by samuel samson

Created on: September 14, 2008

Have you ever tapped a nail into sheetrock only to have it sink all the way up because there was nothing solid behind it? We probably all have. This becomes really frustrating when your fingernails are not long enough to pull the nail back out. In order to get that picture hung we must either sink a sheetrock anchor into the hole we made or find a stud in the wall and move the picture to that spot. Studs are wooden framing members that run vertically inside the walls. Usually they are set at 16" on center leaving 14 1/2 inches between them. The wall covering and trim boards are all nailed to the studs. So anytime you want to attach something to the wall its wise to fasten to a stud. The only trick is to locate them without damaging the wall finish. Fortunately, if you find one stud you can pull measurements to locate the others.

There are several ways to locate studs all with differing levels of sophistication. The old timer's way is the tap and listen method. Tap along the wall with your knuckle listening for the different tone that happens when you come across something solid in the wall. This would be your stud. This method isn't always dead on so if you need an exact hit the first time without mistakes a different method may be for you.
A second method is good if you are installing a trim board and can cover up any holes made in the wall. Take a small nail and after using the tap and listen method to get a close approximation of the stud, drive the nail into different spots until you have a direct hit on the stud. Only do this where you know the trim board will cover.
Rare earth magnets can also be used. These are very strong magnets that can detect the fasteners used in the sheetrock. Just slide the magnet over the wall and when it gives a tug you know you've located a stud.
If you are installing trim in a new house there are a couple of ways to find studs. The easiest is to line up with the sheetrock nails that have been mudded over. But if the walls have been primed this becomes more difficult. In these cases you can sometimes rub your hand along the wall until you find a smooth spot. This will usually be the spot where sheetrock mud was applied over the nails. The smooth spot is created because the sheetrock mud is sanded smooth before priming while the rest of the wall has not been sanded yet.
If all else fails or you prefer not to try all else just go buy an electronic stud finder. These gadgets will electonically locate the stud for you. Their prices are wide ranging depending on how heavily you plan to use them. Some of the higher end models will even locate metal pipes and wires in the wall for you.
No matter the method you use be sure that there are no pipes or wires in the wall before driving any nails.

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