david_jones38•8d agoMost Upvoted

Just realized I was spacing my studs wrong with metal studs for years

Saw a guy at a job in Wichita last week lay out a wall with a track and a square, no tape measure needed, and it clicked - I'd been measuring each stud spot like wood instead of using the pre-punched holes right. Any of you guys just mark every third hole and move on?

3 comments

3 Comments

wadew518d ago

Honestly, can't count how many times I've been on a job and seen a guy mark out a whole wall with just a square and a level, no tape or punch holes or nothing. Reminds me of this old-timer in Austin who used a folded-up piece of cardboard as a spacer for everything, studs included, and swore it was faster than any tool on the truck. @kimr74 that first stud thing kills me too though, I'll triple-check it even when I know it's right. Took me a solid year after learning the hole trick to stop second-guessing and just trust the layout.

kimr748d ago

Oh man, I feel this in my bones! I spent a good two years measuring every single stud bay like I was building a damn cabinet before a drywaller laughed at me and showed me the hole trick. Now I just count three holes and go, feels like cheating but my back hurts less so I don't care. I still mess up the first stud though, always have to double check that one because my brain refuses to believe it's that simple.

kelly6385d ago

Alright, I'm gonna be the annoying guy here and say I still measure. Look, that hole trick is fine for rough work, but I've had too many jobs where the spacing goes wonky near windows or doors and counting holes bites me in the ass. I'd rather take the extra thirty seconds and know my stud is exactly at 16 or 24 inches than pray the last guy nailed his layout perfect. Call me slow but I sleep better knowing my drywall screws actually hit wood.