls are but I just pressed mine in to find the part that bowed in a lot and the sections that didn't move to find my wood studs. I used a few lag screws to hold my articulated arm TV mount.
  • turbojimmy's avatar
    turbojimmy
    Explorer
    Jan 01, 2019
    A $20 stud finder will find aluminum studs, too. I have an older version of this stud finder Zircon Stud Finder and it finds the aluminum frame 12" on center in my Allegro. I wish I had used it when I installed my outdoor shower. I picked the only spot in the rear where the studs were closer together and had to tweak the shower box to accommodate a stud.
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Jan 01, 2019
    I keep seeing ads for I think it's wallabot or something like that. IT's a device that lets you "See" through the wall with the aid of your android phone.

    All I can tell you is the ad exists never seen the product.

    Son of a Gun found it in one GOOGLE search
    Walabot

    I stress I know nothing about that product other than part of what is in the ad.. 70 dollar price scared me off of viewing the full ad.
  • covered_wagon's avatar
    covered_wagon
    Explorer
    Jan 01, 2019
    With a fully articulating arm it with have more force leverage on it. I have found Titebond Construction adhesive to be stronger. Just one small tube would do you. It is a faster setting adhesive but does not come off easily. You need dynamite to get that stuff off.

    Sometimes you can locate the studs by knocking on the wall with your knuckle telling by the difference in sound it makes.
  • wildtoad's avatar
    wildtoad
    Explorer II
    Jan 01, 2019
    I like the Dutchman’s idea. Modern flat tv’s don’t weigh much, you spread the holding strength across the entire board. Good idea.

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