Ohio has one of the older housing stocks in the country, with many wood-frame houses from the early and mid 1900s in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo. Older homes often have plaster over lath and block or stone basements, while newer suburban construction uses standard drywall over wood studs.

median year homes were built: 1971; median year homes were built
built in 2000 or later: 18.1%; built in 2000 or later
built before 1960: 36.9%; built before 1960
single-family homes: 74%; single-family homes
in buildings with 5+ units: 15%; in buildings with 5+ units
mobile homes: 3.3%; mobile homes

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

Common wall types

Plaster on lath

Where: Houses built before 1960, for example in Cleveland Heights, Over-the-Rhine and Clintonville neighborhoods and in older small-town housing.

Mounting: Plaster is hard and can crack or crumble. Find studs, pre-drill slowly, and use toggle bolts or snap toggles off-stud. Lath behind plaster can make stud finders unreliable.

Wood-frame walls with drywall

Where: Postwar and newer houses across the state's suburbs.

Mounting: Studs are typically 16 inches on center. Lag into studs with 5/16" lag bolts.

Block and poured concrete basement walls

Where: Most Ohio houses have basements; theaters and media rooms are commonly built there.

Mounting: Use a hammer drill with 1/4" concrete screws or 3/8" sleeve anchors, placing anchors in solid concrete or block face shells. Frame and insulate over damp walls only after moisture is addressed.

Brick and masonry

Where: Older city rowhouses and some brick homes in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus.

Mounting: Use masonry anchors in brick face, avoiding mortar joints where possible; old brick can crumble.

Fireplaces and brick or stone surrounds

Where: Older houses and many mid-century homes.

Mounting: Check heat limits and clearances before mounting above a fireplace; masonry surrounds need masonry anchors.

Manufactured homes

Where: Rural counties and mobile-home communities.

Mounting: Walls are thin and studs may be spaced wider, so the mount must hit framing; add blocking for heavy mounts.

Tips before you mount

Plaster and lath: locate studs with a stud finder and confirm with a small pilot hole, pre-drill slowly, and use snap toggles or toggle bolts rated for the load where the mount spans off-stud. Never rely on plaster alone for a full-motion arm.
Lag the mount into at least two studs (usually 16" on center) with 5/16" lag bolts about 2.5" to 3" long; a full-motion arm multiplies leverage on the wall, so it must never hang on drywall anchors alone.
Basement walls: a media room in the basement often means block or poured concrete behind furring or drywall. Use 1/4" concrete screws or 3/8" sleeve anchors with a hammer drill, and check for moisture first, since Ohio basements commonly deal with damp walls and freeze-thaw movement.
Brick and block: drill into solid face shells or brick faces and not mortar joints or hollow cores where possible.
Hiding wires: NEC 400.12 does not allow a regular TV power cord to be concealed inside a wall. Use an in-wall rated recessed power kit, and run CL2- or CL3-rated low-voltage cable for in-wall HDMI and speaker lines. In plaster walls, fishing cable can be difficult; a surface raceway is often a cleaner option.
Over a fireplace: check the TV maker's heat limits; a mantel or tilting mount that clears the heat path helps. Make sure the chimney and surround are sound and anchor into masonry, not just the facing.
Garages and covered porches: freeze-thaw and cold stress electronics. Use outdoor-rated TVs and stainless-steel hardware in exposed spaces.
Before work starts, tell the installer the wall type, the TV size and weight, the mount type and whether the building has rules for contractors. These change the anchors, labor time and price.

Sources: Census Reporter, ACS 2024 1-year: Ohio (B25035, B25034, B25024) · Bob Vila: Lath and plaster (era and construction) · Groundworks: Ohio foundation and basement issues (clay soils, freeze-thaw). General guidance only — your installer will confirm the right method for your wall.