Hanging heavy items in your dwelling house starts with having the conviction and power to locate wall studs hidden behind the drywall. Nails and screws tin easily autumn out of drywall if not properly anchored into a wall stud or by a drywall anchor. With a little know-how and an understanding of how to identify where the studs are in your room, anyone can hang items reliably and with ease.

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Having some background knowledge on how a wall is built helps when it comes time to discover a wall stud:

  • Walls are framed with a horizontal header at the top of the wall and a footer along the floor, so you tin e'er guarantee to find a solid slice of wood forth the top or bottom of your room.
  • Vertical studs stand between the header and footer all the way across your wall. They are usually placed 16 inches apart on all walls. It can vary in older homes, but rarely would you find studs more than 24 inches inches apart.
  • Windows and doors are also framed by studs for back up. Above broad windows and doors, you might even find a broad header lath.
  • Baseboards, window trim, door trim and crown molding are always nailed into studs.
  • Drywall is also fastened to studs, so you tin count on finding studs at each corner of your room.
  • Light switches and electrical outlets sit in boxes that are anchored to studs.
  • Nominal 2x4 lumber has real measurements of 3-i/two by 1-1/ii inches, merely homes built before the 1950s might accept been constructed using actual 2 x 4-inch boards.

Having a better understanding of construction gives y'all the noesis to become really close to your targeted stud using goose egg more than than a record measure. Rather than sporadically tap-tap-tapping your knuckle on your walls, measure kickoff. In one case you lot think yous're on point, you're much more probable to hear the difference between a hollow infinite and a solid stud.

Increment your chances of finding a wall stud on the beginning try by following these tips:

Measure out From Window or Door Trim

Window and door trim is anchored into studs. Sometimes, y'all can encounter dimples left by the nail where it is attached, only if non, choose a spot 1 inch from the border of your window, and and so mensurate an additional 16 inches to find the adjacent stud on the wall. Yous can become further, to 32 inches, or 48 inches away from the window and still accept a loftier probability of hitting a stud.

Measure From a Corner

In all likelihood, there'due south a wall stud in the corner of your room to which the drywall is attached. There may be some overlap where the drywall meets, but it's usually pretty safe to assume that if yous measure 16-inch increments in either management from the corner, you'll find a stud.

Practise the Tap Test Around an Outlet or Switch

Equally we mentioned previously, the notorious "tap test" isn't the about reliable style to pinpoint a stud, simply it does come up in handy when you check two very specific spots— to the left of a light switch, and to the right of a light switch. The electric box is fastened to a wall stud, so if you lot tap on either side of the wall plate it is easier to hear which side of the plate is hollow.

Discretely Predrill the Wall

Once y'all remember you're on betoken, one terminal mode to confirm that you're into a stud is to predrill a hole through the drywall with a narrow drill bit (think: 1/16-inch sized flake). You'll be able to feel resistance if the bit hits a stud once it passes through the drywall. If you missed the stud, adapt your measurements and try over again. Filling minor mistake holes in the drywall is easier than filling big holes!

Tin can a Stud Finder Tool Make It Easier?

There'south no shame in relying on technology and tools if you're trying to observe a stud in your wall, but choose your product of choice advisedly, as many aren't worth the investment. Stud finders use either electronic sensors or magnets to observe studs in the wall. When choosing between popular stud finder products, keep in mind:

  • Some multi-scanners are skillful for walls; others are good for both walls and ceilings.
  • The best tools will allow you to suit the sensor depth, then you can have a more accurate read through a deep wall. If you're trying to detect through lathe and plaster, having a tool that tin read 4 inches deep is important.
  • Some products are meliorate than others at detecting alive wires, PVC pipes or non-magnetic metals, and it's not uncommon for a tool to predict any of these other materials to exist a stud.
  • High-quality stud finders can be pricey.

When you're using a stud finder, it's always a good practice to validate the positioning of a stud by locating the studs on either side of your target. Using the logic explained above and measuring sixteen inches in either management from what the tool has identified to be a stud is the nigh fail-prophylactic way to be certain your tool is providing a reliable read.