My attempt at a floating shelf ended with a crater in the drywall

I was sure I hit a stud with my stud finder, but when I drilled the first anchor, it just kept going. My buddy, who was watching, said "You're in the void, man. That's just drywall and air." I pulled the drill out and a chunk of wall the size of a baseball came with it. I had to patch the whole thing and start over, this time actually tapping the wall to listen for the solid sound. Anyone have a better method for finding studs in an old apartment?

3 comments

3 Comments

rowan6661mo ago

Magnets are your best friend for old apartments, just run a strong one along the wall till it catches a screw head or nail. Saves you the guessing and the hole patching.

riverp372mo ago

Tapping the wall is still just guessing, though.

ivan_perez2mo ago

You're right about that, riverp37. It reminds me how much we rely on guesswork for simple things, like judging if fruit is ripe. We just accept those little uncertainties every day.