Electrical Shock: Accidentally drilling into electrical wires can cause serious injury or even death. Fire Hazard: Damaged wires can spark, leading to potential fire hazards. Structural Damage: Incorrectly drilling into a stud can weaken the wall's structural integrity.
Drilling into a stud guarantees a strong and durable attachment, whether you're hanging a large mirror, installing a bookcase, or mounting a television. In this article, we'll focus on the topic of how to drill into a stud safely and efficiently, providing you with a comprehensive guide to a step-by-step process.
Not only do the lights go out, but you usually blow a fuse as well. With a bit of luck, you might only have to repair the cable sheath. But if you damaged or severed a wire, just using a terminal strip, insulation tape and some silicone sealant are not recommended – you need some professional kit!
A wall stud is a vertical piece of framing within your walls, and by anchoring your nail or screw into this stud, you will provide a sturdy piece for your item to latch onto. Without anchoring your nail or screw into a stud, you set yourself up for accidents that could potentially cause damage to your wall.
You may be able to find a stud or confirm the suspected location of a stud by tapping the wall with your knuckles or a hammer. An area where there's no stud has a low, hollow sound. Tapping over a stud produces a higher tone and a more solid sound.
Get a Stud Finder or Voltage Detector.
To avoid aimlessly feeling around the wall all day, start somewhere nearby where you know there is electrical wiring—such as near an outlet—and trace the wiring back. If you're lucky, it will be on the same circuit as the wire you drilled through.
Investing in professional equipment, such as a cable avoidance tool, is the safest option to avoid wires. However, if you don't have access to this, most wiring runs horizontally 6 inches or 12 inches above the receptacle, so avoid these areas. If it is possible, only drill shallow holes.
Use your detection tool to scan the wall or ceiling thoroughly and mark the safe drilling spots with a pencil. Know the warning signs: Electrical wires usually run along the sides of studs and often vertically from outlets or horizontally at the same height as outlets.
How to identify different wall types. Identifying the type of wall can sometimes be tricky. The simplest way to tell is to tap your wall with your fist; a stud wall will be hollow sounding, as will a lathe and plaster wall. Dot and dab and, unsurprisingly, solid walls, will sound solid to the ear.
The International Building Code has language stating the maximum size and spacing for drilled holes in wall studs. The maximum hole size being 60% of the stud width. If the holes are from 40-60% of the stud width, then the stud is supposed to be doubled (and not more than 2 such bored studs in succession).
A timber stud will have metallic sections due to screws, however a pipe will obviously entirely magnetic. Studs are separated by set distances, so once you identify one stud its quite easy to determine where other studs are likely to be. You can open up powerpoints and look behind walls.
You've found a stud if you feel resistance and see wood on the bit when you remove it. If you can't find the stud after drilling, untwist a metal hanger and place it into the hole so you can fish around behind the wall. When the hanger makes contact with something firm, you've found a stud.
If you find a timber stud where you want to drill, you won't need to use a wall plug.
Any stud in an exterior wall or bearing partition may be cut or notched to a depth not exceeding 25 percent of its width. Studs in nonbearing partitions may be notched to a depth not to exceed 40 percent of a single stud width.
Is It Safe to Drill into a Stud with an Outlet? The short answer is yes, but with significant precautions. Drilling into a stud that has an outlet on it can be safe if you take the necessary steps to avoid damaging electrical wires and maintain the structural integrity of the wall.
Using a Stud Finder
The stud finder will indicate the presence of wiring by detecting changes in density. When the stud finder detects a possible wire, mark the location on the wall and move the tool horizontally and vertically to trace the wire's path.
They are usually placed 16 inches apart on all walls. It can vary in older homes, but rarely would you find studs more than 24 inches apart. Windows and doors are also framed by studs for support. Above wide windows and doors, you might even find a wide header board.
“One common rule is to avoid drilling around light switches and sockets, as the electrical wires can go horizontally and vertically around these fixtures,” Williams explains. “You can also get an idea of where wires and pipes run by looking in the attic and basement to see where they go up or down through framing.”
When they check the wiring in your house, electricians will look for signs of fraying or damage. Such signs include exposed wire dangling from ceilings or coming out of the wall, wires that pop out of the protective coating, or cracking in the insulation caused by brittleness.
Holes should not be drilled directly above, below, or to the side of any electrical switches or outlets. Per the 2018 International Residential Code, electrical wires should be set back no less than 1-1/4 inches from the edge of the framing lumber.
Mounting Plates
Along with these drywall anchors, consider using a mounting plate or cleat made from metal or plywood. Mounting plates are placed behind the TV and screwed into the wall using any of the anchor screws above. The base of your TV wall mount can then be screwed into the mounting plate.