wall studs
I'm having the hardest time finding wall studs. Normal stud finders don't seem to work. Is there an industry standard measurement like the 16" on center for a house? Thanks for any wisdom you can pass my way!
Forum Discussion
myredracer wrote:
nomadnewby wrote:
It's a 2013 Skyline Nomad 170.
The interior wall paneling seems to be some kind of compressed wood or formica?
The outside is aluminum.Guess I'll keep guessing 'cause there's no humidity around here ('it's a dry heat') haha.
Thanks for your help!
The exterior walls will have wood studs but the spacing will be irregular. Studs are typically 3/4" wide and occasionally doubled for more strength or for backing for screws & staples. There is likely a full height vertical stud either side of an window or door opening, esp. on a sidewall. I've tried a stud finder in the past and not had any luck.
You could try an infrared thermometer (cheap at HF) on the inside and outside surfaces of the exterior wall. The studs will have a different amount of thermal transfer compared to between the studs where there is insulation. You can also look for a vertical row of small holes on the inside where the plywood (called "luan" in an RV) is stapled to the studs. Try pushing in the walls to see if they flex and where they flex the least is where a stud will be. You can also look for the tape they use over the joint of adjoining sheets of plywood (same for interior walls).
On interior walls, try looking for the giveaway staple marks first. They can be quite obvious in some cases. Try seeing in you can flex the walls as above.
On interior & exterior walls, you can remove a switch, receptacle, thermostat or holding tank monitor panel and find where a stud is on either side.
Some good ideas there. I'll try them all.
Thanks a million!!Camorhino wrote:
Since you live in the same place I do, wait til the fog rolls in and turn on the heater. ;)
Good idea! Today would be the day!nomadnewby wrote:
It's a 2013 Skyline Nomad 170.
The interior wall paneling seems to be some kind of compressed wood or formica?
The outside is aluminum.Guess I'll keep guessing 'cause there's no humidity around here ('it's a dry heat') haha.
Thanks for your help!
The exterior walls will have wood studs but the spacing will be irregular. Studs are typically 3/4" wide and occasionally doubled for more strength or for backing for screws & staples. There is likely a full height vertical stud either side of an window or door opening, esp. on a sidewall. I've tried a stud finder in the past and not had any luck.
You could try an infrared thermometer (cheap at HF) on the inside and outside surfaces of the exterior wall. The studs will have a different amount of thermal transfer compared to between the studs where there is insulation. You can also look for a vertical row of small holes on the inside where the plywood (called "luan" in an RV) is stapled to the studs. Try pushing in the walls to see if they flex and where they flex the least is where a stud will be. You can also look for the tape they use over the joint of adjoining sheets of plywood (same for interior walls).
On interior walls, try looking for the giveaway staple marks first. They can be quite obvious in some cases. Try seeing in you can flex the walls as above.
On interior & exterior walls, you can remove a switch, receptacle, thermostat or holding tank monitor panel and find where a stud is on either side.- I have not found any consistent pattern in my 2010 Dutchmen. I have also found screws spanning a 3/4 inch gap in spots that did not show.
It seems if it holds, it is good enough.
That said, I have towed 23,000 miles in three years and it is still going strong. - Since you live in the same place I do, wait til the fog rolls in and turn on the heater. ;)
- It's a 2013 Skyline Nomad 170.
The interior wall paneling seems to be some kind of compressed wood or formica?
The outside is aluminum.Guess I'll keep guessing 'cause there's no humidity around here ('it's a dry heat') haha.
Thanks for your help! - nomadnewby, To answer your original question, no, there is no industry standard stud spacing in the RV world.
- Some trailers use sandwiched pressure glued system for the walls. Plywood interior and plywood exterior with some sort of insulating sheet material all vacuum glued together. There are ribs in the walls but they may be placed where support is needed and would be random.
Most RVs you should be able to find studs using a stud finder. So i'm guessing you may have some form of this sandwich walls - Interior or exterior walls? Metal or fiberglass sided trailer?
- Go look at the outside walls some morning when it is humid. The studs should show themselves.
