How to find wooden batons under finished surface ?

[threedee]

Need to find roof trusses under plasterboard, plaster and paint. Preferably without drilling loads of holes in the wall.

Need to hang a tv in the loft (at an angle) and only fixing points possible are the trusses. Unless you come up with something better ?

Ideas ?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

drill loads of tiny holes in the wall

You know the answer already. try tapping on the plasterboard to approximately locate a rafter. If its a recent loft conversion you may have a layer of insulation between the boards and the rafters anyway so a drill will be the only option.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

You can buy stud dectors, that will identify where the joist are, make sure you buy one that will cover the depth of your finished wall and not ones, that also picks up pipe and cables as they can give conflicting results.
It's likely each stud will be at 400mm centres, depending on the size of the bracket you are using for the TV, it's highly unlikely that you will manage to find the timbers in the right place to securely fix.
Again depending on the weight of the TV plus bracket, you may not be able to use conventional fixing/plugs.
So it maybe a case of cutting into the boards and fitting a nogin or two in anyway!

 

[foxhole]

what size tv?

 

[threedee]

40", weighs in at about 15kg (30ish lbs).

I'm getting some photos together as to what is where and how. Will post shortly...

Update1:
Pardon the mess, storage is not done yet, so this is at the moment bedroom-come-storage dump...

The open wall/floor section looks like this, cut out a chunk of floor to make a stair up.

Thats the "wall" i need to hang the telly on, more towards the window in the back, not center.

Overall view from other end.

As for "knocking the wall" suggestion - doesnt work. Cant get the timber location this way, i've tried...

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

The open wall/floor section looks like this, cut out a chunk of floor to make a stair up.

That opening looks like you've literally got your saw out and made a hole, without any trimming or strengthening whatsoever!!!! Are you mad?

 

[threedee]

No i'm not. There was a hatch that crossed those 2 beams you see. No structural change has been made by widening the opening.

Just so you know. I have worked in interior design ofice (albeit as technical draughtsman, not designer) to know when stupid is stupid... (aka unsafe)...

 

[foxhole]

You can see the spacing at the base of walls/roof , just use that to measure across from the closest you can see, should give location of timber to within a few mm.