Currently trying to mount a decorative shelf with toggle bolts and have hit something metallic on my second hold. I'm in a newer townhouse that's part of a residential building so it might be a metal stud. However, I am drilling into the shared wall that is above the island in the kitchen so I don't want to hit any water or gas pipes. it looks like I hit the edge of it on my first hole then hit dead centre on the second. Seems like its running horizontally, pilot hole above my second hole goes through no problem but there is more metal on the pilot hole below. From what I can see in the first hole it looks like bracing but I haven't dealt with metal studs before so I cannot be sure. Stud finder says its magnetic. Would this be safe to drill through?

Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

Bajakid t1_je83xwd wrote on March 30, 2023 at 2:23 AM

No absolutely not. If you don’t know what it is, stop drilling now. If it’s a water pipe it ends in disaster. It could be an metal plate covering electrical wire. It could be…….. without knowing we don’t know. Stop drilling.

LooseRooster OP t1_je8fvtc wrote on March 30, 2023 at 4:07 AM

Yeah stopped as soon as I was through the drywall, only need to thread a snap toggle through. Just find it odd that the pilot hole above went into empty space. Anyways seems like the consensus is to mount somewhere else on the wall.

HighExplosiveLight t1_je99jur wrote on March 30, 2023 at 10:34 AM

They cut a chunk of stud out of the wall to run piping through, and then hammered a piece of aluminum to reinforce the stud in the area where it had been compromised.

Like this

https://images.app.goo.gl/euRTB6nb5CdsL5sM7

So that's why you can drill above and below it.

jeffp007 t1_je85ywu wrote on March 30, 2023 at 2:39 AM

Was the pilot hole directly above that you said was clear into wood behind the sheet rock? If so then your metal is most likely a plate to protect wiring or piping.

LooseRooster OP t1_je8f99p wrote on March 30, 2023 at 4:01 AM

The pilot hole above went into empty space behind the sheet rock

HootblackDesiato t1_je87nbw wrote on March 30, 2023 at 2:53 AM

It's either a water pipe, an electrical conduit, or a wiring protector plate. In any case, stop drilling and work around it.

NerdOfPlay t1_je8c8jb wrote on March 30, 2023 at 3:33 AM

It's almost certainly one of these.

They're meant to protect wiring runs from drills like yours.

LooseRooster OP t1_je8fgdj wrote on March 30, 2023 at 4:03 AM

Not trying to drill into the stud and the pilot hole above goes into empty space

RealSampson t1_jectce5 wrote on March 31, 2023 at 1:55 AM

Could be a nail plate, CSST has nail plates that extend about 6” past the stud. Simple answer don’t drill it.