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I have a column in my kitchen. As far as I can tell this is a decorative column, and doesn't contain anything structural -- I live in a high rise, it really cannot contain anything structural.

Yet, according to my fancy stud detector, it has metal 4 inches from either side, as shown here: Column

This doesn't seem to be a corner bead -- it seems to be an entirely different beast.

If you want to see the stud finder in action: stud finder in action

Can I drill through this? How thick is it? What is it? Can I still drill through this, and use a plastic toggle anchor?

UPDATE So, there's a couple things in here. I bought a Depstech Boroscope (I do not recommend buying one of these, they suck, but then again, there's not really any decent competition for them). First, to answer people what the metal was -- it was just boring studs. Boring Metal Studs

Inside, it gets a lot more interesting, as you can see in the metal studs picture, there's some insulation. That's the hot water pipe. There's also a cold water pipe in there, and some electrical conduit. The column itself is pretty idiot-proofed, but there's no armor on the pipework, instead

Electrical Conduit Cold Water Pipe

Sargun Dhillon
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3 Answers3

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The metal that you are detecting is probably the metal studs that are in each corner of the column. From the picture it looks like that column is also sheathed in drywall and so there may very well be a metal corner strip along each vertical edge as well. The metal studs width are typically going to be 3.5 inches. The drywall thickness from the adjoining sides is 0.5 inches and with the metal corner piece it adds up to the 4 inches that you are seeing.

As mentioned in comments this column is most likely a place where some part of the building infrastructure is located. It could be a structural beam, vertical routing space for water or gas piping or electrical wiring.

As to whether you can use conventional drywall anchors to mount light weight things to the living space side it would be best to be certain what is inside this thing before you go drilling holes in it. It could be OK but then again it could be something to be highly discouraged for a variety of reasons.

Michael Karas
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Can I drill through this?

I wouldn't until you've determined exactly what it is. I can come up with suggestions (see lower down this answer) but you may need to take the drywall off, check what it is, and then if it's not an issue you could reinstate drywall, make good, and then drill.

What is it?

It could be metal pipes. The drainage stack is often located in the kitchen, and it is often convenient to run supply pipes in the column boxed around the drainage stack.

My kitchen drainage stack carries the mains water from the ground floor (first floor for American English speakers) to the first floor (second floor in AmE), and the hot water pipe from the first floor hot water tank to my kitchen sink on the ground floor.

AndyT
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If you hit metal, stop

Regardless of what else it might be, it might be a metal plate placed there on purpose to guard electrical wiring or plastic piping.

Such a plate is required anytime pipes or wiring is within 1.75" of the surface. It is there only to warn.

Harper - Reinstate Monica
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