If you own a mobile home, you will need to know how far apart its studs are. There are various measurements regarding the distance between studs, especially in a mobile home. We did research to find out the proper distance between studs, so keep reading to get answers.
For mobile homes made before 1976, the distance between studs is less because the studs are smaller. The space between studs in these mobile homes may be eight, 10, or 14 inches.
Modern mobile homes use larger studs that are spaced farther apart. Typically, the exterior walls of modern mobile homes have studs spaced 16 inches apart, while interior wall studs are 24 inches apart.
If you need more information about these measurements, we've got you covered. In this post, we've also included a guide on how to find studs to make the job easier. Read on to learn more.
Distance Between Mobile Home Studs
Mobile homes manufactured before 1976 use small metal studs. Because the studs are small, less space was required between them. According to the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) standards of that time, studs could be 8, 10, or 14 inches apart on interior and exterior walls.
How close or far apart studs are depends on whether the mobile home is older and whether the studs used are smaller (usually 2 x 2 or 2 x 3 inches).
Mobile homes manufactured later than 1976 are more modernized. Homes like these have larger studs (commonly 2 x 3, 2 x 4, or 2 x 6 inches), making the distance between them greater. According to HUD, the studs for these homes are either 16 or 24 inches apart.
The exterior walls of modern mobile homes need more support, so the studs are closer together at 16 inches. Meanwhile, interior walls do not require as much structural support, so the studs are typically farther apart at 24 inches.
How To Find Studs In A Mobile Home
To hang something in a mobile home, you must find the studs in the wall. You can do this with or without a stud finder. Follow these steps as a guide to find the studs:
1. Determine When Your Mobile Home Was Manufactured
You should determine the year your mobile home was manufactured to know how far apart its studs are.
To learn the year, find your mobile home's data plate. It may be located near a main electrical panel or in a bedroom closet, kitchen cabinet, or utility room. All mobile homes made after June 1976 have this plate.
As long as it has a data plate, it should be a modern mobile home with studs farther apart. However, if you can't find the plate, try looking for a date stamp on your toilet tank.
Mobile homes before 1976 have this. If you still can't find the date, your mobile home may be an older model. Models made before 1976 have studs closer together.
2. Measure By Distance
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If you already have a location in mind for hanging the object, find the nearest light switch or power outlet. These are usually attached to studs, so after you find one, you can measure according to the probable distance between studs mentioned earlier, and the next stud should be there.
You may also do this by locating a window or corner and measuring where the next stud will be. If you're unsure how far apart your studs are from each other, mark at 8, 10, 14, 16, and 24-inch distances, then proceed with the next step.
Click here to see this tape measure on Amazon.
3. Knock On Your Wall
You can check if a stud is present in a spot by simply tapping or knocking on your wall with a hammer. Remember to do this gently, as you don't want to damage the area.
Listen closely to the sound you hear as you tap. If the sound seems hollow or empty, there's probably no stud present. But if you hear a muffled solid sound, it's most likely a stud.
Click here to see this hammer on Amazon.
4. Drill Your Wall
After finding a probable stud, you need to confirm it's there by drilling a hole. Attach a small bit to your drill and make a hole where you've marked. If you feel some resistance as you do so, it is a stud.
If you're unsure whether a stud is present after drilling, use a wire hanger and untwist it to get it into the correct angle. Then, insert the hanger into the hole in the wall. If it makes contact with something solid, you've hit a stud.
Click here to see this drill on Amazon.
5. Try A Stud Finder
When the steps above fail to help you locate studs in your mobile home, the best solution is to use a stud finder. This is a hand-held device that you can use specifically for finding studs. To use it, follow these steps:
- Determine if you bought a magnetic stud finder or a center-finding density-reading stud finder. For heavy objects that you plan on hanging, it's best to use the density-reading stud finder, which shows the edges of your studs.
- Choose where you want to hang an item. Using a stud finder will allow you to find studs directly in an ideal area without starting from a light switch, power outlet, or corner. After choosing a spot, remove all the objects near it so you can use your stud finder.
- Turn on your stud finder and hold it against the wall at least a foot to the left of the area where you want to hang an object. Then, press the button that's usually found on the side of the stud finder.
- Slide your stud finder along the wall. Move the device horizontally, ensuring it is flat against the wall. If it finds a stud, you'll either hear a beep or see the device's lights flash. Slide the device back a few inches to check for the exact spot it beeped or flashed on.
- Mark the spot where the device found a stud. Then, double-check by seeing if there's a stud inches away from it (with the distance depending on when your mobile home was manufactured).
Check out this stud finder on Amazon.
How Much Weight Can Mobile Home Walls Hold?
Generally, a mobile home wall can hold 50 to 100 pounds, and you can hang light to heavy loads. But the key to determining whether you can is knowing how large the studs used in your home are.
For instance, older mobile homes with smaller studs won't be able to hold as much weight as modern mobile homes with large studs.
The weight that mobile home walls can hold is only an estimate. For specific measurements, you may opt to check with your manufacturer. Note that mobile home walls with gypsum boards used as an interior lining cannot hold extremely heavy objects, so you should be careful with them.
But if you're only planning to hang pictures, paintings, mirrors, light shelves, or a TV, you should be able to do so without worries.
In Closing
Before 1976, most mobile home manufacturers used small metal studs. Because smaller stud sizes mean smaller spaces between them to ensure structural supports, the distance between them is typically eight, 10, or 14 inches.
After 1976, the HUD standards changed, and manufacturers started to utilize large lumber studs. Because of this, the spaces between the studs increased significantly to 16 inches (for exterior walls) and 24 inches (for interior walls).
It is essential to locate the studs in your mobile home. Due to the differences in distances depending on the manufacture date, you should first check for your mobile home's data plate. Then you can try the methods covered in this post to find a stud, or you can use a stud finder.
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