Metal studs & rentals

The wall your stud finder is lying about

Apartments and nearly everything built here since 2000 are framed in steel. Older Austin is plaster. Rentals come with deposit nerves. We mount on all of it, from $99.

The honest version

Why steel studs eat DIY mounts

A metal stud is thin steel, and the wood-screw habits that hold a house will strip right out of it. Usually at night. Usually with the TV attached.

We hang it on hardware made for steel, spread the load across the studs, and it holds like the wall was framed in oak. The right anchors are already in the van, because in this town steel is the normal wall.

Same starting price as any drywall mount. The builder's framing choice isn't your surcharge.

TV mounted on a clean wall in a high-rise Austin condo — High-rise Austin condo. Steel studs behind that drywall, and the TV isn't going anywhere.

Pricing

Steel, priced like drywall

TV mounting

from $99

Metal studs, wood studs, or no studs where you need them. Mounted, leveled, tested, old mount down, mess gone.

What moves the price

Size, cords,
sound

Bigger TVs, cords hidden inside the wall, a soundbar underneath (from $69). All of it priced out loud on the call, before we drive.

Call for an exact quote — a real person (or Beau) answers 24/7.

TV mounted level above a low white and wood console in a bright living room — Clean wall, small footprint. Everything in that wall is patchable in an afternoon.

Renter-friendly

Deposit math, told straight

A proper, renter-friendly mount leaves a handful of anchor holes. That's standard patch-and-paint, the same category as picture hanging in most leases, and we'll tell you exactly what goes into the wall before anything does.

What we won't do is sell you the internet's favorite fantasy. Most "no-drill" TV solutions are rated for hope, not for a 65-inch panel over the spot where people sit. If your lease truly means zero holes, we'll tell you straight and save you the patch bill.

Moving out? We take mounts down too. Removing one is part of the job here, not an extra.

Older Austin

Plaster lies to stud finders

Pre-70s homes in Hyde Park, Travis Heights and the older streets are plaster over lath, and a stud finder reads the whole wall as one long false positive. We find the real framing the slow way — magnets on the lath nails and a little patience — then use anchors that respect brittle plaster instead of blowing chips off your wall.

Recent work

Ordinary walls, done properly

TV and soundbar mounted on a reclaimed wood plank wall above a white media console

TV and soundbar mounted over a dark console beside a staircase

TV in a custom rustic wood frame mounted above a styled antique dresser

Reviews

5.0 on Google, and we plan to keep it there

Seven reviews, seven five-stars. Real customers, real installs.

★★★★★
“Whenever a customer asks us about AV services, we always send them to Zilker AV. They really know their stuff when it comes to home theaters, smart home setups, and all things audio-visual. We’ve seen their work, and it’s solid.”
— Daryl U., Google review

★★★★★
“Highly recommend!! Did an exceptional job hanging some TV’s. They are professional, honest, and provide quality work. They were extremely respectful while completing the job quickly and efficiently. I would 100% recommend them to anyone!”
— Paige, Google review

★★★★★
“David and his team were fantastic! He was very quick and prompt in scheduling our appointment, making the process seamless from the start.”
— Michael S., Google review

See all reviews on Google →

Service area

Austin, and out through the hill country

We cover the city, but most of our stone work is west and south: Dripping Springs, Driftwood and Wimberley. Long drives are normal for us. Ask and we'll tell you honestly whether we can get to you today.

Questions

Straight answers

Can you mount a TV on metal studs?

Yes, every week. Most Austin apartments, condos and newer builds are framed in light steel, and the wood-screw habits that work in a house strip right out of it. We put toggle anchors through the face of the stud so the load spreads across the steel instead of biting into it. Done that way it holds like wood. From $99, same as any drywall mount.

Can you mount a TV where there are no studs?

Usually, yes. Heavy-duty toggles in the drywall itself carry more than people expect when they're sized and spaced right for the TV. And when a wall genuinely can't hold your set safely, we say that on the call instead of hanging it and hoping. That answer costs nothing.

Will mounting a TV cost me my apartment deposit?

We can't speak for your landlord, but here's the honest picture: a proper mount leaves a few anchor holes, the same patch-and-paint category as hanging pictures in most leases. We keep the footprint as small as your TV allows and tell you exactly what goes into the wall before it does. If your lease truly means no holes at all, we'll say so — a good stand beats a bad promise.

Is it still $99 on metal studs?

Yes. Steel framing is still a drywall mount, and the starting price doesn't change because a builder saved money on lumber. Size, in-wall cords and a soundbar move the number the same way they do anywhere else, and you'll have the exact figure on the call.