Replies

1. 
   Dave45 | Aug 10, 2005 02:11am | #1

   Gas and water lines probably come up thru the floor and shouldn't be a problem for hanging cabinets.  The wiring probably drops straight down beside a stud so the existing electrical boxe(s) on the wall should show you which stud(s) to avoid.

2. 
   DDay | Aug 10, 2005 02:19am | #2

   I trick I picked up with finding stud with 100% confidence is to use a rare earth magnet.  Stud finders work sometimes but not always.  I think I saw the rare earth thing from gary katz's finish carpentry book.  You move the magnet around and it will stick to the drywall screw head.  The added benefit, if the walls are already finished/painted is the magnet will stay there and you can do your work and know right were the stud is without marking the wall or ceiling.

   You can get the magnets at woodcraft, probably mcfeelys and other woodworking supply stores/websites.  I got most of mine from old computer hard drives.  A quarter size magnet will probably be able to lift about 25 lbs, they are amazingly strong. 

1. 
   mleeod | Aug 10, 2005 03:44am | #4

   Thanks for your response.  I do have one question if you don't mind.

   Is it safe to say these magnets will only stick to the drywall screws and not to an area of drywall with pipes or wires underneath?

3. 
   Vince | Aug 10, 2005 02:20am | #3

   Watch out for vent pipes, which do run up and might be ABS, hard to detect with a stud finder.   Don't use studs near drains outlets or supply valves.

4. 
   steve | Aug 16, 2005 04:04pm | #5

   first of all invest in a really good stud finder and then usesome ingenuity with maybe a few carefully placed "peek" holes

   if an electrical outlet is in the area, then a stud is usually directly on the right or left of the box, simply remove the cover plate and check

   most studs are on 16 or 24 inch centers, find and mark a couple with the studfinder, a "stud" at a strange location is probably a abs or pvc drain/vent pipe

   if all else fails cut a hole in an inconpicuous location and check, like maybe behind the baseboard or where the hole will be covered by the cabinets

   driving a screw into a gas pipe is imposible(black iron around here), copper supply piping is easy but obvious right away, abs/pvc drain piping is not so obvious except that it feels different than a wood stud

   this reminds me of a situation a few years ago where a friend installed a very elaborate kitchen complete with corian tops and tile backsplash and lo and behold two years later the tile started falling off

   turned out that he had driven a screw for the cabinets through a waste pipe for an upper bathroom, it took two years for the screw to rust away and cause a leak!!

   major disaster to say the least!!

   so tread carefully, if you're not sure, cut a hole and check

1. 
   dustinf | Aug 16, 2005 04:13pm | #6

   I just use my knuckle.  You can here a stud, it sounds/feels different than a vent pipe.  Theoretically, you shouldn't have to worry about supply lines, but you can usually tell if a screw hits one.  The screw doesn't run right in, it hesitates for just a second, usually accompanied by that sinking feeling in your stomach.

   Like previously stated, measuring 16" or 24" from the side of an outlet is usually an easy solution.  If you take the cover plate off, you can slide a 1" putty knife between the dry wall, and box.  Then you can feel which side the stud is on. 

5. 
   jeffwoodwork | Aug 16, 2005 07:23pm | #7

   Use some common sense, if the pipe sticks out with a shut off valve don't put a screw right on that stud move to the left or right on the next stud if possible.  Same goes for gas and waste/vents look where the stuff is and keep some distance.  You can usually tell where things should be but there are some suprises.  Also a screw into a wood stud feels different than going into an ABS pipe or copper, of course it is hard to tell sometimes.

   Upper cabinets are less of a problem, base units are where most of the hidden stuff is.  In my 20 some years as a carpenter and over 400 hundred kitchen installs I have only hit 2 water pipes (that I know of) one in a metal stud wall on a 300 unit condo with lots of pipes in the walls.  The other on a pipe too close to the stud face with no nail plate protection.

   Jeff

6. 
   4Lorn1 | Aug 17, 2005 04:02am | #8

   I have used a circuit tracker, frequency insertion type not dependent on line voltage, to locate copper water and gas lines. Key is to gain some experience by tracking a few lines that are in known locations.