"smobgirl" (smobgirl)
05/01/2016 at 21:34 • Filed to: Houselopnik
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"smobgirl" (smobgirl)
05/01/2016 at 21:34 • Filed to: Houselopnik | 1
| 44 |
My upstairs is a half story, and I’d really like to hang a hammock from the roof trusses. Problem is, the stud finder is not finding ANY support under the current ceiling...which seems to not be the original location, based on the window trim. And the fact that it’s drywall, although the wall adjacent to that window is also drywall...and flush with the trim. Would this have been an insulation solution? Surely there should be at least one, hopefully two trusses in a 5-foot expanse of roof, right?
Besides creating a big mess, am I going to do any major damage poking holes in the ceiling to figure out what’s going on?
Urambo Tauro
> smobgirl
05/01/2016 at 21:38 |
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Maybe there’s plaster behind the drywall, and the stud-finder can’t tell where the stud is because it’s too far behind the surface to pick up?
A magnet might work better. If you can find a nail or screw, it’s probably holding onto something.
jkm7680
> smobgirl
05/01/2016 at 21:40 |
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You may want to ask a professional.
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smobgirl
> Urambo Tauro
05/01/2016 at 21:45 |
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I wouldn’t be surprised if there was plaster back there. There are also a ton of patches on the drywall that aren’t helping either. But even just tapping, most of it sounds hollow. The ceiling downstairs was dropped several inches (without removing the window trim there either) so I’m assuming someone did the same up here - I just can’t figure out how. I guess I should assume that whatever is holding the drywall isn't structural enough to support a hammock unless proven otherwise.
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smobgirl
> jkm7680
05/01/2016 at 21:47 |
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I’m starting to be very wary of professionals. They’ve either missed very basic problems or created expensive problems that don’t exist - that they miraculously know how to solve. The hammock isn’t that important!
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jkm7680
> smobgirl
05/01/2016 at 21:48 |
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Just don’t avalanche yourself in drywall :P
Birddog
> smobgirl
05/01/2016 at 21:48 |
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The cleanest way would be to measure out 16" from the wall and then drill a series of 1/4" holes to find that first stud. Once you find it the rest should map out somewhat easily. Unless your studs are on 18" or 24"centers which is possible with some older homes.
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smobgirl
> Birddog
05/01/2016 at 21:50 |
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I thought trusses were 24" standard? Not that a house built in 1906 necessarily followed any standards...
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smobgirl
> jkm7680
05/01/2016 at 21:51 |
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If I had the means, I’d gut the whole upstairs (all 320 square feet of it) and start over anyway.
415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
> Birddog
05/01/2016 at 21:53 |
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Yeah, old houses can be different! I grew up in one that was all plaster lath walled.
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415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
> smobgirl
05/01/2016 at 21:54 |
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It could be like this, wood is not the same as today either. I have lived in a couple old homes and many things were off what we expected. But the modification is likely a lot newer, but who knows if the person did it correctly, a hole and a snake cam would help, or drill very small holes you can patch to figure out something.
Busslayer
> Birddog
05/01/2016 at 21:55 |
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I was going to suggest just keep pounding a nail in until you hit something. Sometimes you can get a pretty good feel for where the studs are by knocking or pushing to look for flexing. But a few test holes are easy enough to spackle up once you find the studs.
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smobgirl
> 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
05/01/2016 at 21:59 |
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Oh it should be plaster. Everything downstairs is - and some even seems to be horsehair plaster. That’s why I suspect they may have framed an extra 4" or so out and insulated behind the drywall.
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smobgirl
> Busslayer
05/01/2016 at 22:00 |
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I can guarantee I'd do a better job than the last owner.
facw
> smobgirl
05/01/2016 at 22:00 |
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Window trim like that doesn’t necessarily mean the ceiling has been lowered. I’ve lived in various known unmodified places that were like that, they just cut to fit.
In any event, to answer your question:
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smobgirl
> 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
05/01/2016 at 22:02 |
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It’s definitely been interesting. I have not one, but two layers of siding on what is now an inside wall of my laundry room.
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Birddog
> smobgirl
05/01/2016 at 22:04 |
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I’ve seen 16', 18, and 24". It depends on the age, local codes at the time it was built and the builder itself. It’s been my experience that homes built by the homeowner are typically overbuilt (makes a plumber and HVAC guys job really fun).
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smobgirl
> facw
05/01/2016 at 22:06 |
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Hahahaha. Yeah that’s about how it goes :)
And good point, though someone at some point in this house’s history raised the floor and lowered the ceiling downstairs, all without removing the trim.
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smobgirl
> facw
05/01/2016 at 22:09 |
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Goddammit I opened the window because I thought I remembered the distance to the ceiling and the roof being off. Now the window won't shut all the way.
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smobgirl
> Birddog
05/01/2016 at 22:13 |
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This one is definitely overbuilt in many ways. The HVAC (well, heating) is a disaster but the plumbing was all added several decades after it was built so that's very easy to access!
David Baker
> smobgirl
05/01/2016 at 22:15 |
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Have you tried knocking on the ceiling? If you listen close you should be able to hear a deaden sound on the joists and a hollow sound in between the joists.
OPPOsaurus WRX
> facw
05/01/2016 at 22:16 |
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*a bank owns ‘your house’ (and mine too, for about another 25 years)
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smobgirl
> David Baker
05/01/2016 at 22:20 |
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I knocked, nearly all of it sounds hollow. There is one truss? stud? halfway across the 5-foot section between the front of the house and the dormer window. I'm just torn between thinking the house has that little structure or that's a dropped section of drywall with very little support.
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OPPOsaurus WRX
> smobgirl
05/01/2016 at 22:27 |
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your house is only a few years older than mine. this is a roof truss:
They would most likely be 24" o.c. but thsoe are too new of a thing for 1906. There’s a chance you could still have “natural” framing (i just kinda made up that term) which I have which is more or less planed parts of trees...so that some of the framing actually still has bark on it.
also 1906, is horsehair plaster, and its now 110 years old so its going to be fragle. maybe they sheetrocked over the horsehair plaster ceiling which could explain your difficulty finding studs. You cna probably see in the photo, they might not be straight either. Your now searching through 1/2 sheetrock, 1/2 horsehair, 1/4 wood lathe, or it could be wire mesh. in other words good fucking luck.
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OPPOsaurus WRX
> Birddog
05/01/2016 at 22:28 |
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but what happens if they started measuring from the other end of the house? I’ve done that method of just drilling until you hit... i’ve gotten pretty good with plaster now.
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David Baker
> smobgirl
05/01/2016 at 22:32 |
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I would take a 3 inch + screw where you believe you have a joist ( joists are in the floor and ceiling studs are in the wall, just terminology for the structural wood). If you hit solid measures 16 inches to the side and try a screw there if that doesn’t hit solid measure 24 to the side. If you still don’t hit you’re going to have to try a little trial and error. I would start at the 16 mark and try to screw about every 1.5 inches until you hit solid wood. Screws will minimize damage, a little spackle and your back to good.
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smobgirl
> OPPOsaurus WRX
05/01/2016 at 22:34 |
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That’s a bit what I was afraid of/expecting. Some parts of the house have been updated at various times and they moved (or added) a wall upstairs in the 70s or early 80s, which is probably when they added the drywall on top of or in place of the plaster up here. I really ought to just pull down a section of drywall with the intent of replacing it, if only to see what the heck is going on. The terrible patch jobs on a couple sections are excuse enough. Good thing is, there is absolutely no power in this room so no way to electrocute myself.
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David Baker
> David Baker
05/01/2016 at 22:34 |
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Even if the ceiling was dropped if it was done properly support should be no more than 24 inches apart
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smobgirl
> OPPOsaurus WRX
05/01/2016 at 22:36 |
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Also a fair point, but thankfully property values have gone up so much here that even with the ceiling torn out its worth more than what I owe.
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smobgirl
> David Baker
05/01/2016 at 22:38 |
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You seem fixated on this whole “done properly” thing...there are ZERO permits on file for this house since about 1976. Except for the roof I just had put on. The previous owner worked at Home Depot and “fixed” nearly everything himself. :(
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smobgirl
> David Baker
05/01/2016 at 22:44 |
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I think technically I’m looking for rafters. 45 degree ceiling.
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David Baker
> smobgirl
05/01/2016 at 22:50 |
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I know what you mean I’ve been a general contractor for almost 20 years and I’ve seen some serious shit. Try verifying where you think you have support, if verified. Then try a screw at 16 in, if no 24 in. Then trial and error in between. I highly doubt that you have a span more than 30 inches without support even with the worst construction practices. Best of luck, if none of this works that I would suggest the stand for the hammock.
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David Baker
> smobgirl
05/01/2016 at 22:54 |
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Yup your right, jumped over the pic don’t notice the angle till now. You are correct
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David Baker
> smobgirl
05/01/2016 at 23:04 |
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Your correct jumped over the pic. Rafter not joist. (Kinjaed, didn’t post in right place)
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Birddog
> OPPOsaurus WRX
05/01/2016 at 23:09 |
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Hell, I’ve worked some houses where it seems like they originally started in a random point.
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Birddog
> OPPOsaurus WRX
05/01/2016 at 23:13 |
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Natural Framing sounds perfect!
shop-teacher
> smobgirl
05/01/2016 at 23:44 |
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I personally prefer the nail method. So long as you don’t mind patching a bunch of holes. Get a nice big 16d sinker nail (about 3-1/2" long), and start poking holes every 1" or so until you hit a rafter. The advantage of the nail method over drilling holes or driving screws, is you can feel the resistance easier.
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smobgirl
> shop-teacher
05/02/2016 at 00:21 |
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Yeah, I’ll probably go this route. The section of drywall over the couch looks like crap anyway so I won’t be too upset even if I have to cut out a chunk and replace it.
This didn’t seem like it was going to be such a complex project but by now I ought to know better.
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shop-teacher
> smobgirl
05/02/2016 at 07:13 |
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Yeah, everything is harder than it should be.
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OPPOsaurus WRX
> smobgirl
05/02/2016 at 10:04 |
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dont be so sure there is nothing hidden in the walls. I’ve found all sorts of hidden shit go to adjacent rooms. You should totally just rip it apart. its not that hard to get back together.
Meatcoma
> smobgirl
05/02/2016 at 10:42 |
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Start 16 inches from the wall and you probably wont have to go but 2 or 3 in one direction or the other to hit a stud. I use finish nails, holes are smaller.
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smobgirl
> OPPOsaurus WRX
05/02/2016 at 13:42 |
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No adjacent rooms to worry about - the upstairs was one room until the middle wall was built, and it's the only wall with power. But I'll be careful anyway, because I'm positive there are roofing nails somewhere under there and I don't want tetanus.
gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
> smobgirl
05/03/2016 at 00:44 |
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in an old house I would never doubt anything. I gutted an old duplex and when redoing the interior framing found the rear of the building was 6" wider.
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smobgirl
> gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
05/03/2016 at 00:52 |
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I’m just hoping I tear a hole in the drywall and find out it’s insulated with $100 bills. I mean, it's probably as likely as winning Powerball, right?
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gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
> smobgirl
05/03/2016 at 22:09 |
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if you are making a hole, get a piece of wire and use that to “feel” to the sides if you can hit a rafter.