How to Find a Stud Behind Aluminum Siding

When mounting heavy objects on the exterior of a home it is important to locate a wall stud if the exterior is not made of masonry. Wall studs are the vertical boards that form the framework of the home and provide enough strength to hold the mounting hardware. While stud finder tools work well on drywall, they often cannot penetrate aluminum siding. Locating a stud behind aluminum siding requires some estimation and careful measuring.

Tape measure
Pencil
Drill
1/8-inch drill bit

Instructions

- 1
  Look at wall where the aluminum siding is installed and locate an area anywhere on it where you know a stud is located. Studs are always located at each corner and typically are located where electrical outlets are installed.
- 2
  Place a tape measure at the location where a stud is known to be -- for example the corner of the house -- and stretch it out for 16 inches, which is the standard spacing for most wall studs. Use a pencil to make a small mark on the siding at this location.
- 3
  Continue measuring out and marking at 16-inch intervals until you locate the spot where you want to install the object.
- 4
  Insert a 1/8-inch drill bit into a drill and create a small hole in the location. If you feel resistance past 1/2 inch deep, you have located the stud. If the drill bit pushes in easily, you have not located the stud. If you don't locate the stud, go back to the starting location and measure at 24-inch increments for the wall stud. This is the second likelist spacing plan for wall studs.

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