Wiring – Can studs be 2-4 inches apart

drywallmountingstudstelevisionwiring

While preparing for a TV mounting on a wall, I've read on various answers here that the standard spacing is 16 or 24 inches between studs. I've run into a weird situation where there are 3 studs A, B, C. Distance between A and B is 6 inches, and B and C is 16 inches.

Is it possible to have two studs only 6 inches apart? I'm just trying to ensure my stud finder is not detecting a PVC pipe or something.

I'm trying to look for the closest two studs to the center of the room for a TV mount and they turn out to be A and C, but looking for some help to see how to ensure it's indeed a stud and nothing else.

This is the stud finder I'm using.

Edit:
Wow! what an awesome response! Given the interest, I decided to go through the entire wall using my stud finder and map out all the studs (or at least that I think are studs). I then annotated it on the pic I took of the wall where I'm trying to put the TV. Pic attached. A few notes:

  1. 2001 construction

  2. This is on the 2nd floor, and I have access to the attic above this ceiling.

  3. Studs are at varying spacing across the wall.

  4. Studs A, B, C in my original post are 4,5,6 in this pic.

  5. Stud #9 shows 1-2 inches wide by the stud finder.

  6. I did the 'knock, knock, Thud!' test and it sounds almost identical for all studs.

Here's the pic of the wall with annotation

As you can see, I'd like to use stud#4,6 for mounting the TV Mount plate. So the main stud in question is #4. I think #5 is surely a stud as that's what the outlet is attached to. I want to avoid using stud 5,6 since that puts the TV off-center by 6-7". Any further help would be appreciated!

Best Answer

Yes. They can be however far apart the builder wants them. I have used 3-4 studs within 16" when doing bathrooms, high traffic corner, in bathrooms for showers... and have installed an extra stud because of a previous mistake.

I only use magnetic stud finder (finds your screws).

If you use a method and you just aren't 100% sure the best thing to do is a test with a monkeyhook. These take literally 10 seconds to test with no equipment and only leave a tiny pinhole. If you hit something... boom got a stud. If you don't no one will notice (you can cover the pinholes with similar colored toothpaste!). Also monkeyhooks are great for holding smaller picture frames.

Also adding based on comments on plumbing:

Paramagnetic metals are weakly attracted to magnets, and include platinum, tungsten, aluminum and magnesium. Ferrimagnetic metals like magnetite are also attracted to magnets, while diamagnetic metals like silver and copper are repelled by them.

Your magnet will slightly repel (and have tested) on copper (obviously stud finder or magnetic stud finder will not find pex).

To add specifically to mounting: You can remove drywall and add cross bracing. You are basically ruining that small section anyway. If you want to beef it up - it takes 30 mins.

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