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A stud finder that reads through foil?

user-901114 | Posted in General Questions on

I need to find studs under 1 inch foil-faced polyiso. Help.

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Replies

  1. GBA Editor
    Martin Holladay | | #1

    Stephen,
    I think that some stud finders are sophisticated enough to detect studs under 1-inch of foam; however, I don't know which brand to recommend.

    If you are working inside the house, you can always see how the baseboard is attached. If the baseboard has visible fasteners along the top edge of the baseboard, those fasteners are usually located at the studs.

  2. user-901114 | | #2

    Thanks Martin. Problem is there are no walls up yet. My friend forgot to mark where the studs are. Might just have to use a thin drill bit and foam the holes after

  3. wjrobinson | | #3

    Every layer over studs is fastened. From the fasteners with a level and tape measure, mark out studs. Probe for studs like you said where necessary.

  4. user-917856 | | #4

    Stephen,

    I once saw a finish carpenter installing cabinets and using a cow magnet to find the studs. It is a very strong cylindrical magnet which can find nails or screws in wall studs. He slipped a short length of latex surgical tubing over the end so it could dangle against the wall. Any time it was near a nail or screw, it jumped to find it and stayed stuck to it. Some specialty hardware places have these, as do livestock feed stores. I have one and it works great.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cow_magnet
    http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRhwBz2AOGVboEgxOT1J1s8rqWwbpraK7FwAv-3GT78fvq8g5L4FU_b_BIOvA

  5. davidmeiland | | #5

    I have my doubts about the magnet trick through an inch of foam.

    Is this a situation where the foam is over plywood sheathing, or just studs? If just studs, you can push gently on the foam to find the hard spots. If plywood, then it's a tough one. Probing will just find the plywood. It could be done with infrared but you would need to spend some time preparing.

  6. user-901114 | | #6

    Yes, it's just over studs. I think pushing it lightly might work..

  7. journeyman WI | | #7

    i think the NeoDeepSweep would find the fasteners through 1 inch of foam its way stronger than a cow magnet soiktools .com

  8. gusfhb | | #8

    some 20 years ago I had a fragment of a magnet the size of a peanut m&m that would stick my hand to a file cabinet. I think you could use that to find studs. I think a good stud finder will do it, although I don't like them particularly at all

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