# Hanging a lot of weight on drywall.



## TwoAP (Feb 24, 2016)

Okay. So I had this amazing great idea to build a new desk out of metal, welding it all together. The only way I want this desk, is to be mounted to the wall, if it's not mounted to the wall then I just spent lots of money on metal for no reason. Anyways, I planned on mounting it to the studs, no problem right? I'll make some L brackets and mount it on. Big problem, I didn't check for studs before I built the desk, now I have a fully built metal desk that weighs over 150lbs itself. It will only hold monitor speakers and body weight of me leaning on it. I was checking the studs in the walls today, which are 1/2 in drywall, and there are only two studs on a wall that is almost 9 ft long? I'm confused, although the studs may be metal, the stud finder couldn't find them and neither could a long nail and hammer (couple dozen holes in the walls). The house was built in 1960 and even the outlets aren't on studs (not sure how they are mounted). What do I do? I'm completely lost. I don't have the money to spend on a new stud finder as ive already invested way too much in this project.



TLR, I need to mount a desk made of metal which itself weighs 150lbs and want to hold 500lbs sturdily. Studs are not an option, of you want to know why check above.


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## Nestor_Kelebay (Jun 17, 2008)

In my mind 150 pounds is too much weight to reasonably hang on a wall even if you drove your fasteners into the studs. You don't know what condition those studs are in. I've seen more than my fair share of studs that are split and twisted, or where the stud is split at the floor or ceiling where it was nailed in. If your studs aren't up to snuff, then your 150 pound desk is going to start pulling your wall down. That's especially true since it won't be a dead weight. You're going to be leaning on that desk when you write on it, and that movement isn't going to help your wall support that desk any.

I think you're only real option now is to make that desk free standing.

If you don't have studs in the wall to mount it on, or your confidence in what you have is low, then your next step is to figure out how to make that desk free standing.

Some mistakes are bigger than others. You'd be a lucky man if this turned out to be the biggest mistake you make in your lifetime.

Can you put that desk in an unfinished garage where you can see the studs it will mount on?


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## TwoAP (Feb 24, 2016)

I already have a free standing desk though, the whole reason I built it was to mount it to the wall. My fault for assuming I had regularly placed studs though. I should have measured before hand. However is toggle bolts an option? If I were to make 4-5 L brackets welded to the desk and two whole drilled in each for mounting to the wall, so two toggle bolts per L bracket? Does that sound safe to you?


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Got a picture of this desk?
Best way may be to open up the sheetrock to just below where the top of the desk will be all the way to the floor. (after removing the baseboard)
That way you can see what's going on behind the wall, and be able to add what's needed behind the wall.
Often times I cut into the studs and install a horizontal 2 X 6 to have something to attach things to like TV's, grab rails, towel racks.
And no L brackets, moly bolts, wall anchors are not going to work with just sheet rock behind them.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Something is odd---can you remove the baseboard and look for screws or nails?

Is this a block wall with horizontal furring strips?

I frequently hand vanitys from the wall that weigh about that much---you will be fine if you can find at least two well placed studs.


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## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

Most stud finders are not very accurate. Least not the ones I have used. I have better luck using my knuckle tapping for sound change. Once you find a stud confirm its location with a small drill (1/16). If you miss move over 1" and drill again.
Put your drill line under the desk top to conceal. After you find and confirm a stud measure over 16" drill again and repeat. Drilling lots of holes is still easier than tearing out and rebuilding a wall, although that may be what is altimately required


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

I agree with cut out the drywall and see what is going on then add extra bracing. 500 pounds will need extra bracing, not just studs.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

It not too difficult to determine if there are actually only 2 studs in 9 ft. Just push on the drywall between studs and I suspect it can be moved at least a half inch.

I'm betting you do have the money for a new stud finder. It'll be the cost of a pair of pliers, a 1" brad nail to push a hole every 1/2" until they are located. With this method of finding studs each edge of each stud and even the center can easily be located.


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## FrodoOne (Mar 4, 2016)

TwoAP said:


> I already have a free standing desk though, the whole reason I built it was to mount it to the wall. My fault for assuming I had regularly placed studs though.


You have a a new desk built out of metal, welded all together. 
You wish to mount it "on the wall". However, you believe that you have insufficient "studs" behind the wall to support the mass of the desk in question.
No problem!
What you really want to do is to support what is a large shelf, off the floor, without any "legs" at the front. However, you need to transfer the mass of this structure (and anything placed upon it) downwards. If it cannot be supported on the studs (and the "plate" on which they sit), the only point of support is the floor.
Therefore, you could utilize a "back" of thick plywood (or similar) of the height at which the desk will sit (which seems to be 29" to 30").
The rear of this "back" would need to be spaced from the wall (sheeting) by timber with at least the thickness of any "skirting board" at the base of the wall. It may also be necessary to place several vertical timber spacers at suitable positions to allow screws to be placed below the top screws - in the right-angle brackets which must have been installed, as would be necessary if you were screwing into studs, since no shelf could be held horizontally by just a row of screws at the upper edge!
The "back" must be constrained horizontally by placing at least two long screws (and, preferably, more) through it - and the spacing timber (and any vertical spacers) behind it - into the available studs.
When installed, the "back" will transfer the vertical "load" to the floor and the screws into the studs will only need to prevent the "shelf" from tipping forward.

Good luck.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

You can't (by code) build a 9' drywall wall with only 2 studs, so something's up. The drywall wouldn't support that desk even if the drywall were attached every 16". If the drywall is only attached twice over 9', then it can't work. You need to find out what's behind that drywall. Two toggle bolts per L bracket is basically a joke (no offense). You need another way.


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

This sucker is rated for 200 lbs.










http://www.homedepot.com/p/OOK-200-lb-Steel-Heavy-Duty-Drywall-Hanger-55099/202341604


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## ront02769 (Nov 28, 2008)

150 lbs is in no way too heavy to hang on a stud wall. Think of a set of upper kitchen cabinets filled with stoneware. Way heavier than that. But as stated, there MUST be something behind. Mark where the brackets will go, start with the stud that you know, measure 16" and do the nail thing and you should find something....and if you do it at the level that the bracket will go you won't have anything to cover up. If not, do it for 24" , go both ways from the mark. Gott


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

Open up the wall. 

For strength, you want to mount directly to the studs. If you put your brackets on the drywall mounted over the studs, the drywall will crush.


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