If it turns out to be horizontal furring strips instead of studs, perhaps you could mount a decorative pillar against the wall, anchored to the furring strips, to mount the arm on. It wouldn't have to be anything more than a 2x4 wrapped with wood trim of some sort.
It would have to be tall enough to anchor into two of the horizontal furring strips, but would still be mostly hidden by the TV.

surprised no one has suggested a couple eye bolts in the ceiling, cheap chain hanging down and mount the tv to the chain,,,

Is this solved yet? Skins is on the right track.

"Electronic" stud finders are worthless. The go to is rare earth magnets to find the fasteners. If for some reason that doesn't work, I blunt a framing nail and start making holes. Never a drill bit. Tapping/knocking, meh.

In the case of wood paneling, if other observations yield nothing I'll look at the nails of the baseboard. Even when painted you can typically see them, and in older homes they held the paneling up from the floor and firred out each stud for the baseboard. In both plaster and panel.

In the 50's and before, stud spacing was not really too standard, but there is still no guarantee it will be today. It's just more likely. This is due to lumber sizing, and that they were drunk when they built the home back then. Oh, the empty booze bottles/cans I've found in the walls of old homes.

This Old House is full of shit on so many things. Shame on them for stud finders and drilling. I won't give away the best tip in the vid.

The best stud finder I've ever used is one that was recommended right here on SigForum. The CH Hanson magnetic finder. Only $8!

https://smile.amazon.com/CH-Ha...magnetic+stud+finder



I just ordered two more as gifts for friends. They're fantastic.

That's the ones that I buy.

I buy them in multiples, because people in other trades make them disappear. I'm the Johnny Appleseed of these.

Yes, Arc, I think it's mostly solved, just working out some details. Trying to decide whether to lag the top of the mount to the furring strip, and screw the bottom to the paneling like skins first suggested, or lag a pair of vertical 2x4"s to two furring strips, then lag the TV mount through the 2x4's and into the paneling. Not sure about the cosmetics for the vertical 2x4's, but it feels like a solution that is strong enough.

Thanks especially to skins, and those of you who took the time to provide thoughtful advice. Understanding how the wall is constructed was particularly key to figuring out a solution.

Now I just have to work up the nerve to trust hanging 84 lbs. on an articulating arm mounted to the wall. I'm pleasantly surprised the one upstairs is still defying gravity at about half the weight.

It is claimed the Franklin Sensors stud finders actually work. Or at least work a lot better than the Zircon stud finders.

Did a bit of web researching the other night, when I first saw this thread. Reason being is my last Zircon stud finder let me down yet again, so I was curious to see if there was one that actually worked. What I found was several threads where contractors said they kept trying Zircon finders and tossing them when they proved unreliable again, then tried a Franklin and found them to (mostly?) work.

I've seen one of the Franklin models in the local Costco for years. Always figured it was a gimmick, what with all those LEDs.

I don't think, from what I've seen in this thread, a stud finder is what the OP needs, though. Not certain he has actual studs.

quote:

Originally posted by jigray3:
Now I just have to work up the nerve to trust hanging 84 lbs. on an articulating arm mounted to the wall.

You're a braver (?) man than I. I wouldn't even attempt that. Not with 84 lbs. of TV. Not without knowing exactly to what it was I was securing the thing.