I made a mistake while mounting my shelf crooked and learned a bit about drywall anchors. Now, I'm trying to re-mount it lower and to the right but when I drilled into the wall, I hit a stud right away. I've since discovered that all five holes from my previous attempt seem to have hit studs too, with distances varying from 1.5 to 8 inches apart. It's unusual since I thought studs are typically 16 inches apart. My house was built in 1925, so I'm wondering what's going on behind the drywall here. Any insights? I just want to mount my shelf safely and move on!
3 Answers
It could be that your house has some older building methods. Maybe it's got some plaster and lath instead of just drywall, or there could be blocking placed at irregular heights. It's also possible they doubled up on studs. I'd suggest checking an outlet cover to peek inside and get a better idea of what you’re dealing with!
Given the age of your house, it could also be that plywood was used behind the drywall, or there might be fire blocks that were common then. Older construction can be pretty different from what’s standard now. You might want to dig a little deeper to see what's behind the drywall.
How can I check for plywood behind the drywall? That sounds like a leading theory!
Check if what you're hitting is definitely wood; sometimes it can be very dense foam. If it is wood, you might have plywood behind the drywall, especially in older homes or renovated areas. It's rare in the US but not impossible. Essential to know what you’re actually mounting into!
I can see some wood when I peek inside the holes. What's the best way to confirm if it’s plywood? Can I safely mount into it?
I took off an outlet cover and found drywall but the electrical box is in a solid compartment. The house was built in 1925, so I guess things could vary a lot!