How to hang a pallet bar on a wall?

[saffa1]

Thanks @TedBear,

I was using a stud finder but to no avail, I then drilled a few 2mm holes but again to no avail which is why I now feel like there aren’t studs and am thinking it may be steel construction? Either way I am stumped 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @saffa1,

I'm not too familiar with XPS and EPS foam wall construction techniques. However, I believe they fix foam boards over the top of the house's timber or steel frame. These foam boards are between 50 and 100mm thick. This is likely too deep for your stud finder to pick up.

You can try running the stud detector over the interior side of that wall. If you can find the studs, then you could transfer those measurements onto the exterior of the wall.

Mitchell

[TedBear]

Mitchell's idea sounds like a good one if that's possible to do.  If not, perhaps you need to find a friend who has (or knows someone who has) a metal detector? ?    There must be support somewhere for the wallboard material.

(There are some phone apps that claim to detect metal using the phone's compass, but I have yet to find one that works well.)

[saffa1]

Thank you both @MitchellMc @TedBear again, I managed to locate the studs from inside and then cross referenced the measurements and lined up from the outside (I’m kicking myself I never thought of this first) then drilled a couple tiny holes and viola, found the studs. The issue now is that the studs are about 120mm behind the cladding. Should I be concerned and change my approach? 

[TedBear]

I am a bit confused by the description. Do you mean that there is an air gap between the cladding and the studs (which would mean that they are not holding the cladding), or is the cladding 120mm thick?  

[saffa1]

Yes there is a gap between the studs and the cladding, in this gap is a thin layer of insulation and then empty space 

[TedBear]

Now there's a problem!  But you knew that.

My suggestions are
a) make a frame to sit the unit on, on the ground,   or
b) use toggle bolts and long (200 - 250mm) steel right-angle brackets.  That will enable you to get 2 toggle bolts per fixing (ie each rt angle bracket) into the wall with the holes not too close to each other. (To not weaken the wall board.)
Three brackets spaced across the top and two at the bottom should hold it.
The top brackets would be placed to stick out where the top of the unit will be. You would then use bolts, nuts and washers to attach the unit through the top to the brackets.
The bottom ones could be fitted such that they are unseen behind the unit, making sure that the bit sticking out does so where the bottom of the unit will sit. Attach by bolts, nuts & washers, or short screws since the force will be down and back toward

the wall on these brackets.
Probably best to do the bottom ones first,  so the unit can sit on them while you mark where the top will be.  If you mark them carefully then you could hide them too, and just slide the unit in between the brackets at the end & bolt it on.
You could make a simple template to help:
cut a piece if lightweight timber to exact height of the unit. Mount the brackets by bolts to each end (bracket arms facing over the ends of the wood) temporarily, then remove bolts. This will give you the correct hole placements for the brackets if you hold it against the wall, on a pencil mark, where the bottom of the unit is going.
I hope that suggestion description makes sense.

[MitchellMc]

@saffa1,

Using toggles and brackets as @TedBear has suggested could be the best solution. There are Zenith M12 x 200mm Tech-Shield Coach Screws, but they would only really allow you to mount a 19mm thick board to the wall. Even then I'm not a great fan of only having 61 millimetres of the screw in the stud when the weight is located so far out from it.

Keep us updated.

Mitchell