Locating Studs Behind Vinyl Siding

Grab yourself a siding removal tool and pull up the top section of siding i m fairly certain you ll find a video on youtube on how to use it.

Locating studs behind vinyl siding.

You may detect a nail in the sheathing and it won t be a stud. There is a power outlet beneath the window so i know where that stud is. The purpose is to anchor window boxes directly to studs on 2nd floor of the home. I tried locating the studs from the inside.

Sadly you can t always rely on the nails holding any type of siding to indicate where the studs are but if it s vinyl over plywood the plywood nails should be a good guide. Using a window as a location guide use a stud finder on the inside to locate a stud or two and transfer that to the. This is not always the case depending on the installer. The better way is to locate the edges of the osb sheathing.

Measure 16 and mark additional stud locations. For solid cladding such as stucco or brick your best bet is to locate the studs inside the house and then transfer the measurements to the exterior wall. Best way is from the inside. A little light will go off or the finder will make a beeping noise when it finds a.

Once you find the center of one stud you can measure horizontally to find more studs. The edges must be nailed into a stud. Then you can check for studs however you like drilling test holes etc. Older homes and some interior walls in newer homes have studs with 24 inch spacing and very old homes may have relatively random spacing.

In theory the siding should be nailed at the studs. Using a stud finder on the outside is hit or miss. The walls are vinyl sided and i prefer not to have to lift it up. Remove the section of siding at the elevation you plan on mounting the awning at.

In most homes studs are spaced 16 inches apart measured at their centers. It s easy and works great. The best way to find a stud while working on on the outside whether brick siding or stone is to use an electronic stud finder. Insulation sheathing vapor barrier.

I m having trouble finding the studs through the exterior of our home. Place the stud finder at the edge of the exterior siding. Walk very slowly along the exterior siding while holding the stud finder.