I'm trying to mount a garden hose reel onto an exterior wall that's covered in stucco, but I'm having a hard time finding the studs with my stud finder. I'm using a Franklin Sensors 'Prosensor X995' and while I'm getting signals, I can't make sense of them. I suspect that the stucco is backed by 'chicken wire,' which might be messing with the sensor. Is this tool not suitable for stucco, and can anyone suggest where I should drill?
3 Answers
Stucco can be tricky because there’s often a metallic mesh behind it for adhesion, which can throw off stud finders. You might be better off measuring the location of a stud found inside, then using that position to estimate where the studs are on the outside. Just keep in mind that it's not a perfect science due to the materials involved.
Using neodymium magnets can help you locate nails or fasteners behind the stucco, which can give you a clear idea of where the studs might be. Try to move the magnet around for the strongest stick. If you hit spots that feel like chicken wire, that might be part of the issue too.
I tried using magnets, but they stuck in patterns that just confused me more. I also knocked on the stucco, but the sound didn’t change the way I expected. It just wasn’t reliable.
Consider using wall dogs and double the weight of what you're hanging when selecting them. For your reel, which should weigh around 15.8 lbs plus the hose’s weight, go for wall dogs rated to handle double that. Just be sure to think about leverage, as the reel will apply more stress at that distance from the wall.
That’s a great suggestion. Just to be sure, I ran the numbers, and I’m right at the edge of the weight limit for my wall type. Given that the leverage is around 12" away, do you think that would be enough to hold it securely?
I tried measuring from an inside stud to the outside and it didn't work for me. I measured 123" from the front wall, added the wall thickness, then drilled, but ended up hitting nothing. After a few failed attempts, I stopped trying to avoid more holes in my wall.