When it comes to Hang things on your wallsAdhesives can only do so much. If you need to safely display framed artwork or install wall-mounted shelving, you will likely need to do a little drilling. This is as safe as possible.
Look at the material
First, you’ll want to find out what your walls are made of: drywall, lath and plaster, brick, plywood, wood or plastic siding, concrete, or a combination of these. Google what type of drills and mounting hardware are best for this material so you know what you’re getting into.
Find out what’s behind it
That’s the hard part. You probably already know a thing or two about it Find wall postsHowever, it’s just as important to locate pipes and wires so you don’t have to drill into them. It’s not an exact science, but with the right technique you can at least make some educated guesses.
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Wires are designed to run up and down in a straight line right up and down a wall socket, with each socket having its own circuit. The same applies to pipes: they should run in straight lines horizontally or vertically in and out of water fittings. These guidelines will help you remove the riskiest areas and move on from there. Take a look to see what this method looks like in action This detailed instructional video from Gosforth Handyman’s YouTube channel::
But it is not that simple. As StackExchange user Ken discovered in a 2018 post on the same topic, Sockets are often “chained” with the wires running horizontally or even diagonally between them: “[Y]You never know how those wires were stretched across the room … unless you saw them physically before the drywall was attached. ”
In theory, a stud finder that can also detect pipes and wires would be very helpful, but it can only add to the confusion. The reviews on This affordable Bosch multi-scanner are all either Works great if you read the manual, five stars or I read the manual and this thing still thinks bolts are wires; there would be a zero if i could The same applies the walabot, a scanner that plugs into your smartphone – reviews suggest it works on thin drywall, but it is.
Assume the worst and drill accordingly
Building codes exist for very good reasons, but that doesn’t mean everyone should follow them. The only guaranteed way to see what’s in a wall is to play around – that is, drill a hole – and find out.
This means that you have to work very carefully. The Gosforth Handyman video recommends using a blunt drill bit so you don’t cause too much damage if you hit something. Go slowly and if you feel like you are drilling into something that shouldn’t be you, stop and take a look. If nothing else, it will tell you exactly what is in the wall so you can drill elsewhere.
