Walls and Ceilings - wall stud repair for TV mount

Went to install TV mount for large LCD tv. One of the studs had dry rot, top to bottom. I need a wood stud to drill three large holes in to hole one side of the TV wall mount. Any suggestions on how to reinforce, build something or whatever? I want to avoid having to rip out dry wall from top to bottom to put a new stud in just to put in a wall mounted TV arm. Thanks

Not quite sure how you can say there is dry rot top to bottom if you haven't opened the wall up yet. So I'm confused.

Or did your lag screws strip out. If so, get longer ones... or larger diameter ones.

I know *no way* of replacing a stud inside a wall without removing the drywall. that would be a trick. Only idea I would have is a silly one... putting a long bolt w/washer all the way through the wall (through the "dryrotted" stud) to the other side of the wall. If the bolts ever needed to be removed, it would only leave a few minor holes to patch... better than one great big patch.

I cut open a foot by foot opening and examined the stud. It was dryrotted. It would not hold the weight of the TV and wall mount.
I like your idea but it would go thru bathroom into tile. How about some type of 2 x 4 attached to the side of the dry rotted stud and sometype of bracing so it would hold the 100lb weight?

Well if you've got the hole, you should be able to slip a section or several sections of 2x4 into the wall (as long as will fit) slather 3 sides of it with some construction adhesive, and get a small cordless drill inside the wall and screw to the existing stud that has dryrotted. Some drywall screws through the drywall will also help hold it in place. Not the best solution, but there isn't much else you can do if you don't want to make a bigger hole and replace the stud.

You obviously wouldn't want to hang the TV for a few days until the construction adhesive sets up.

Forget the TV and fix the dryrot first and foremost.

If this stud is bad, good chance others are shot also. Suck it up, cut out the drywall and check the entire wall that backs to the bathroom.

This is a short definition of dryrot:"Dry rot is a misnomer. In reality, dry rot is a fungus that requires moisture to live. It is prevalent in wetter climates and is virtually nonexistent in dry zones."

The moisture is most likely coming from your bathroom, so again it is likely you have other wood in this wall going bad also.

I agree with the sergeant (and it's not often you hear that from a former captain). You need to replace that stud and find out if others are affected and what the cause was (could be long gone though--fixed years ago unless you've lived here a long time). If I couldn't figure out the cause I'd use treated wood when I replaced the stud(s).

Right now hanging a TV is the least of your worries--though once fixed it will be easy enough to hang.

And since you've already cut a hole it's not much harder to just take out a floor to ceiling strip. Once you've got that out you'll be able to see if adjacent studs are affected, if not I personally wouldn't go tearing out more drywall.