How do I find a stud?

[lizziegrace]

Wall stud. What did you think I meant?? :evilgrin:

55 year old plaster walls...

Any suggestions?

[LeftyMom]

1. Option one:

tap along the wall and listen for where the echo changes

Option two: make life easier on yourself and go get a stud finder for $20 or so at the hardware store.

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

5. If you want to make it easier, find a stud to find the wall stud

and get him to do the work for you :P

[lizziegrace]

9. I thought about that

So I guess I'm looking for volunteers...

:)

[RetroLounge]

14. ...

:hi:

RL

[jobycom]

16. I'll be right over

May take a few days, it's a long drive.

[jobycom]

11. Option two is best. Make sure you get a decent one with a deep scan

if the plaster is thick. ANd have patience with them, they don't work as easily as they do in the commercials. Takes a few times to be sure you've found it, and you get a few false readings, so try it a few times.

Or another way, maybe, is to find an electrical socket. They are usually attached to studs, one side or the other. If there is one nearby where you need it, you can take the faceplate off and see which side it is on, and follow the stud to the height you need it. Use a level to make sure you are going straight up. Careful if you are drilling to hit the stud and not the wire running alongside it.

[Deja Q]

2. A horse at a race track?

O8)

[lizziegrace]

3. Tell me about it, stud

[billyskank]

4. No, a stud is a place where horses are bred

[lizziegrace]

6. Maybe across the pond...

:)

[billyskank]

7. Well, there is THAT too

:D

[u4ic]

34. Nah, here too

Plenty of studs for you: http://www.stallionregister.com/

Got a spare 500k? http://www.stallionregister.com/sr_sire_page.asp?refno=935962&origin=singlesearch

[Deja Q]

22. Well, I know what some people tend to say about me...

[maveric]

8. I'll PM you my cell number. Oh! That kind of stud?

Home depot sells stud finders. Or just measure 16" from corner.

[lizziegrace]

10. Oh Maveric

the opportunities for a reply are unending... :evilgrin:

I'll measure from the corner... ;)

[Oeditpus Rex]

13. Measure AND tap

Otherwise, you're liable to hit the edge of the stud. You want to find the center.

From the corner, it'd be about 16 13/16" to the center of the first one, then 16" c to c thereafter.

And remember, 2x4s aren't 2" by 4". They're 1 5/8" by 3 5/8".

:hi:

[lizziegrace]

21. This is getting too damn complicated?

I need to find a stud to find the stud...

[Oeditpus Rex]

28. Here's one

He'll be with ya soon as he's done with the sink.

[lizziegrace]

30. Gack!!!

I thought I could do a little better than that... :cry:

[Oeditpus Rex]

31. But I don't Have a photo of

Matcom's butt crack.

:evilgrin:

[lizziegrace]

32. Tantrum time

:(

[jobycom]

12. Won't work. You have to know which corner

the wall was built from. To do that, you have to find a stud.

On edit, also if the wall uses 2x6s instead of 2x4, the studs will be 24", not 16"

[hfojvt]

15. If it was built by an amateur

there is no telling how far apart they will be

Also, have these spacing rules changed over time? I was looking for a stud a month ago and to my surprise the wall contained a 2 x 4 that was 2 inches wide! :wow:

[reyd reid reed]

17. Hell, who needs to look?

Studs literally coming out of the walls around here and you can't find one?










(I've never tried this one, but I understand a magnet can work...the nails, y'know)

[lizziegrace]

23. I'm seeing studs come out of the walls

None of them are within driving distance though...

:(














Oh to be rich and helpless instead of just helpless. :(

[reyd reid reed]

24. Tell me about it...

Whatever happened to 'have tape measure, will travel'?

[lizziegrace]

26. Any guy who'd bring his own tape measure

is not a guy I'd want around. Oh wait, you meant a carpenter...

:evilgrin:

[reyd reid reed]

29. OMG....speaking of tape measures....

Once upon a time, long, long ago, a *ahem* princess lived with her prince charming. Speaking of studs, Prince Charming was rather studly and, to prove it, one evening while the princess was in the company of one of her ladies in waiting, Prince Charming (who measured biceps and pecs and calves and thighs every Saturday afternoon anyway) whipped out his *ahem* ruler, placed it on the banquet table and requested that it be measured.

Instant frog.

What is it with these guys? They all want to prove that they have better tools?

[ZombieNixon]

18. I was going to say I'm a bit young and already after your daughter,

which might make things a bit awkward. :D

[lizziegrace]

19. Just a bit...

:P

[LadyoftheRabbits]

42. Goodness gracious...

:o :blush:



;)

[tyedyeto]

20. On my ear...my stud earring that is. n/t

[GoddessOfGuinness]

25. I always use a stud finder

I think they have an office right next to the Ghostbusters.

[lizziegrace]

27. Ha!

:rofl:

[xchrom]

33. ok! where are lizziegrace's local studs to help her

find her stud!

damn it -- now i want to know!

this is like a soap opera.

[rug]

35. What are you planning to mount?

[lizziegrace]

40. Something in my room

:rofl:

Seriously, a shelf (without L brackets) on the wall over the bed...

[Rabrrrrrr]

41. She's planning to mount a stud, silly.

:silly:

[Monk06]

36. Avoid nailing into a stud on a plaster wall that old. The studs are

non standard spacing and are covered in 1" lath
then caulked with horse hair before the plaster
is applied.

If you hit a loose strip of lath and miss the
stud the whole wall will bounce and you'll be
chasing cracks all over the place and the wall
will be weakened.

My advice is to go over the whole wall pushing
lightly on the plaster. If you feel it give then
the lathing is already loose.

Good luck

[WCGreen]

37. Look where the nails are in the woodwork....

You had me...

I could have found your stud...

But you let me slip away...

[Crabby Appleton]

38. A real stud should be able to find you.

[lizziegrace]

39. Yes

In a Disney princess movie or a Lifetime Movie of the Week. Reality? Not so likely.