Multiple studs at random spacing

[hrusis]

I used a Zircon e50 and a rare earth magnet and they both confirm the same thing. I seem to have studs at non standard spacing.

E.g I started at the corner and found a stud using the magnet. Measuring 16" from there I found another one. But then, the next one is at 19". And then there's another one is right next to it (to the 19" one) at like 4".

So far I found studs at 16", 19" and 13" spacings. I don't know if they are studs or something else.

Magnet found a nail so I'm assuming its a stud. Zircon stud finder confirmed it (had to use DeepScan). Some studs can be found using regular scan as well.

This is on one wall though and its the wall that connects my garage to my neighbor's. I'm in a townhome. The wall is 20' wide.

So I'm confused as hell. Can someone help me sort this out?


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[GMCGarage]

What is the purpose for finding the studs? Are you trying to hang something?
Could be to avoid pipes, HVAC, or just to support what it needs to. who knows how they framed it.

Does it ever goto normal spacing?

 

[GYPSY400]

My house is like that.. no consistency whatsoever

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[firebirdparts]

There may be weight on those from upstairs.

 

[hrusis]

I'm trying to hang shelves on them, something like these (see attachment).

It goes into normal spacing on the opposite wall. I think there is one stud at odd spacing there too (could be a measurement error since I only have used magnet on that so far) but most of the studs are at 16" spacing.

I checked other walls using Zircon SF and the results were irregular. I'm going to use magnet on them to find reaffirm the SF's findings today.

The layout is something like this

|--garage door------------
|                        |
| <- irregular wall      |
|                        |
|                        |
|             -----------|
|             |
|             | <- mostly normal wall
|             |
|             |
|_____Door____|

 

[APEowner]

Walls between adjoining garages in a town home may have weird framing for file block and or noise abatement. Or, they could just be badly framed.

 

[ard]

Drill holes with a 1/16 or 3/32 bit...if it will be covered with the shelf supports...

Also, I wonder if you may have a double stud wall- your side of the Sheetrock fastened to one set of studs, the neighbors to the other? But your detector is sensing all of them??

 

[hrusis]

Walls between adjoining garages in a town home may have weird framing for file block and or noise abatement. Or, they could just be badly framed.

There is very good noise isolation between the homes. Not sure what a file block is.

Drill holes with a 1/16 or 3/32 bit...if it will be covered with the shelf supports...

Also, I wonder if you may have a double stud wall- your side of the Sheetrock fastened to one set of studs, the neighbors to the other? But your detector is sensing all of them??

I'll drill to find out eventually but you may have a point about neighbor's but my drywalls are fastened to them as well (magnet confirms this). I'm going to use SF and magnet on the entire length and other walls and will update with my findings.

Its just that I expected a pattern to emerge and so far I haven't found any. Do I need to repeat my stud finding exercise at every strip level? Looks like there are more studs or who know if they are even full height studs or just some half pillars to support something.

 

[ard]

Or could be framers failed to use a 2x6 or 2x8 plate- installed a 2x4 plate, but followed the framing plan for multiple studs.

Is it possible there are two "sets"? Each that follows the standrd 16" spacing?

"fire' block, not file block (autocorrect)... google it

 

[hrusis]

Or could be framers failed to use a 2x6 or 2x8 plate- installed a 2x4 plate, but followed the framing plan for multiple studs.

Is it possible there are two "sets"? Each that follows the standrd 16" spacing?

Gonna find that out once I get off work.

"fire' block, not file block (autocorrect)... google it

Ha ha ok. I know what a fire block is. Should have guessed. Autocorrect is the best! LOL

 

[James-W]

When we remodeled my oldest daughter's bathroom, the studs were not spaced correctly so we installed new studs at the correct 16" OC spacing. We had gutted the bathroom down to the studs anyway so it was pretty simple to add studs at the correct spacing. We installed the new studs first, then we removed the old studs so we could put insulation in the walls. To do this for a whole house would be a major undertaking, but if you need to rewire and insulate the whole house, it MAY be the best way to do it.

 

[matt_i]

I have a few studs off the 16"oc center spacing in my build. Mostly out of necessity of framing 3 windows on 3 sides and using shorter wall sections that could be lifted by 2 people. I'm planning to etch/slot the concrete lightly with a dremel tool for confirmation of the stud centers later on, before I seal up the walls.

 

[hrusis]

When we remodeled my oldest daughter's bathroom, the studs were not spaced correctly so we installed new studs at the correct 16" OC spacing. We had gutted the bathroom down to the studs anyway so it was pretty simple to add studs at the correct spacing. We installed the new studs first, then we removed the old studs so we could put insulation in the walls. To do this for a whole house would be a major undertaking, but if you need to rewire and insulate the whole house, it MAY be the best way to do it.

Yeah makes sense you're redoing stuff. For me, I just want to accurately locate them so that I can drill the 2x4 strips correctly. The shelves would accumulate storage items over time so I want them to be sturdy enough to support the weight.

 

[teamextreme]

I take a small finish nail and lightly tap it in. You can tell the difference between open void (obviously) vs wood or plastic pipe or metal when it hits. Just be very careful and don't drive it in, just light taps.

 

[James-W]

I take a small finish nail and lightly tap it in. You can tell the difference between open void (obviously) vs wood or plastic pipe or metal when it hits. Just be very careful and don't drive it in, just light taps.

I do essentially the same thing, except I use a needle rather than a nail. A needle is very thin and easy to get thru the drywall. I can easily tell when I hit something solid, like a stud. Best part is, the needle makes such a small hole you can hardly even see it.

 

[APEowner]

"fire' block, not file block (autocorrect)... google it

Thank you. Sadly, I can't blame that one on auto-correct. I mistyped it all by myself.

 

[hrusis]

Found my pattern (see attachment). The ones circled (or squared if you must) are 16" apart.

The secondary ones are also pretty consistent - they are 24" apart.

This is all through magnet. Zircon e50 SF gets confused by the close vicinity of the secondary studs (although it did find those edges in some cases using DeepScan).

The other walls are all 16" apart.

Not sure why there are 2 sets of studs on that particular wall (could be due to one or more reasons that are already mentioned or something else, who knows).

The needle idea is also good. I'll use that before drilling/nailing the strips.

Thanks everyone for your inputs! All ideas are still welcome! Doing this garage makeover has taught me many things!

 

[BuffettFan]

The garage in my previous house had the same issue. I chalked it up to a couple guys with more beer than clues. just to clarify, it was built before I was born.

 

[Cobra5150]

Two framers on the job- one wanted 16" centers, the other wanted 24.
They never agreed on anything.

 

[hrusis]

Two framers on the job- one wanted 16" centers, the other wanted 24.
They never agreed on anything.

LOL yeah. Maybe they were husband/wife?

 

[DeltaWye]

You probably have something like this:

for (as a poster upthread suggested) noise abatement. The wall may also have 2 sheets of drywall on one side (or both) to slow down fire spread.

 

[hrusis]

You probably have something like this:

for (as a poster upthread suggested) noise abatement. The wall may also have 2 sheets of drywall on one side (or both) to slow down fire spread.

Oh wow! That's helpful to know!

 

[BuffaloBro]

Thank you for having this here!!!! i was going crazy with the same issue.

 

[GreyOwl]

LOL yeah. Maybe they were husband/wife?

Two framers on the job- one wanted 16" centers, the other wanted 24.
They never agreed on anything.

Maybe it was Alf and Ralph?(Green Acres for you youngsters)

 

[mmb617]

My house is really old and the studs are completely random spacing. Some are as close as 13", others are as much as 21", and they're all rough cut true 2"x4". Since the walls were all finished with plaster over wood lath they didn't need standard spacing so the edge of any sheet goods would land on a stud. They probably didn't even measure just eyeballed it.

 

[Prospecter]

Old construction is not always good construction. Depended on the builder, just like today.

 

[CraigStu]

I have a stud finder that works pretty well. But for anything critical I use the 1/6 drill bit technique. This way I can be absolutely certain I am not just in the stud but in the center of the stud. Most of the time I can drill at a spot that will be covered so no need to fix all my little holes.

 

[ace10]

I have a stud finder that works pretty well. But for anything critical I use the 1/6 drill bit technique. This way I can be absolutely certain I am not just in the stud but in the center of the stud. Most of the time I can drill at a spot that will be covered so no need to fix all my little holes.

Get a Franklin 710 sensor. You will learn to trust it after only a couple of uses.

 

[TractorJeff]

You probably have something like this:

for (as a poster upthread suggested) noise abatement. The wall may also have 2 sheets of drywall on one side (or both) to slow down fire spread.

This could be True as it is a connected Townhouse!

 

[Jazz1]

One person measuring 16” center to center, other person measuring 16” between the studs...and one notices the difference so closes the gap to 13” for even weight distribution..unevenly spaced studs not uncommon when amateurs pounding nails

 

[nadogail]

When was the wall framed? Standard Practices and Building Codes have evolved over the years.

 

[50pascals]

Next time, drill all those holes at the bottom of the wall and cover them with a baseboard when you are done. or if there's already a baseboard, pop it off and drill behind it.

 

[readhead]

This threads is 3 1/2 years old and I presume that the shelves are up.

He never said how old the building was and offset studs for party walls haven't been used for years. Most party walls are now two separate walls with fire rated drywall on both sides of each wall. The odd stud layout may have been to support something on the next level or the framer just messed up the layout.

 

[bradpac]

But it shows he signed in a couple of days ago, so now that this thread has maybe reappeared we can know how it turned out.