how do you know if plywood is behind siding?

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Im installing security cameras on the house. We do not have plywood all around the house. Is there a way I can tell if im going I drill into plywood before I start drilling holes?

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  • There are a few questions that need to be asked/ answered, before we could give you some type of “good” answer… and even then, without physically taking the siding off and seeing it first hand, we could probably only tell you whether there IS or IS NOT “SHEATHING” behind your siding.

    Some questions you should supply information about:

    .What type of siding do you have?

    .How old is the house?

    .Have you had any additions added?

    . HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU DO NOT HAVE PLYWOOD SHEATHING ALL AROUND?

    I can tell you how to find the thickness (if any) of any sheathing behind the siding…. BUT I cannot tell you how to determine if it is plywood or some other type of sheathing..

    To find the thickness, you will have to make a few holes by driving a small finish nail in a few different spots until you find a stud.

    After locating the stud, try to drive a nail JUST alongside, to miss the stud…

    Once you have found the edge of the stud… drive another nail, again, to miss the stud, and take notice when the nail breaks free.

    now measure the length of the nail that penetrated before breaking free.

    This will give you a rough idea of the thickness of the siding and sheathing.

    Now knowing standard siding thicknesses….. (HERE IS WHERE WE NEED TO KNOW THE TYPE SIDING) you can subtract that and that will tell you the thickness of the sheathing.

    HOWEVER IT WILL NOT TELL YOU THE SHEATHING MATERIAL!

    Again not knowing some more info about the house…. you could have many different materials being used as sheathing….

  • Chances are that you don’t have plywood if you have an older house only way to tell is drill a pilot hole on your siding and if you meet resistance after drilling through the siding then you have plywood , if your home built in the last years you may have since plywood is used to strengthen the framing but, the screws provided with cameras are not that long any ways

  • Take some siding off and have a look

    Or look for the nails in the siding; chances are they go into a stud so you can mount the camera there.

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