• Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
  • Consider registering! Fewer and higher quality ads, no emails you don't want, access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Even if you just want to lurk, there are a lot of good reasons to register!

Home Repair question

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Sort by date Sort by votes
Thump

Thump

Hating the environment since 1994
    • I've been without a handrail on my stairs ever since I moved into my house. My problem is that I'm having trouble finding the studs to anchor the handrail into b/c the wall is lath and plaster so a stud finder doesn't work. I've tried tapping the wall to find the studs but no luck, also tried finding where the trim is nailed to the wall hoping it's nailed into the studs but no luck there as well.

    Any help would be appreciated.
     
    Last edited:
    I would suggest starting on the end of the wall and measuring 17.5" into the wall due to the fact that studs are placed 16" O.C. add 1.5" due to the build up of lathe and plaster (roughly .75") and .75 of an inch into the 2x4 and you'll probably be pretty damn close.
     
    Upvote 0
    scarletandgrey;703953; said:
    I would suggest starting on the end of the wall and measuring 17.5" into the wall due to the fact that studs are placed 16" O.C. add 1.5" due to the build up of lathe and plaster (roughly .75") and .75 of an inch into the 2x4 and you'll probably be pretty damn close.
    Click to expand...

    Why measure 17.5 inches and not just 16?
     
    Upvote 0
    Thump;703958; said:
    Why measure 17.5 inches and not just 16?
    Click to expand...


    Because on the end of the wall you'll have a build up of plaster and lathe over top of the 2x4 adding about .75 of an inch and then add another .75 of an inch to be accomadate for the width of the second 2x4. .75 +.75=1.5"
     
    Upvote 0
    I cheated and googled it.

    The "Let's Go Fishing" Method
    fndstud3.gif
    If you think you know the general placement of a stud but just can't pin it down, this method should help. It creates an unwanted hole, but one hole is better than several. This method can be used in combination with the other methods mentioned here, and is often used as a last resort.
    1. Drill a small hole at a sharp angle toward the place where you anticipate the stud will be.
    2. Insert an insulated wire with electrical tape over each end through the hole until it contacts the stud. The wire should be heavy enough to be rigid, but thin enough to require a small hole: A length of insulated, 14 gauge home wire, for example, would be ideal.
    3. Bend the wire slightly at the hole, so that when it is removed you'll have an approximate indicator of the distance from the hole to the edge of the stud. It's only approximate because the measurement was made at an angle. The actual distance will be slightly shorter depending upon the angle and the distance between the hole and the stud.
    4. Using the wire and the hole as a reference, mark the stud location on the wall. Remember to add up to 3/4" to the measurement. You want to work from the center of the stud, not from its edge.
     
    Upvote 0
    osugrad21;704000; said:
    I'm disappointed in this board...7 posts not including Thump's...and not one mention of Thump wanting to find and drill some studs.

    This place is getting slow.

    :biggrin:
    Click to expand...

    No doubt, figured the first response after mentioning "stud-finder" would have resulted in that gay ass David Hasselhoff pic.
     
    Upvote 0
    You should, and this is a tentative should be able to measure from 16" all the way across the wall. The way that MOST walls are built would take into account whatever wall covering is there. Now, it sounds as though you live in an old house, and I have done enough remodels to know that 16" O.C in many older homes was a generalized suggestion, not a hard and fast rule. The walls could be 24 O.C. as well. or anything in between. My suggestion would be to pull off the base trim and use the "fishing" method where you can easily cover it back up and not have too much to fix.
     
    Upvote 0
    You must log in or register to reply here.
    Back
    Top