High-rise apartment buildings typically have metal studs for framing, which can support a lot of load. However, most brackets distribute the load across four points on two studs, which should be sufficient for a wall. Even steel studs offer some resistance to drilling, and you may see metal filings or twists following the bit out of the wall.
There are three main types of walls in condos and apartments: drywall with metal studs, double-layer drywall with metal studs, and concrete walls. Drywall metal studs are non-combustible framing components used in constructing interior walls and ceilings. They are not suitable for solid concrete or cinder blocks, and apartment dividers are usually concrete or double-walled. Interior walls are usually stud walls.
Drywall with metal studs is a common construction choice in modern apartments and condos, as it involves sheets of drywall attached to a stud. The fire rating of the building may require the use of metal studs or fire-rated wood. Condos can be a huge liability due to the possibility of affecting load bearing walls.
In high-rise buildings, exterior walls and supports are typically concrete and masonry block, while interior walls are typically metal studs with 1/2″ drywall. This guide provides information on selecting the right metal stud anchors, using robust drywall anchors for TV mounts, and navigating the process of framing a wall.
📹 What You Need To Know About Working with Metal Studs & Framing
This guide will show you what you need to know before working with metal or steel framing. These useful tips can save you time …
Does my apartment have wall studs?
To hang a picture frame on a gallery wall, first locate the wall stud where the outlet is located. If your apartment has trim or molding along the floor and ceilings, identify the nail holes. This may not be an accurate way to determine the location of the stud, but it can help when paired with another technique.
After finding the wall stud, dust off the area where you want to hang the picture frame, mark the top of the frame on the wall with a pencil, and use a measuring tape to hook the hanging wire or metal piece to the back of the frame. Note the distance between the wire tip and the top of the frame, then mark the distance on the wall below the height you marked earlier. Hammer in a nail that holds the frame’s weight and hang the picture frame.
Do stud finders detect metal studs?
Choose the right type of stud finder for metal studs, as not all stud finders are created equal. Some are designed for wood studs and may not work as well on metal studs. Look for a stud finder with a metal scanning mode or a deep scanning mode, which can detect metal objects deeper in the wall. Consider using a magnetic stud finder to detect metal screws or nails used to attach the metal studs to the wall.
Prepare the area and calibrate your stud finder before using it on metal studs. Clear any furniture or decorations in the way and hold the finder against a known metal surface to ensure accurate readings. Once calibrated, scan the wall in a horizontal line, starting from the top and working your way down. When the finder detects a metal stud, it will beep or light up. Mark the location of the stud with a pencil or tape. Continue scanning until all metal studs are found.
How thick is the drywall in a condo?
Dripboard is the most commonly used drywall material, typically used in 1/2″ or 5/8″ thickness. Standard 1/2″ drywall is used for 16″ on-centre framing, while 5/8″ drywall is used for 24″ framing. 1/4″ drywall is not recommended for single layer applications. Lite-Rock, a new product, is being developed in the drywall industry, replacing gypsum with a mineral and using improved paper coverings and adhesives. It is stronger, more durable, and resistant to weather conditions and moisture. Lite Rock is not yet available in the market.
Fiberock Abuse-Resistant Panels, made from a combination of gypsum and cellulose, resists denting and puncturing in high-traffic areas. It can be finished and painted like regular drywall and can be used in conjunction with standard drywall. It costs more but has a longer life expectancy.
Dripboard can become vulnerable to mould damage when installed in damp or humid areas. If mould appears on a painted drywall surface without blistering or bubbles, it may not have penetrated.
Are metal studs used in apartments?
Metal studs are commonly found in apartment and office spaces due to their fire safety and resistance to termites, insects, rot, and mold. To install a mount into metal studs, use a stud finder, drill, ½” drill bit, tape measure, stud finder, level, pencil, socket set, level, screwdriver, packing tape, and painter’s tape. The same tools are needed for mounting a TV into metal studs as for wooden stud installation.
Can I drill into studs in my apartment?
Most apartments allow changes to be made to the unit before the lease ends, including nail holes, paint, and contact paper. It is safe to drill or nail small holes in the apartment walls as long as they are filled before moving out. However, it is important to double-check before proceeding. If you have already signed a lease and received the keys to a new apartment, you may find the answer to your question in the lease.
If your lease states that you are not allowed to drill holes, it may outline how much money will be deducted from your security deposit per nail hole. Following these rules ensures you receive your entire security deposit back upon moving out.
Can I drill into metal studs?
Drilling into metal studs without weakening them is possible, but it’s crucial to drill pilot holes first and anchor anything to the center of the stud if using it to bear weight. Turner Bros Contractors Ltd., a family-run company in Vancouver, has been providing steel-stud framing, drywall, and acoustic ceiling services since 1932. The company represents four generations of the family and can be contacted for any questions or to discuss residential or commercial projects.
What is a common wall in a condo?
A common wall is defined as a structure erected on the boundary of two contiguous lots, owned by both parties, and maintained, repaired, and rebuilt at the expense of the respective owners in proportion to their rights in the wall.
How thick are the interior walls of a condo?
Most internal walls in condo units have a thickness of 3 inches with 2″ metal studs and 1/2 drywall on both sides. This type of wall is suitable for mounting a TV. The only TV wall mount that will work with this type of wall is made by Condomounts. Concrete walls, which have a grey surface, are easier to mount. The guide provides a 10 step guide and 5 videos on the right to help you navigate the process of mounting a TV on a thin condo wall.
How do you find a stud in a condo?
In the absence of a stud finder, it is possible to locate wall studs by measuring from a number of different points, including the corner, light switch, window, dimples in the wall, or by knocking on the wall. Magnets may also be used as an alternative method. The majority of studs are positioned at intervals of sixteen inches on center. These methods can assist in the identification of electrical outlets, boxes, and light switches.
Do condo walls have studs?
Living in a condo or apartment requires understanding the different types of walls, which define living spaces, play a crucial role in privacy, sound insulation, and structural integrity. There are three main types of walls: drywall with metal studs, double-layer drywall with metal studs, and concrete walls. Drywall with metal studs is a common construction choice in modern apartments and condos, offering advantages such as lightweight, fire resistance, and durability.
However, special anchors, like the Elephant Anchor, are needed for hanging objects on these walls. Double-layer drywall with metal studs is a more durable option, making it easier to install and maintain.
Do high rise buildings use metal studs?
Metal studs are a strong and durable material used for supporting buildings of any size, especially tall structures like office towers. However, they may not be the ideal framing material for commercial construction projects due to several drawbacks. These include longer lifespan, higher costs, specialized tools, and time-consuming installation. Additionally, attaching a drywall screw to light gauge metal framing can be more time-consuming than attaching drywall to wood framing. Despite these drawbacks, metal framing is likely to be more expensive in terms of materials and labor, with some sources suggesting steel framing may cost 15% more than wood framing.
📹 How Install a TV MOUNT into a STEEL STUD WALL | Kanto Explains
In this episode of Kanto Explains, we show you how to mount a TV on a steel stud wall. We teach you all the tools you need, how …
I work at a university we install many tvs. I will tell you not every wall is to be trusted…some walls only go as high as a suspended ceiling, others go all the way to the bottom of floor deck below. There’s also a tremendous (lol) difference between a 32 inch TV on a stationary mount and 85 inch TV on an articulating mount. In many cases people who buy an 85 inch TV will buy a mount for it based on advertised max weight but never factor in the wall you attach to. I would expect the steel stud would provide excellent pull out resistance and shear strength. I wouldn’t put a big TV with articulating mount on a steel stud due to its crumple factor. It’s likely that for many people this install will be successful, just be mindful of how much leverage you are applying to the wall. If in doubt we will remove drywall where the and add additional stiffeners. Many times we will even use 3/4 paint grade plywood to distribute the load on the studs more evenly. FYI steel studs you get at HD or Lowes are not considered structural. If by chance you’re on a wall built with heavy guage studs you could disregard my earlier concerns as the steel is much thicker and will have plenty of lateral support.
Extremely helpful article – thank you very much! This gave me the confidence to proceed with my DIY install of a TV wall mount in my condo with steel studs. All went well using the snap toggle bolts (1/4″ x 4) secured directly into the studs. In one stud however, after drilling through the drywall and the metal, I hit wood, possible a small block? and I had drilled right through it. The snap toggles I had and inserted, the bolt wasn’t long enough so I ended up going to HD to buy a longer 1/4″ carriage bolt (3″) which worked and managed to catch the toggle and secure. I also like how your article shows what’s going on inside the wall when you drill and insert the toggles. Very well done article!
I have a 65 inch qned85 tv and it weighs a lot. Almost about 70 pounds. I’m wondering if wall mounting would be safe because my tv is heavy. Also I noticed that my tv mount isn’t wide enough and can only catch one beam instead of two but it’s super close. What would be the best advice for this. Thanks all!
This assumes the location perfectly bridges onto both studs which are 16″ apart. What if only 1 stud is where you plan to mount? I plan on using a longer 6″x30″ board to bridge across both studs, then mount the bracket to the wood, possibly also use more of the longer toggles through all of it into drywall to secure swivel base to the wood. Overkill perhaps, but it’s a 65″, 50lb TV.
Great article very helpful. Probably the only thing I am going to add is only drilling about 1 inch in the wall maximum since there might be utilities behind like fire alarm or sprinkler systems or open romex instead of conduit. I used the Walabot DIY tool to help determine my apartment does in-fact have steel studs, but also they are 24″ OC. But it also shows a lot of utilities. I noticed the wall has a fire alarm as well as a sprinkler. So I don’t want to drill too deep. about 1 inch depth should insure I go through the 1/2″ drywall plus the depth of the steel plus a little more. The utility holes are standard on studs right in the middle so that uniformity helps to avoid utilities as long as I control my depth.
I’m using a 3/16″ drill bit, but literally cannot get through the steel stud in my apartment wall. I’ve tried many different bits of various types, but nothing gets in farther than the small dent that’s been made in it. Anyone have any tips? We’ve applied as much pressure as we can and drilled for quite a long time without any progress. We confirmed with our maintenance manager that it should be a steel stud we’re hitting.
The following article shows a guy dangerously hanging a 50-lb tv with an articulating mount using anchors that are ONLY anchored into drywall (without using studs). youtube.com/watch?v=xujweedgXQw If you are a professional installer, it might be worth perusal and posting a comment if you think it’s safe or not to make sure no one gets hurt from following such advice. I posted a polite warning message for others, and it seems he immediately deleted the warning.
My marble fireplace where I currently have a 55 inch tv hanging is a metal stud wall which is covered by a metal mesh, covered in concrete and then the marble placed over it. So the drilling depth is 2cm of marble + 3cm of concrete (5cm total). Would this be strong enough to hold the weight of the a 75 inch (40kg) tv if I were to upgrade? Thanks