It’s EASY to Find Studs WITHOUT A STUD FINDER!!!!!

Tools

  • Paper Tape: To mark
  • Nails: To find studs. Small nails, e.g., 1.5″
  • Caulking for repairing the hole in the wall
  • Hammer
  • Tape measure
  • Pencil

Fundamentals

  • Studs are basically 16″ apart (center to center). Some are 24″ spacing.
  • You won’t be able to find every studs in the wall. Sometimes the layout is off, or it changes somewhere down the wall.
  • Lath and plaster walls (板條和灰泥牆): don’t pound on the wall, you might loosen the plaster

Method #1—Pounding In The Wall

  • NOT about listening to the change of sound.
  • IT IS to feel the difference: hard (hurt your fist) or hallow.
  • Pound the wall and feel it. If feeling hard and identify it as a stud, tape it to mark it.
  • Mark it on the top of sole plate (not on base board).
  • Hammer a nail into wall: (1) all the way through—not a stud; (2) move to the right or left (pound and feel it) 1″ apart and hammer the nail again, get stuck—find a stud

 

Method #2—Look For The Outlet (Most Often)

  • An electrical box is almost always mounted to a stud.
  • If there are two outlets (e.g., one for power and one for phone)—the stud is in the middle of the two outlets.
  • If there is only one stud: (1) pound the wall and feel; (2) look for a screw pop; (3) use a magnet to look for a screw pop—if it stays, that’s a screw pop

 

  • Source: https://www.lowes.com/pd/MagnetPAL-Magnetic-Stud-Finder/1002693242
  • Source: https://chiptoolz.com/products/dot-plus-loose-magnet-stud-finder

Studs Behind A Window

  • Source: https://www.finehomebuilding.com/2017/09/13/split-jacks-framing-window-opening
  • Source: https://basc.pnnl.gov/resource-guides/advanced-framing-minimal-framing-doors-and-windows#edit-group-training
  • Source: https://www.do-it-yourself-help.com/how-to-frame-a-new-window
  • Wood Wall Window Framing are commonly constructed with window openings having widths between 18”-60” (45.7-152.4 cm), opening heights of 24”-84” (61-213 cm), and header heights of 3”-12.75” (7.6-32.4 cm). In general, wood stud walls are constructed with stud sizes of 3.5”, 5.5” (8.9, 14 cm), stud spacings of 16”, 24” (40.6, 61 cm), and typical heights between 8’-12’ (2.44-3.66 m).
  • Source: https://www.dimensions.com/element/wood-walls-framing-window

Electrical Box & Stud

  • Source: https://www.renovation-headquarters.com/electrical-box-positioning.html
  • Source: https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/electrical-wiring-through-studs-gm117540931-7927346
  • Source: https://www.cablinginstall.com/home/article/16465507/plan-cable-runs-during-rough-in-to-avoid-electrical-problems

Reference Title

Notes Title

  • Bullets.