Finding studs

I've struggled with this for the last forty years.

I want to hang something on a drywall wall, and I want to use the studs instead of drywall anchors. I have the damndest time finding the studs reliably.

There's the time-honored and lo-tech method of tapping on the wall and listening for different tones of hollow wall vs solid stud. So, I find a stud that way, then measure 16" (or 24") on either side, tap there, and hear a hollow sound. At that point, the process becomes random and seldom 100% accurate.

I have several electronic detectors and their performance is spotty as well. I can scan the same spot three or four times and get three or four different hits over a space of about four inches, too wide to be a single 2x2. (No, I'm not finding a doubled stud.)

The most reliable gadget I have is also the simplest: a small plastic horseshoe with a magnetic pointer suspended between the open ends. You move it over the wall until the pointer moves, at which time you know you have detected a nail head and are on a stud. The problem with that is that nail heads are a very small area of a wall and it takes a lot of systematic scanning to find them.

I invariably end up approximating where I think the studs are, then punching trial holes with an awl. This leaves me patching lots of little trial holes when I'm done.

Any suggestions?

Reply to
Richard Evans
Loading thread data ...

get a bunch of small supermagnets. you can get them for about .10/each when you buy in bulk (i use

formatting link
. run a stack over where you think the stud is and they'll be attracted to the drywall screws. put a small magnet over each screwhead. you'll see exactly where the studs run.

Reply to
charlie

I've had good luck with the electronic variety. The trick is to move them very slowly along the wall. The LEDs will shoot up at one boundary and down at the other boundary. I don't move more than about a centimeter per second once I know the general location.

Reply to
AZ Nomad

Richard Evans wrote: ...

I basically start w/ the baseboard and find where it was nailed. Investigation there generally will find the pattern.

--

Reply to
dpb

I have had good success with electronic stud finders, but I agree that the results can be spotty. You can get small, very powerful magnets on ebay, that you "rub" over a wall section until it sticks to a screw. It's a little faster than the horseshoe tool, because they will "home in" on a screw from about 2-3" away from it. Once you have found one, it is easier to locate the next ones based on a typical framing pattern.

JK

Reply to
Big_Jake

A very powerful magnet (about size of end of one thumb) can be scrapped out of an older style hard drive.

These are are so strong that two will attract and hold through a two inch diameter tree sapling!

One of these can be gently moved over a plasterboard wall and will hold 'themselves' in place wherever there is a nail or a screw. It's like the old expression; "If your underpants fall down use stronger elastic". In this case a 'stronger magnet'!

Also noticed that one way to determine if there is an electric current actually flowing in wires (there has to be something plugged in and/or switched on for current to flow) is to hold one of these magnets close the wiring and vibration will be felt due to the 60 hertz alternation of current through the wires. This works even though the two wires carrying current, live and neutral, are close together, or even twisted.

One amusing sidelight; is that someone was using one of these strong magnets on the end of a piece of string, to retrieve something but avoid moving a heavy metal filing cabinet. The magnet swung slightly and was attracted to the filing cabinet; where it stuck like glue. Don't know if they then moved the cabinet anyway or just abandoned the magnet until some future time!

Reply to
alfred.sanford

Rare-Earth magnets. You might find them in a hobby shop or Rad Shack. Even old dead hard drives have magnets for salvage.

formatting link
I've not used this tool, but it uses magnets.
formatting link

Reply to
Oren

There is a reason to not use aluminum nails.

Reply to
Boden

On 10/3/2008 9:12 AM Richard Evans spake thus:

As others have suggested, forget the electronic detectors. Get yourself a simple, cheap mechanical/magnetic stud finder. Mine, made by Stanley, has a small powerful magnet suspended on a pivot. It's very sensitive and clearly swings when over a screw or nail (ferrous, of course).

Reply to
David Nebenzahl

formatting link

Reply to
Oren

-snip-

Since I started using threaded drywall anchors [Zip it or E-Z] I don't care where the stud is.

I drive a screw and if it hits a stud I'm happy. If it doesn't, I drive one of these in the same hole and drive the screw into it.

Haven't had one fail yet. [I have had a plastic one catch the side of a stud and break. Backed it out & now I use the metal ones.]

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

Yeah, there are plenty of crappy electronic studfinders that end up causing more harm than good. There are also good ones. Zircon tends to make good ones. Don't skimp on cost. A good studfinder pays for itself in eliminated mistakes in no time.

A metal detector feature is good, but be sure to use some care so you don't attempt to drive a nail though, say, a cast iron drain pipe. :)

Reply to
mike

Um, as long as you mind the load limits. There are situations where you MUST find a stud. A heavy wall cabinet is not going to be safely supported by drywall anchors.

Reply to
mike

You could probably use an infrared camera and a heat gun. Heat the wall and then look at it with the camera. The drywall that is against studs will change temperature more slowly; heat up slower, cool down slower thus allowing you to see where the studs are.

Reply to
Claude Hopper

I hereby nominate Claude for the AHR Rube Goldberg award of the month;-)

Reply to
Reggie Dunlop

Have you actually tried it? I really hate it when people give advice that is merely pulled out of their ass.

Reply to
AZ Nomad

Hire Superman for an hour....

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Wisnia

On 10/3/2008 11:22 AM Oren spake thus:

That's what I'm talking 'bout.

Of course, when I bought mine, the first thing that happened is that the clear plastic cover popped off. Little super glue fixed that right up, though.

Reply to
David Nebenzahl

I have some of those super magnets that are about half the size of a penny. I got a bunch of them on ebay, and they are handy for lots of things. You merely take one and slide it on the wall until it hits a nail head, and then it stays there. You do a couple more, and you got the stud. Best way I have ever found for finding studs.

I have two stud finders, and they are pretty good. Still, sometimes, they give weird readings, and you're not absolutely sure where the stud is. With the magnets, I have better luck than that.

Steve

Reply to
SteveB

As others have said the electronic units work if you go slow. Many times I use a tape measure measuring from an outlet. There is almost always a stud on one side for the other of an outlet or switch. Take the cover plate off and look for the stud. If you can't see it then use a nail or screwdriver to probe in and find which side the stud is on and then measure from there. Kevin

Reply to
Kevin Ricks

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.