Media Wall Installers in Washington

median year homes were built

1960

median year homes were built

built in 2000 or later

28.1%

built in 2000 or later

built before 1960

49.5%

built before 1960

single-family homes

31.8%

single-family homes

in buildings with 5+ units

58.1%

in buildings with 5+ units

mobile homes

0.1%

mobile homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year, Washington, DC (tables B25035, B25034, B25024)

Common wall types

Victorian brick rowhouses

Where: Capitol Hill, Logan Circle, Dupont Circle, Columbia Heights, Shaw and Adams Morgan.

Mounting: Plaster over lath or brick; party walls are shared with neighbors under D.C.'s party wall law. Anchor into masonry, avoid cutting into shared walls without checking, and surface-run wiring.

Federal and Georgian houses

Where: Georgetown, with examples from the late 18th century.

Mounting: Thick masonry and original plaster. Use masonry anchors in solid brick and keep modifications reversible.

Converted rowhouse condos

Where: Small buildings across Capitol Hill, Shaw and Mount Pleasant that were split into condominiums.

Mounting: Often brick or plaster-and-lath with added drywall; check with the condo board and the building's party-wall situation before drilling.

High-rise concrete apartments

Where: Downtown, Navy Yard, Southwest, Foggy Bottom and Van Ness.

Mounting: Concrete slab and metal-stud demising walls; hammer drill and anchors for concrete, snap toggles for studs, and common surface raceways.

Newer wood-frame townhomes

Where: Infill streets in Brookland, Petworth and NoMa edges.

Mounting: Standard 16 inch studs; lag into two studs and look for builder-added blocking.

Tips before you mount

• Historic districts: exterior changes in a D.C. historic district need approval from the Historic Preservation Review Board, so keep cable and drilling on the interior side and avoid any exterior penetration.
• Party walls: in attached rowhouses, drilling deep or cutting channels in a shared wall can affect the neighbor; stay shallow and use surface raceways instead.
• Brick rowhouse interiors: drill into the brick face with 1/4 inch concrete screws or 3/8 inch sleeve anchors, avoiding mortar joints.
• Plaster over lath: find studs or joists, pre-drill without hammer mode, and use snap toggles where framing is missing.
• Apartment and condo buildings: expect to submit a contractor certificate of insurance and get written approval before drilling into concrete, and plan on surface raceways in concrete walls.
• Moist basement walls: English basements and below-grade rooms can be damp, so fur out the wall and keep electronics off cold exterior masonry.