I have a lot of kitchens to install on walls with double drywall over metal studs. My Franklin Sensors stud finder is great for single drywall but is failing on double, I have been having to search for them with a screw and things aren’t really OC. What strategies are recommended for finding studs in such a situation?
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1How would one of those old school cheapo stud finders work? The type that uses a magnet to sense the nails, but in this case, it's the studs themselves– AckCommented Sep 1, 2020 at 23:00
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Is adhesive used to bond the two layers of drywall? Are the seams staggered?– Jim StewartCommented Sep 2, 2020 at 18:04
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I see from the OP's comment above that these are "heavy gauge" studs. So the OP's choice of self drilling #12 screws into the studs to secure cabinets sounds much better to me than at first. In fact I can see it being absolutely first rate,, but I still think that for installing "many kitchens" there ought to be a professional evaluation, but the OP may have done that without saying so.– Jim StewartCommented Sep 3, 2020 at 10:59
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1Does your stud finder have a "deep scan" or "metal stud" mode? Some modern ones do and may find those studs without issue. It might just be a matter of the right device.– isherwoodCommented Sep 3, 2020 at 14:48
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4 Answers
The same way we find studs for single drywall.
Magnetic stud finder
Your drywall has to be screwed in properly. You will have vertical columns of screws. When the magnet hits something, go up or down a little, if it hits a vertical column - there is your stud. Since it is double drywall there would definitely not be skipping of studs so you should be able to mark everything in kitchen in a few minutes.
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Yeah, I think the magnet might be a rather good bet here actually Commented Sep 3, 2020 at 0:56
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That stud finder represents the best $7 I've ever spent! So much easier to use than the electronic ones, and it works great on my plaster walls as well. Commented Sep 3, 2020 at 13:27
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@PhilippNagel The only issue I have had - and I have bought 5-6 of these for my teams... is the pointer at the bottom of the picture is a hard plastic. It is solid. But when it drops from 4 feet onto concrete it cracks. But this tool is a time life saver. Side note - I have also used it to find surveying stakes outside in yards. The magnet is so strong that if I am within 6 inches, using a sweeping motion I will notice a tug.– DMooreCommented Sep 3, 2020 at 16:21
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I definitely like the idea of a rare-earth magnet better than the old "compass" stud-screw-finders which weren't very strong, and the level and loop (I'm presuming the loop is intended to hang a plumb line from) are nice additions. Of course the screws may not be on the center of the stud, so you might want to recheck either with a scanner or by drilling test holes a bit to either side, but for most things it's probably Quite Good Enough. (I just had to deal with plasterboard over plaster-and-lath. "I need to drill how deep?")– keshlamCommented Jan 6, 2023 at 1:36
Worth investigating: NEW Walabot DIY Stud Finder In-Wall Imager.
You could consider avoiding the metal studs. Use proper drywall anchors for #12 screws. Drywall is very strong if the clamping force of a fastener can be spread out.
If you are installing many kitchens, I would think you should get a professional expert to recommend the fastening system for hanging cabinets on 1 inch thick drywall on "heavy gauge" steel studs.
answered Sep 2, 2020 at 2:14
Magnetic stud finders RARELY work in this situation. Frequently, the second layer of drywall is laid over the top of the base layer by just screwing the second to the first. The magnetic stud finder is just finding the columns of screws that the installer put in the second layer - but this is rarely where the stud is. The drywall installer wants to avoid any chance of his second layer of screws hitting the first, so he lays them down where he knows the studs are NOT.
There are a couple options. One is to drill a hole every inch or so until you hit a stud. Unfortunately, you'll be drilling holes about 2.5" deep to verify this and this means holes large enough that they may be hard to cover up. Another option is to drill a single larger hole and sticking a 10-inch tall U-shaped rigid wire in there. The "bottom" of the U sits in the drywall, and the points are upward. Rotate the U until the point that is inside the wall touches a stud. Where the other point is (on the outside of the wall) is where the stud edge is. It is NOT easy to do this without bending your wire during insertion, which affects its accuracy, so you'll need a pretty big hole.
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1Why would you have to drill 2.5" deep holes to know you've hit a stud? Even 2 layers of 5/8" drywall are only 1.25" thick. Drilling 1.5" would be enough to hit wood (or in the OP's case, metal) to know you've hit something, not nothing. Even if you went 2.5" deep, you still don't need a wide drill bit to do that. There are plenty of long, thin bits available. And, if the row of holes will be covered by the cabinets, patching can be minimal or even optional.– FreeManCommented Jan 6, 2023 at 1:19
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Sorry about that. Typo. You're right that it should have been 1.5" Commented Mar 10, 2023 at 22:52
I've been installing some 4'x8' 600-lb capacity garage ceiling rack shelves, and here's what I've discovered over the last few days:
If it's 1" deep drywall (ex: 2 layers of 1/2" drywall), the Franklin 710+ or Franklin M210 13-sensor stud finders work great! I have the M210. Here is a video review showing it work through 2 layers of 1/2" drywall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mH2JKbg98eE&t=389s
If it's 1.25" deep drywall (ex: 2 layers of 5/8" drywall), the Franklin sensors only kinda/sorta work. My garage ceiling is about 1 3/8" thick with 2 layers 5/8" drywall (as a firewall to protect the living space above the garage in the event of a garage fire) plus texture and paint, and I am really struggling to hang my garage ceiling rack shelves. The Franklin M210 13-sensor/21-LED stud finder only kinda-sorta sometimes works to find the studs since they are so deep. But, if I use it in conjunction with some magnetic stud finders as well, such as the CH Hanson 03040 Magnetic Stud Finder (better for walls, since it has a level) and the StudBuddy Magnetic Stud Finder (better for ceilings, since it's lighter), then I can get by. I'd like the Franklin sensors to go deeper, but about 1.1" seems to be their absolute limit for reliability.
So, in summary: I think one can get by up to 1/2" drywall x 2 layers easily with the Franklin 710+ and StudBuddy Magnetic Stud Finder, and barely up to 5/8" drywall x 2 layers with these two tools, but with difficulty and sporadic readings. So, use the magnet to verify, and scan in many places from left to right and then right to left and average the results.
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I've found that magnetic finders are dangerously misleading on double drywall. For single-layer drywall, the installer has to carefully place their screws to ensure that they hit the studs or joists. However, when that second layer is installed, the guy placing the drywall often puts the screws whereeverthehell he likes, sometimes avoiding the studs so he has no chance of hitting a previous screw. If you use a magnetic finder, you'll "find" the top layer of screws that were placed in such a way as to intentionally miss the previous screws and therefore, the supporting lumber. Commented Jan 8 at 21:02
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@Sniggerfardimungus, this is true, but what else can we do? I have 2 layers of 5/8" drywall (1.25") in my garage ceiling and can't find a single electronic stud finder, period, that can reliably and consistently see them. I'd pay up to $100 for a reliable solution, and I haven't found one yet. Do you have any answers? Commented Jan 8 at 21:05