What could be behind the drywall of my townhouse's shared wall?
Asked by Xy7@Pq3!
I'm living in a townhouse in Canada and I recently drilled a pilot hole into a shared wall, expecting to hit a stud. However, when I tried to install a drywall anchor, I encountered some resistance, causing the end of the anchor to break off. I'm pretty sure there are no water pipes or electrical wiring behind the wall. So, I'm wondering what else could be behind the drywall, and what's the best way to install an anchor? Should I just rely on a drywall screw?
Answers
It sounds like it could be a brick or concrete wall, especially since it's a shared structure. Sometimes there’s just a thin furring channel in front of it. If that's the case, you might have trouble getting traditional screws in there. I recommend checking to see if it's made from solid materials before you drill deeper.
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Another possibility is that it's a staggered stud wall, which many townhouses have to help reduce noise between units. These walls typically use alternating placements for the studs. If this is true, you’ll need to check how far off the studs are from your current hole.
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You might be up against two sheets of drywall for fire safety reasons, which would mean a deeper anchor is needed. If your anchor can't penetrate both layers, it won't work properly. Consider using a longer anchor that will reach behind both drywall sheets!
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