Quick Fix: Find Wall Studs Without an Expensive Stud Finder

Polina I'd imagine this wouldn't work with wooden studs :))

Vanessa Brunner Hey @polinade! If you choose a relatively strong magnet, it should work just fine with any stud that has nails or screws installed in it. The magnet should be able to detect the nails/screws through the drywall.

lizaveta I recently bought a Hanson magnetic stud finder on Amazon for about $8. It "finds" nails much better than a refrigerator magnet, and has a built-in level.

Traci Watson I have plaster walls, I wonder if it would work? I will try it out!

tasannie I bought a stud finder (battery extra) and it's very hit or miss. I have some swiss cheese walls to prove it. Way back I used a cheap little boy scout compass which locked on to any nail on a stud.

lesacrosswhite When I am looking for a stud, I hammer a straight pin into the location I "think" the stud is. This method does not leave visable holes in your walls.

Christine Hilton lesacrosswhite, you are a genius.

laundrygal Just tried it in a brand-new room that was just dry walled. It found every nail in the wood studs where I knew the nails would be. Tried the same method in the rest of our 60 yr old house. This method proved itself beautifully!

mrsben As I have preached to my childredn, if all else fails 'improvise, improvise, improvise'. Amazingly sometimes it works and this tip proves it. :) Thank you.

Five Twenty Two Industries @polinade this works BEST with wood stud walls...The magnet finds the screws used to attach the drywall to the wood studs..

mamapearls a magnet won't work if your studs are Wood!

Kathryn Peltier Design Hey lesacrosswhite, straight pins work well for actually hanging things, too, as long as they aren't TOO heavy. You would be amazed at how strong they are!

roze13 While wooden studs might be harder to work with, windows with metal frames in the walls are another story! I found out that the walls in my home have metal frames (or studs, not sure which) around the places where my windows are installed, when I was trying to drill holes for anchors for some curtain hardware. I was surprised and very annoyed by this detail, given that my stud finder didn't seem to have any consistent reactions to anything but the electrical wires in my walls. After reading this article though, I grabbed a strong magnet off my whiteboard. This magnet is one of a set that I have to use my nails to get it off almost, because of its strength. I tested it on one of the load bearing corners in my home and it stuck! I then tested it on a window and it stuck there too! I can hang the rest of my curtains now! Yay!

knorine what is the painter's tape for?

MahtaMouse Roze13... what you may have hit upon is a metal plate covering electrical wiring. My contractor nailed metal plates over places where electrical were located (and yes, one was where I wanted to hang a curtain rod!). I ended up hanging the rods an inch or two higher.

mamapearls so does it work with paster walls and wood studs try to find the nails through plaster?

Five Twenty Two Industries Yes.. It should work fine with plaster and wood studs.. Older plaster and lathe you may need a strong "rare earth" type magnet. It should fine the nails the lathe is attached to the studs with...I guess it would depend on how thick the plaster is.

roze13 Mahtamouse - That makes sense. Thanks for that information. :)

MahtaMouse roze13... the magnet sticking to your load bearing wall corner would also be the metal strip that runs the length of all your wall edges that don't have door molding, etc. to protect the edges.

roze13 Mahtamouse - Which also makes sense. I have a few corners and such like that. Thanks. :)

sunnyc Yes. What is the painters tape for? I dont get it.

Five Twenty Two Industries The painters tape is to help keep the wall clean. Magnets pick up all sorts of debris lying around and the tape helps keep things tidy.

gorillacookey A stud finder is better, on wood or metal. Basic framing 101. A) It's predictable. With few exceptions(i.e. ceilings, corners, above windows and doors and behind vanity and sink cabinets), studs are 16" on center...once you find the center of one, there's another 16" away, both ways, and 16" from there and on and on! Find the center of the thing you wish to hang(i.e. picture, mirror,shelf), then the center of the area you wish to hang it and work out from there. Finder flat on the wall, THEN push the button and slide it left or right. Plaster walls are thicker, a DEEP SCAN(same button) indicated with 2 lights to start, works but is not usually necessary. Center line of the finder indicates the EDGE of the stud, not the center. The light moves to the top and beeps fast at the stud edge, check from the other way to see if its a regular stud. There would be 1 1/2" between center marks if you marked each edge, mark center. From that mark, 16" to center of the next, etc.(check it!) I go one way until it beeps, check from the other way (beep), eyeball 3/4" from the FINDERS center line, and mark (on tape if you want). A magnet can be misleading. (Ex.) drywallers nail (or screw)quickly, and are only roughly aware of the studs location based on whether the last nail encountered resistance. If they miss, the nail is left there and they adjust with the next. If your magnet finds that nail, you wont hit anything! Maybe his nail hits wood? He moves on but the nail hit only 1/4" from the stud edge! If you assume your magnet found the center of the stud, it could be disastrous! Stud center is the only reason stud fastening is ideal. The strength is in the center! If you're hanging 12 oz. fine, but your framed mirror will fall right off the wall! regardless of the fastener. Plaster walls also have tons of expanded metal mesh in them, a magnet would fool you there. These days metal strapping and simpson ties(joist hangers, brackets etc) are used extensively, metal plates are used everywhere to protect electrical, plumbing, gas and data lines from nails and screws(!!), a magnet is a vague idea at best. Strange finder readings happen too. (Ex.) A direct hit right away could be luck, or maybe its fire blocking (blocking between studs), doubles (2 studs might be drywall or shear wall seams) load bearing vertical beams(4 X 6's,8's +) headers(4 x 4's to 4 x 12" +)over windows and doors but horizontal). Don't be surprised if it seems like there's 8" of stud, it could be! or maybe it's 1 foot spacer blocks between studs(close to corners). Observe clues if you're confused. Shear panel(plywood) is sometimes used inside too. It feels like every nail is hitting a stud, everywhere, but could be less than 3/8" thick, not strong enough for heavy stuff. Electrical boxes are usually hung on studs(orange data rings aren't!) Fire blocking is chest height or higher usually, turn the finder 90 degrees and go up and down to find out. If the stud center is way off center of the thing you're hanging, use 2 studs, if the piece is too small to bridge 2 studs, use a weight appropriate anchor. If its too heavy for typical anchors(over 25#), multiple molly bolts(butterfly anchors) could be necessary. Practice and be a pro! Magnets are a cheap trick, I've used one in a pinch too but...if they were all any tradesman needed, $70+ stud finders would have been extinct years ago.