Condo Construction- What’s Behind the Walls?

[Danderman123]

I am trying to put up shelving on my condo walls. My stud detector reports some solid objects behind the drywall (gypsum) maybe 14 inches apart. I tried drilling, but whatever is behind the walls is impervious to my drill. 
 

i have ordered masonry and tungsten bits in the event that I am trying to drill into concrete, but maybe something else is back there, maybe wood in metal sheathing, I just don’t know. I am not too anxious to blindly drill any further.

 

Anyone else put up shelving and had to deal with what’s below the drywall?

[CharlieH]

MOVED TO DIY

[bankruatsteve]

12 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

I tried drilling, but whatever is behind the walls is impervious to my drill. 

Sounds like a drill issue to me.  If using dry wall, it seems like there wouldn't be much to deal with.  So, you are getting a hole through the dry wall and then hitting something else?  Can you use a flashlight and small screwdriver to determine the substance.

[Crossy]

It's probably steel studs, you should be able to drill it with decent quality twist drills (start small).

 

The steel wont be very thick so once you have a hole regular self-tappers will hold.

 

What do you intend putting on the shelves? Load spreading cavity fixings on the actual drywall may be easier/better.

[Jai Dee]

If the walls were constructed using SCG Smartboard, you need to watch out for the galvanized steel frame:

 

[Danderman123]

16 minutes ago, bankruatsteve said:

Sounds like a drill issue to me.  If using dry wall, it seems like there wouldn't be much to deal with.  So, you are getting a hole through the dry wall and then hitting something else?  Can you use a flashlight and small screwdriver to determine the substance.

The drywall is no issue, it’s what is behind the drywall.

[Danderman123]

18 minutes ago, Crossy said:

It's probably steel studs, you should be able to drill it with decent quality twist drills (start small).

 

The steel wont be very thick so once you have a hole regular self-tappers will hold.

 

What do you intend putting on the shelves? Load spreading cavity fixings on the actual drywall may be easier/better.

The drywall is thin, and there is no gap with whatever is behind it, so cavity fixings would be too short to be effective.

 

Edit: my instinct is to drill into a stud and use that for support. But, if I just drill where there are no beams behind the wall, I can use large cavity fixings, as you suggest. That is probably what I will do.

Edited June 9, 2022 by Danderman123

[Danderman123]

7 minutes ago, Jai Dee said:

If the walls were constructed using SCG Smartboard, you need to watch out for the galvanized steel frame:

 

My stud detector says whatever is behind the walls is 100mm+ wide.

[Jai Dee]

44 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

My stud detector reports some solid objects behind the drywall (gypsum) maybe 14 inches apart.

 

5 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

My stud detector says whatever is behind the walls is 100mm+ wide.

That is strange... most drywall sheets in Thailand are a standard 60cm wide, so 14" or 35cm is an unusual width.

 

How old is your apartment?

[bankruatsteve]

These beauties from Lazada (China) might be the best drill set I have ever owned.  Until the edge loses sharp (like from using on concrete) they will cut through steel like butter.  Unfortunately, sometimes it ships from China so have to wait a bit.

 

[WorriedNoodle]

1 hour ago, Danderman123 said:

have ordered masonry and tungsten bits

That's the only way I can drill into the precast concrete walls of our place, with hammer drill on.

[OneMoreFarang]

Maybe ask the management or engineers in your building. Possibly they will know.

[Danderman123]

49 minutes ago, Jai Dee said:

 

That is strange... most drywall sheets in Thailand are a standard 60cm wide, so 14" or 35cm is an unusual width.

 

How old is your apartment?

I am measuring roughly, but it does look like the center of the solid objects behind the drywall appear every 60 cm. Maybe it’s metal used to join drywall sheets together.

Edited June 9, 2022 by Danderman123

[Danderman123]

31 minutes ago, WorriedNoodle said:

That's the only way I can drill into the precast concrete walls of our place, with hammer drill on.

I do have an impact driver, that might help IF I have to drill through steel. Right now, I am looking at drilling between the studs, using drywall anchors.

[bankruatsteve]

1 hour ago, Danderman123 said:

I do have an impact driver, that might help IF I have to drill through steel.

Hammer drill for concrete, not for steel.  ????

[Danderman123]

I ended up using drywall anchors to hold the screws in. The drywall is very thin, but hopefully, the screws will hold.