When you’re planning to hang a frame, a piece of art or other decorations to a wall, finding a wall stud is one of the first steps that you should take. However, not everyone has a stud finder in their tool collection. As such, we are here to advise you on how to find a stud without a stud finder.
When hanging rather bulky items on a wall, aim to screw studs in the wall’s framing. It is because these studs can hold more weight than a mere drywall. This technique is important as it guarantees a safer and more secure hold. Of course, the challenge is finding these wall studs.
A stud finder is usually used, but if it’s not available, you need to look for clues that will indicate where the fasteners of the drywall are. You may start searching for nail heads that are slightly raised. It’s because studs are usually behind these fasteners. You can opt to press on the drywall, as well. In the event that it gives, it is advisable to try in areas near it and to press again.
If the wall doesn’t end up giving at all, it most likely means that you have found a stud. Another effective way is tap a drywall and look for a spot with changed tone. Hollow sounds mean empty, but solid ones may mark a stud or an area nearing toward it.
If looking for signs on a drywall is not enough, using a drill hole may also work. You can actually own a stud finder without having to pay anything with this. You simply need to cut around twenty inches of wire hanger and bend it in such a way that two of the 5-inch form ninety degrees. Insert one end into the hole that was drilled. Turn the other leg of the wire as in a knob. Hitting something solid may indicate that there is a stud. Just turn the finder in the opposite direction to see if it hits something solid again.
Marking the hanger spot can also give you an estimate of the distance of the stud from the hole. In the event that you turn the stud and it does not hit anything, you can simply opt to move around six inches to one side of the test hole to drill another one and repeat the instructions stated above.
Lastly, you can use the location of one stud to find the location of the others. Most of the time, studs are spaced incrementally. In the US, they’re usually either sixteen or twenty-four inches away from each other. Make sure to finish by patching the holes and touching up the paint. When using this method, you may end up with a lot of wall holes that need to be patched. These are relatively easy to conceal, but if you would rather not deal with this, you can opt to drill the holes in areas near the base molding.
These are the most effective ways to figure out how to find a stud without a stud finder. However, it is still highly recommended to invest in an electronic or magnetic stud finder. These stud finders are helpful as they flash or beep whenever you are getting closer to a stud.
Way to go on this essay, helped a ton.