Cant find studs in new build

james142

Hi,

I am trying to attach a TV to a wall in a new build (build this year) but I cant find the studs in the wall for the life of me. Its the shared wall between the next door house.

I have tried using a magnet to find the screws but I am not picking up anything. I was thinking it was a dot and dab wall but taking off the socket on the wall, there is thick solid insulation behind the wall. Ive never seen this insulation before but its solid and reminds me of black Styrofoam.

The sockets on the wall are not attached to any studs, just to the drywall. I've tried pocking either side of the socket but the insulation is too thick to find a stud.

I've never had an issue finding a stud before but I've never done it on a new build house. Id go down the route of drilling holes until I find a stud but its not my house so I don't want to do this if possible. Is there a new method of building that doesn't require studs? I'm thinking maybe the drywall is attached to the insulation blocks using adhesive but I don't know if this is a possibility.

Taking the skirting boards off it not an option and there are no visible nails on the skirting either, I'm assuming it was just attached using adhesive.

knocking on the wall isn't helping either as the different sounds are irregular.

I'm hanging a large tv (20kg) so I defiantly want to attach it to a stud and not rely on just the drywall to hold it in place.

I've ran out of ideas that avoids destroying the wall, would anyone have any advice?

lawrencesummers

Could you drill holes that will be covered by the TV anyway?

The Continental Op

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DGGUbbbBZI

A quick google came up with this even has the "black" insulation.

awec

It's just insulated plasterboard. The studs are there, you just haven't found them yet.

Drill very small holes across the wall and you'll eventually hit a stud. Other option is drill a hole and push a wire through left and right until you hit a stud.

Or buy a stud detector. Opinions on these vary.

The Continental Op

The wall is shared with next door. Why add something like studs that are solid and can transmit sound between the houses when you don't need them? I don't think the OP will find any studs.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119446515#Comment_119446515

So you can fix things to the wall.

Having to anchor to the block wall behind is a lot more work.

Though I would do this if the item was going to be heavy.

Ouch Chinese Byrne

Have you tapped along the wall? You will get a blunt sound when you tap where the stud is.

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119446559#Comment_119446559

Thats not the builders problem he's long gone.

What may be at issue at some stage is the soundproofness of the wall which the builder can do something about by not having studs fixed to the wall.

I don't understand why anyone would expect to find studs in this situation.

Ouch Chinese Byrne

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119446714#Comment_119446714

I have a new build 2021 semi detached and there are studs behind the plasterboard of the dividing wall with the neighbours.

Whats the issue with it?

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119446748#Comment_119446748

Anything solid like a stud can transmit noise. If neither side of a party wall have studs then thats a small but not insignificant reduction in the ability of sound to get through the wall.

Apart from making it easy to hang stuff on the wall there is no reason to have studs. With good straight walls you can put up the insulation and plasterboard in no time. No timber cost, less insulation wasted, fewer insulated bats to cut and less man hours.

lawred2

All the external walls and the party wall in our gaff have insulation backed plasterboard with no studs. These things are pretty much glued up as far as I was informed.

To hang a TV on the wall I actually cut out a square of plasterboard and insulation all the way back to the brick and fixed a block of wood to that.

Probably overkill. Most TVs are light enough as long as they are not on a swing arm being tugged at the entire time.

MrMusician18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058258006/cant-find-studs-in-new-build

Just fix it to the wall behind. There are anchors you can get that are designed for fixing through insulated plasterboard to the wall.

You probably won't find studs on that wall.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119446714#Comment_119446714

Who mentioned the builders????

Flinty997

Reading between the lines I assume they've solved the problem of sound going through party walls they made too thin by removing the studs and padding it out with insulation and or air gaps.

They used to have wood blocks and battens above windows for fixing curtains and such. That seems to be a thing of the past aswell.

youtheman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119446919#Comment_119446919

This is what you want to do. Simple.

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119446886#Comment_119446886

Easier to run services if there are studs.

My house built in the last 5 years has studs on all walls. All external and party walls have metal studs with insulated boards, and all others the standard timber studs and boards.

Cuddlesworth

Get some hollow wall anchors and the setting tool. A couple of larger ones will spread the weight over a large part of the plaster board. Unless your mounting a giant old CRT TV, they will hold the weight. And it stops the bolts transmitting vibrations into the shared wall.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119446714#Comment_119446714

What do you think the plasterboard is attached to?

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119468084#Comment_119468084

The plasterboard either comes with the insulation attached to it and is glued to the wall or the insulation is fixed to the walls with glue and insulation anchors then the plasterboard is stuck to the insulation.