The siding on my house is Hardieplank cement fiber board.
I have a 20lb manual pull down projector screen that I would like to hang onto the side of my house to create an outdoor theater.
The studs are 16 inches apart, and the length of the screen is 92". How do I go about hanging something this heavy on the Hardieplank when the studs don't line up with the hooks on the screen? Should I just return the screen and opt for one that can be hung on a stand?
Mount a board on the wall and then mount the screen on the board.
Get an 8 foot cedar or pressure treated 2x6, you can then use timber screws to mount it to the wall insuring you hit the studs. You will need to pre-drill both the 2x6 and the cement siding, the hole in the siding should be as big as the screw and the hole in the board should be just smaller then the screw. This will prevent the board and siding from splitting.
I would think three studs would be sufficient for the weight of the screen.
Put some Quad silicone in the hole in the siding and the hole in the 2x6 to prevent water from entering the wall.
You may want to use spacers behind the board, cedar or composite shims also pre-drilled, so that the board sits off the wall by a 1x4 inch. This will allow air to get in and prevent water getting trapped, it will also help to put the board at the correct angle if your siding is typical lap siding.
You now have solid surface to mount your screen to.
I've dealt with this issue by using chains (although, not outdoors, and it was a more permanent installation, so I didn't have to keep hanging & removing it).
Basically, you attach brackets at the studs as high as you can, and attach chains to them. You then attach the screen to the end of the chains.
You want the brackets to be as high up as possible, so the angle of the chains is as close to vertical as possible. (this reduces the amount of horizontal force on the brackets).
If you don't have a lot of vertical space to work with, go with Alaska Man's recommendation.
