I want to mount a floating shelf for my cat, wrapping around a wall end. I've poorly illustrated this in red below. I want to support the end that sticks out from the wall end, but i have no idea how wall ends are built, so I don't know what's behind the dry wall on the end's face. Anyone with experience or knowledge about how walls like this are typically built? Could you please tell me what I might expect to hit if I drill into the face of this wall end to mount a support like the blue one I drew? My fiancé is fairly opposed to me taking a hole-saw to the wall currently. Thanks.
Asked
Active
Viewed 229 times
1
AnthonyJS
- 13
- 4
3 Answers
3
There should be a stud or two at the end. So it's fairly safe to drill for screws. You can prove it by drilling a hole with your smallest bit and confirm that there is wood there.
Rohit Gupta
- 8,055
- 12
- 26
- 38
2
There should be at least 2 studs at the corner of the wall. Where you have the "blue" support there might be a gap between the 2 studs. Its also worth mentioning the switch box is almost always mounted onto a stud either to the left or right of the box. Due to how close it is to the corner, I wouldn't be surprised if its mounted on the corner stud.
I'd consider the dead center to not have a stud.
To confirm there is indeed a gap, you could utilize a stud finder, or if you don't have one of those laying around, and if you don't mind confirming directly you could utilize a nail + hammer right above the baseboard directly below where you'd want to put the shelf. Drywall is usually a half inch thick, so I'd utilize a nail at least 1 1/4th, and as thin as possible.
As a "control" you can nail into the corner of the wall (where a stud should be) gently until the nail meets resistance of the stud. Using this feeling you can then nail directly dead middle of the corner wall, if after going in about 1/2 the nail "dives" into the wall, then there is no stud. After doing this patch the hole you just made with some caulking, which should match the baseboards and no one will notice.
There is always the "hit the wall with your hand method" which varies, but isn't really tied to sound. Instead hit the wall somewhat hard with your knuckles and ask yourself how much would it hurt if you tried to punch through it. Studs will naturally feel like a worse proposition. However, since this space is rather small it might be too difficult to distinguish. If the corner studs are 2x4, depending on their orientation you could only have a few inches of true drywall.
Its worth noting you could maybe get by without this central support, and instead rely on screwing into the known studs on the corners vertically. If this is a pre-built wall mount kit, then check the instructions on how the support bracket works if put directly on drywall. A single cat with partial support from the studs on the corner and the support bracket on just drywall should be ok, but I'd verify with the instructions.
If your building this yourself, I'd consider just expanding the base support bracket so the drywall load is spread out, or expanding the parts where you'll screw into the studs on the corners.
As long as the support bracket spreads out the load well enough, and there is some extra support vertically via screws in the studs, it should be fairly stable, even with a large cat.
Brad T
- 186
- 4
1
There will be a wooden or metal stud there, if you take the cover off that light switch you'll probably be able to see it.
If the shelf is made from engineered board (like MDF or plywood) or a reasonably thick single piece of timber fixing it at both ends and in the middle should be sufficient, the ends may need hollow wall anchors. the middle is over the aformentioned stud, use half-inch repair brackets, or pocket screw slots if you want to get fancy
Jasen
- 26,920
- 1
- 24
- 46