Help with center speaker and cutting stud

DerMusic

Another newbie question, please don't bash me too badly.

I am in the planning stages for a 5.1 system in an existing house. The room I plan to install this in is 15 x 16 with one side partially opened into a kitchen and dinning room. I will be using in-wall/in-ceiling speakers. The front speakers will be installed on an inside wall and the surrounds will be in the ceiling.

At this point I am considering the following speakers, LC65i for the fronts, LC60i for the surrounds and LCi-c for the center.

My first problem is the inside wall I want to install the LCD and speakers. This wall has 2x6 studs and in the exact center of the wall is a 2x6. Because of the room configuration I will need to install the center speaker in the exact center. The mounting depth of the LCI-c is 3 inches so I will need to notch the stud by 2.5 inches allowing for .5 inches for the drywall.

1. Do you think I can notch this stud? (I don't know squat about construction so I don't know if this is a load bearing wall or not. I am waiting for a response from the builder)

2. Assuming I can are these speakers a good match?

3. As a possible alternative can these fronts and centers be installed in the ceiling? (Did I hear anyone/everying moan?) If this is ok would I need a different speaker selection?

Thanks in advance.

disneyjoe7

DerMusic wrote: »

My first problem is the inside wall I want to install the LCD and speakers. This wall has 2x6 studs and in the exact center of the wall is a 2x6.

Hold off until you get a hold of the builder, a 2x6 interior wall must be a load bearing wall, so removing a stud without some expert help wouldn't a good thing. :eek:

jvarnadoe

The speaker selection sounds pefect in my opinion. Are you also mounting a flat screen in this installation? If so, Sanus makes a center channel speaker bracket (link below) that attaches to some of their mounts. I've been thinking of adding this to my VMAA26S to make the installation a little cleaner. Just an idea. It's model #VMCC1 under Visionmount then Accessories. I couldn't get the url to carry over correctly.

http://www.sanus.com/us/en/

jvarnadoe

Forgot to mention that you'd obviously have to switch from the LCIC to the LSIC if you used this.

m00npie

DerMusic wrote: »

At this point I am considering the following speakers, LC65i for the fronts, LC60i for the surrounds and LCi-c for the center.

My first problem is the inside wall I want to install the LCD and speakers. This wall has 2x6 studs and in the exact center of the wall is a 2x6. Because of the room configuration I will need to install the center speaker in the exact center. The mounting depth of the LCI-c is 3 inches so I will need to notch the stud by 2.5 inches allowing for .5 inches for the drywall.

1. Do you think I can notch this stud? (I don't know squat about construction so I don't know if this is a load bearing wall or not. I am waiting for a response from the builder)

Waiting for your builder is the smart thing. If he does not get back to you, then ask another one. Notching interior walls depends on the design of your house; some interior walls may be load bearing, as you said, especially if you have a house with a lot of hips and valleys’ in the roof. Some of the interior walls (Most walls in the middle of the house will be load bearing) will be used to carry the weight of the center or a certain portion of the roof.

If you live in a standard ranch house or a square 2 story house with a standard 6/12 roof (pitch \ steepness of the roof), chances are, the wall is not bearing and you can notch away even if it is the center wall. If your roof is cut up with multiple gables\hips\valleys and has pitches greater than 8/12, then multiple walls on the interior will be carrying the roof.

If it is a bearing wall, here are some ways to do it.

1.) You would need to buy 2 more 2x6 studs and place them on both sides of where the center will go. Once they are nailed into place, simply knock the center stud out and your issue is solved but again, this way requires a lot drywall work.

2.) You would need to knock out two 2x6 studs and place either a 2x8 up to a 2x12 header above the center which means a lot more work period. How much weight the wall carries will determine the size of the header.

I’ll leave the speaker questions to others as I only have experience with the TC series.

chtaylor3

I am doing something similar in my instance of installing fronts and a center. I have an exterior wall (load bearing) and will be creating a header across the studs I will be cutting out, much like building a window opening. And it does entail a lot of drywall work. Interior 2 x 6 wall I would bet is load bearing. If the builder does not get back with you get a hold of the county and see if you can get the plans for your house (I did) and usually the plans will show which walls are load bearing.