The easiest way to find a stud: With a stud finder, a handheld gadget, like this one, that does the hunting for you. To see which side the stud is on, take the switch plate cover off and take a peak inside. Otherwise, whatever it is you're hanging won’t have something sturdy to latch on to, leaving your piece susceptible to falling, which can damage your wall in the process. Why do we need to add one more stud? When you suspect you've found a stud, locate multiple points on it to confirm that it runs vertically. The simple solution is to use a stud finder, which range anywhere from $10 to $50. If you can't find the stud even after drilling, there's one more technique you can try: Grab a wire hanger and untwist it, fashioning it into a right angle. Hanging an object on a wall can be a simple project. Some homes have steel studs, which require specialty fasteners, such as toggle bolts, to support heavy items. But before you pick up that hammer to put the finishing touches on your space, stop to consider what it is you're hanging. Studs needed = (length of the wall / OC spacing) + 1. Then, measure 16 inches from there, since wall studs are typically spaced 16 inches apart by code, she explains. Turn off the power to the outlet or switch if you plan to remove the cover and look for the stud. Observe the stud finder's display; it should … Though less reliable than the above method, dimples are a telltale sign of where drywall is fastened to the edge of a stud, particularly in plaster walls, says Rothman. If you hear a hollow or empty sound, tap a little to the left or to the right. The holes can be filled with a compatible caulking when you are done. They're always spaced either 16 or 24 inches on-center (measured from center to center) along the wall and run between the floor and ceiling. While nails and screws in wood studs will attract a magnet, steel studs will have a stronger attraction along the entire height of the stud. To do it right and make sure it's stable and safe, you may need to know how to find a stud that can anchor it. 3. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. An area where there's no stud has a low, hollow sound. Does anyone know with a reasonable accuracy how to find the location of aluminum studs in an exterior wall (with fiberglass)? If necessary, measure out in increments of 16 or 24 inches until you reach the location where you want to install a fastener. You can find studs with an electronic stud finder, or you can try to find them manually. Some cheap magnetic stud finders can scratch the wall, so make sure you get one with felt pads to protect the wall. You can sometimes spot these with the naked eye, but a flashlight can be helpful for illuminating any slight dimples in the wall. The stud finder scans the density of the wall, then shows where the studs are located. Slide the device horizontally to the right. Windows usually have a stud on each side, but finding the edges can be tricky, rendering this method less reliable than the ones noted above, says Rothman. Once you find the center of one stud, you can measure horizontally to find more studs. Mark the location on painters tape. Once you’ve revealed a stud or ceiling joist, you can easily find all of the framing members for that particular wall or ceiling by using the 16- or 24-in. – Typical stud spacing is 16? Older homes, and some interior walls in newer homes, have studs with 24-inch spacing, and very old homes may have relatively random spacing. If your walls are drywall, a stud finder locates studs quickly and accurately. A center-sensing model simplifies the process. If you think your home might have steel studs, you can check by running a magnet along a wall. This option is less … Using a Stud Finder Invest in a tool that allows you to identify studs in your walls. An electronic wall stud finder can also detect metal in a wall. Studs hold up drywall on interior walls and wood sheathing on exterior walls of your home. Wall registers are commonly put between two wall studs. Calculate the number of studs needed for a wall section based on stud spacing and the wall length measured in feet and inches. Right? Notice any areas where paneling may be nailed or where drywall seams show. Before you hang something on a wall, it’s good to find where the studs (vertical wall framing members) are hiding. Measure away from the wall seam toward the stud you wish to locate. Tapping over a stud produces a higher tone and a more solid sound. Locate the studs on an inside wall, and very carefully measure the distance from the studs to a window or door. If your walls are drywall, a stud finder locates studs quickly and accurately. Sometimes, electronic and magnetic stud finders won’t do you much good. Examine your walls and look for seams. Remove a return-air grill covering, and you’ll almost always see two wall studs. Why It's Difficult to Locate Walls Studs on Exterior Walls with Your Stud Finder. on center. On drywall walls, raised or sunken imperfections running vertically indicate fasteners that secure the panels to the studs. Once you find the stud, you can measure off 16″ to find the next one most times. An empty sound indicates a space, while a thud indicates a stud. First, go to the corner of the wall and measure 16 inches from the wall by measuring tape. When the wire makes contact with a firm object, that indicates you've found a stud. Metal Coat Hanger Probe. Are You Cleaning Your Mattress Often Enough. Drywall or lath (for plaster walls) attaches to the edge of the studs. Here's how to find a stud in the wall quickly and easily, with or without a stud finder: The most reliable method, find a light switch or a power outlet, says Rothman. Still, when all else fails, locating the edge of your window and measuring 16 inches from there can help provide some general guidance. When you think you've found a stud, mark the location. Electrical boxes are typically attached to studs, so start by locating the one nearest to the area where you want to place something that needs a little extra reinforcement. These are often … Our local stores do not honor online pricing. Locate studs on an outdoor stucco wall with a magnet, your knuckle or a stud finder by checking along the same wall from indoors. Follow the stud finder manufacturer's instructions for use and safety. on center and even on older houses is rarely greater than 24? If you use a hammer to look for studs, cover the head to prevent damaging the wall. Hold the stud finder against the wall and move it along the surface at the installation height of the fastener. When the sound is muffled, you'll know you've hit a stud. The fasteners give you a good estimate of the center of the studs. Why trust us? Whether you're mounting a television or hanging a coat rack, you'll be required to find a stud in your drywall. If an electronic stud finder marks a stud, but you can't locate any drywall screws in that area, there likely isn't a stud there. Stud finders are a vast improvement over the days when there were no stud finders. But not all homeowners own a stud finder, and probably don't need one often enough to justify the purchase. Prices and availability of products and services are subject to change without notice. … Be careful, here. If you want to confirm the presence of a stud, you can drive a small finish nail into the wall at the suspected location. In most homes, studs are spaced 16 inches apart, measured at their centers. If you find that the wall is producing damp sound rather than a sharp sound, this must be the location of the wall stud. The … We’ve all been there at some point: anxiously trying to find a wall stud while you’re in the process of hanging a picture, shelf, or TV mount. The easiest way to find a stud: With a stud finder, a handheld gadget, like … To verify whether or not you've found a stud without doing any damage to your wall, knock or tap the area gently with your hammer, says Rothman. Calibrate the stud finder (if necessary). You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io. Go slowly. While this can help you find a wall stud, it can also turn up a false positive, since the app may detect things other than studs, like nails or electrical wires, says Rothman. – Studs exist to hold up drywall on interior walls and wood sheathing on exterior walls. Some stud finders detect the presence of live, unshielded electrical wires. Simply use a tape measure to pull measurements from the location of the stud or joist you’ve discovered. Simply make a mark on your wall where the stud finder beeps, and you’ll find something solid underneath to hold a nail or screw. Your best bet for finding studs on exterior walls is to actually find them from the inside; taking careful measurements and … Once you have generally located a stud, drill a small hole to see if you can find the stud. Studs are boards that function as framing elements in your home, supporting the walls. You can also tap on the wall with a mallet to generally locate the studs. They also anchor your home decor and wall-mounted televisions. You'll know you've hit wood (a stud!) Depending on the location of the hole, you may need to repair it after you remove the nail. This is the center of the stud. Trim running along the top or bottom of your walls may have fasteners that secure it to the studs. Run strips of painters tape along the length of a wall to simplify marking multiple stud locations. Verify the stud by tapping with a hammer lightly. Link to Lowe's Home Improvement Home Page, Step 1: Assess the Wall for Stud Locations. 24 Asian-Owned Beauty Brands You Should Know About, Soledad O'Brien's "Listening Tour" Continues, 17 Fun and Magical St. Patrick's Day Activities, 60 Egg Recipes That Are Anything But Scrambled, How to Tie-Dye Easter Eggs With Food Coloring, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. look for the rivets that attach the interior wall covering to the studs; use a magnetic or electronic stud finder. Originally Published: April 10, 2020 To do so, drill a hole in the wall. spacing rule. Move it back toward this mark from the opposite direction. Tap the wall with the back of your finger or with the back of a spoon. Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. If a stud is present, you should feel resistance as the nail encounters the wood. It's less effective on lath/plaster walls, but some have a metal-scanning feature that may locate the nails securing the lath to the studs. One reason is that stud finders often return false positive readings. Locate several points along the suspected stud and locate adjacent studs as described above. It’s also possible to locate studs by flashlight. Many fasteners and hangers used to hang heavy objects, such as large pictures, mirrors, shelves and television mounting systems, need to be anchored in studs because the wall alone isn't strong enough to support the weight. Let's provide some tips for locating a stud the old fashioned way. Stud finders are small, handheld tools you slide along the finished wall surface. For this creative solution, you will need to drill a small hole in the wall. Mark the studs’ locations and measure the distance in between each one. The center of a stud provides the best support for the fasteners. Using a studfinder, or by examining baseboard nails and outlet locations, find a stud from the interior. Wall Hanging Tips: What’s Inside My Wall? You may be able to find a stud or confirm the suspected location of a stud by tapping the wall with your knuckles or a hammer. If you get a different measurement, you've likely located something other than a stud. This means you will always find a stud, header, or footer on the top, bottom, or corners of walls. You can find studs with an electronic stud finder, or you can try to find them manually. You can often knock with your knuckles and determine to which side of an outlet the stud lies. Well to install a wall mount you will come across this phrase, “secure safely by anchoring into a wall stud.” No problem, go get the stud finder and use that to find a wall stud. Items such as ducts, electrical wires and water pipes may be in the walls in your work area. Either turn the breaker off, or be careful not to touch any wires before attempting this or you can get a nasty shock. Use a pencil to mark the place on the wall where you think the stud is … Several of the manual methods below are helpful if you have lath/plaster walls. Depending on your model, it will flash or beep to alert you to a stud. Or just use a stud finder! If you can locate the edge of the stud the box attaches to, measure out 3/4 of an inch to locate the center of the stud. Locate and mark the other edge. You spend 15 minutes digging through storage for the seldom used stud finder only to discover the batteries died. Errors will be corrected where discovered, and Lowe's reserves the right to revoke any stated offer and to correct any errors, inaccuracies or omissions including after an order has been submitted. To try this trick, hold the flashlights upright, parallel to the wall. Locate several studs and measure between them to confirm they have typical wall stud spacing of 16 or 24 inches. But you should not rely on them as the only way to find a wall stud. To use a stud finder, decide where you want to hang your item, then place the stud finder in the approximate spot the mounting hardware would sit. Remember, don't measure the OC from the end of each stud! Locate several points on the suspected stud and locate adjacent studs as described above to confirm that you've found a stud. Tip: Don’t measure off the window trim. It signals at the center of a stud so you can mark the location directly. if you feel resistance. , hook the tape measure over the outside wall corner and measure in 17 1/4 inches, and Prices, Promotions, styles, and availability may vary. The most common stud spacing with wall … One side of the electrical box for an outlet or a switch typically attaches to a stud. Whether you're hanging pictures or a new TV, a bit of wall decor does wonders to make a room feel cohesive and complete. on the wall in question. An edge-finding model signals when it senses the end of open space behind the wall and the edge of a dense object such as a stud. It should be 1-1/2 inches from the first mark. Studs hold these fasteners better, preventing them from pulling out under the weight of the object. Measure and mark the midpoint between the edges. Use a flashlight. Thinking of adding a door to create a storage compartment in a dead space. Most stud finder apps are magnetic, which means they rely on your smartphone's built-in magnetometer to pinpoint metal objects inside the wall. You'll base this on the installation height of the fastener(s) you use to secure the object you're hanging. Hold the tool flat against the wall, slowly sliding it horizontally to the left or right. Holding a light near the wall as you look along it can help you find the imperfections. Determine how high on the wall you want to begin looking for a stud. A smooth, interior drywall surface can make locating studs easier. Whatever method you use for locating studs, make sure you find studs rather than objects such as pipes or conduit. Be careful when installing fasteners. Product costs, availability and item numbers may vary online or by market. Use your new tool to fish around behind the wall, says Rothman. A window has a stud on each side but depending on the trim, it may be difficult to approximate the edges of the studs. Measure up to the installation height of the fastener and mark the wall at that point on painters tape. Typically, you calibrate the device by positioning it on the wall where there's no stud and activating it. (Some are placed 24 inches apart, so you may have to measure twice.). you will have a stud on one side of the box, take the receptual cover off and look in and see what side its on,then measure over from the edge of the window then go outside and measure over from the window It's less effective on lath/plaster walls, but some have a metal-scanning feature … Find an interior:exterior reference point... a window, electrical penetration, etc. If not, move an inch or so in either direction. The stud finder indicates if it's calibrated or if you need to move it and try again. To securely hang anything heavy — substantial pictures, wall-mounted shelves, a mirror, or tech equipment, for example — you'll need to locate a wall stud, a vertical piece of framing within your walls, says Rachel Rothman, chief technologist and director of engineering at the Good Housekeeping Institute. Use a Stud Finder to Find Wall Studs . You may wonder, how far apart are studs in my home? Locate studs on an outdoor stucco wall with a magnet, your knuckle or a stud finder by checking along the same wall from indoors. Contractors sometimes get around these problems by using x-ray or radar machines to scan through the wall but this can be really expensive. Even if fixing to a masonry wall, check whether wiring or plumbing Today, there's an app for just about everything — and that includes finding studs. Measure from the edge of the glass so you know the exact same reference point can be found … Simple techniques to ensure any heavy-duty items stay put. OC (on-center) spacing - the spacing between the center of one stud, and the center of the next stud. For photos, paintings and small mirrors under 10kg you may not need a stud to fix to, but large, heavy mirrors, shelving and cabinets should be fixed to framing. Estimate stud locations by looking at the wall. To find the wall studs in your home, use these tips from Blain’s Farm & Fleet. These are fairly cheap (about $10 – $20) and can be used to find both wooden and metal studs; go outside in the early morning (when there’s dew on the exterior of your camper) and you should notice an outline of the studs. DRIVE A TEST NAIL. Recalibrate the stud finder if necessary. No matter which method you use, you should always confirm your findings before proceeding to hang your piece. I've read that on cold day when it warms up a little, the studs … Reference Wall Fixtures.