I made an oopsie

[Tandem Rider]

There's definitely studs in there, either 16", 19.2", or 24" on center. Look carefully along the top inch of your baseboard, you should be able to see nails or signs of nails. Either use a level or measure from a known edge, transfer up to the correct height. If you need to have the bike exactly there, buy a piece of 3/4" plywood from the home center cut down to the size you need that spans 2 studs, screw it into the studs and screw the hangers into the plywood.

Lucky it's smooth walls, easier to patch and hide rather than matching texture as well.

[OtayBW]

Sheetrock/drywall often goes into furring strips, not studs....

[cribbit]

I've used a studfinder, I've measured where they should be, I've drilled random holes - there are no studs in these walls.

Furring strips seems likely, since I've hit something springy behind the wall where the studs would measure to be.

[9tubes]

Try this trick: take wire from a coat hanger cut and bend it into a simple 90 degree L-shape, with the short end about 6 inches and the other end about 10 inches.

Then insert the long end into the drywall hole until just the short end is sticking out. Now rotate the wire. The long end will make an arc inside the wall. If the studs are at the standard 16" it will find them because the arc is for a 20" circle.

[Blown Reek]

Originally Posted by OtayBW

Sheetrock/drywall often goes into furring strips, not studs....

How do you build an interior wall or a soffit or a ceiling without using studs? Furring strips on exterior wall, sure, but you have to have something to attach those furring strips to. Everything else is studs.

[OtayBW]

Originally Posted by Blown Reek

How do you build an interior wall or a soffit or a ceiling without using studs? Furring strips on exterior wall, sure, but you have to have something to attach those furring strips to. Everything else is studs.

Furring strips are often applied onto the existing studs, or onto concrete if it's a basement wall. Who know. Nobody is talking about building a conventional interior wall without studs.

[zmudshark]

Buy a good studfinder. Costco has a nice one right now in the store, probably on sale for $10 less soon. I bought one last year. It really works.

It's basically this one, branded differently. I paid $30, think are are $40 right now. Cheaper than drywall patching.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Franklin-Se...der/1000342989

Edit: Works on stucco walls!

[zmudshark]

Originally Posted by cribbit

I've used a studfinder, I've measured where they should be, I've drilled random holes - there are no studs in these walls.

Furring strips seems likely, since I've hit something springy behind the wall where the studs would measure to be.

Stucco? wire mesh?

Is this in CA?

[Dino Suegiù]

@ OP:
If you are not finding studs by studfinder, coathanger, nailing every ~3", etc., the wall (or a portion of it) you are dealing with may in fact be a chase wall for HVAC, plumbing, or vents.

If so it will be much deeper than a standard 2x4 or 2x6 wall, and may very well not have standard stud spacing at the face you are looking at, at least for a length greater even than 24".

All kinds of odd compromises happen, especially in residential construction and/or if elements were retro-fitted into your house.

Originally Posted by zmudshark

Stucco? wire mesh?

Is this in CA?

That is clearly not stucco/mesh in the photos; it is clearly drywall.

[mmfs]

Toggler Alligator anchors and done. Work in solid and hollow wall applications. Throw all your other anchors away.

http://www.toggler.com/products/alligator/overview.php

[Dino Suegiù]

^
That Toggler Alligator claimed 1025# load capacity when placed in a solid concrete wall isn't really going to help the op that much when the very same anchors are rated at 85# maximum load support in his 1/2" drywall applications....

There is no substitute for direct anchoring into studs, plates, or braces, especially in earthquake territory, and especially with heavier loads to be supported. The weakest link is always the weakest link, period.