I've searched for info on this before, and always came up empty. Seems the consensus is that most stud finders (like my 'Zircon') fail to detect through tile.
Just wondering if anything has changed, given the marvels of modern science or if anyone knows any tricks. I'm not a carpenter, by any stretch, and don't know much about removing tile, etc.
*If possible look for studs on the wall behind the bathroom. There is the possibility that you will find one every 16" and every 4', but you have no way of knowing from which direction did the original builder start.
You don't say why you need to find them, maybe a grab bar in a shower?
Most tile doesn't go all the way to the ceiling so you might be able to check above the tile.
If the wall has an adjoining room or closet check that wall then take measurements. Keep in mind the thickness of the tile when transferring measurements to the other side of the wall.
If the ceiling joists are resting on the wall that has the studs you need to find each joist *should* be directly above a stud. like this:
If the grout line is big enough you could drill holes through the grout until you find a stud.
I have had good luck with an electronic stud finder.
Shelf.
Floor to ceiling, unfortunately. I would have jumped at that.
That just occurred to me (doh). But I'm not sure how well it aligns, etc. At least that may be a good starting point.
I do know that they used the widest allowable spacing, which if memory serves, was 20" rather than 16".
Nice pic. But I know the guy who built the wall, and his carpentry skills are not much better than mine. That's not good. I just hope that they are aligned. I'll take another look from above and see if there are any clues.
They used steel studs. I've had trouble with those for various reasons, but in this case, that may pay off.
All good ideas, thanks. Not much of a grout line, but I have tiny drill bits that could work. And it suits my Elmer-Fud-like approach to carpentry. What do you use to patch the holes afterward?
Go back and give the stud finder a try. With that much steel in the stud, you should be able to locate it with no problem. Inductive resonance stud finders will detect a drywall nail.
Use a strong magnet to find the nails. Take the magnet out of a dead harddrive.
I just tried it using a magnet from an old 5 1/4" HD. The magnet would stay in place over the nails in the shower I built a couple years ago with tile probably
3/8" thick.
Example:
They have men behind tiles???? Oh you got my hopes up. j/k
Any decent metal detector (treasure finder) should be able to locate steel studs from quite a distance.
Don Young
You'd think so, but mine gives a solid 'on' over the tile. Backing away diminishes the sensitivity, of course, but it seems to be all-on or all-off. A sensitivity control would probably help.
Maybe I need a better stud finder. Is there a model that you would recommend?
Can you find the studs from the OTHER side of the wall?
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.