Finding metal studs in dry wall

[Psyclist]

I'm trying to mount a microwave bracket onto a drywall in my new (just moved in last week but house is 8 years old) house and everywhere is bloody plasterboard.

I know from taking a socket off the wall that the construction is some kind of metal framing behind the plasterboard and wondered if there's a standard stud width with these walls? I know nothing about new build houses. I've only ever worked with older properties made from block or stone so I'm not too sure about stud walls everywhere.

Great for WiFi coverage though. Used to have bad spots all over my old house, not one in this house.

 

[jabuzzard]

A strong magnet is my favourite. The ones you get for child proofing kitchen doors work well. A cheap option if you have access to an old hard disk is to disassemble it. The magnets used for the voice coil on the head actuator will bite your fingers off if you are not careful.

 

[Psyclist]

Nice tip! Thanks!

 

[jeds]

Agreed. Nice tip. And recycling.

 

[jabuzzard]

Can also be used for finding wooden studs as well, as you will lock onto the plasterboard screws/nails. Much cheaper than those detector things which don't seem to work very well.

 

[Psyclist]

Yes I have one of those detectors and you can never tell whether it's working or not. They seem to work and not work as they please.

 

[jeds]

Good detectors do work on metal stud and pipes but most people have no idea how to use one propely. Nearly everybody I've come across thinks it is just a case of running the detector across a wall until it beeps. That's not how they work at all and that technique will tell you nothing about where a stud is.

OK, just for the record. The correct technique is to mark outer signals either side of a stud and work inwards one side at a time until you pinpoint the centre.

or use a magnet.

 

[jabuzzard]

The problem is the cheap detectors are not very good. The good detectors are actually quite expensive, and for finding studs don't appear to offer anything a strong magnet can achieve for a lot less. If you have access to an old hard disks (you can tell I work in IT) then that is a lot extra.

You can detect mains cables using a none contact mains detector wand thing for a couple of quid of eBay.