Wall studs

[jtvang125]

Got one of those electronic wall stud finder but it's worthless. Giving false readings and going crazy. The walls in the garage are covered up so I can't see the studs there but the bracings in the garage roof are 24" on center. Can I assume that the rest of the studs in the house are 24" on center?

 

[coldmeat]

just knock on the wall

 

[herm0016]

no. i have had good luck with stud finders... you can tap on the wall and find them that way.

 

[vi edit]

Look at the outlets on the wall. Assuming they are original outlets, you can pull them out and see which side of the stud they are nailed to. Find two or three on the same wall and and start marking things out from there.

 

[Aharami]

not necessarily. take a 1" finish nail and hammer than in lightly every 1/2" till you figure out the edges of two studs. The rest of the studs are probably the same distance apart

 

[KMc]

Studs in the walls should be 16" on center maximum.

 

[vi edit]

no. i have had good luck with stud finders... you can tap on the wall and find them that way.

Depends on the wall. Drywall you can. If it's plaster it's a lot harder to do.

 

[amdskip]

Should be 16" on center and get a better stud finder.

 

[bruceb]

Here a couple of tips to get you started.

1): Corners of walls are almost always 2 2x4's

2): Outlets or light switches are usually mounted to a stud.
Most times the studs are on the left side.

3): You must calibrate the Stud Finder on a Hollow area of the
wall. Go about 8 inches from the corner and it should be hollow.
Put the stud finder on Max Sensitivity. Move it slowly across the
wall and do not lift it from the surface after calibrating or moving it.

 

[DaTT]

Here a couple of tips to get you started.

1): Corners of walls are almost always 2 2x4's

2): Outlets or light switches are usually mounted to a stud.
Most times the studs are on the left side.

3): You must calibrate the Stud Finder on a Hollow area of the
wall. Go about 8 inches from the corner and it should be hollow.
Put the stud finder on Max Sensitivity. Move it slowly across the
wall and do not lift it from the surface after calibrating or moving it.

Your #2 is inaccurate as there is no industry standard for which side to place boxes on.

OP, your house will 99.9% of the time have 16" centers for wall studs.

Either your stud finder is faulty, or you are using it incorrectly.

 

[yh125d]

OP, your house will 99.9% of the time have 16" centers for wall studs.

Unless its new construction, no.


I've lived in 5 houses, only 2 had 16" centers

 

[mugs]

Here a couple of tips to get you started.

1): Corners of walls are almost always 2 2x4's

2): Outlets or light switches are usually mounted to a stud.
Most times the studs are on the left side.

3): You must calibrate the Stud Finder on a Hollow area of the
wall. Go about 8 inches from the corner and it should be hollow.
Put the stud finder on Max Sensitivity. Move it slowly across the
wall and do not lift it from the surface after calibrating or moving it.

This, plus
1. Drywall in garages is thicker. Stud finder may have sensitivity setting

2. Turn off the lights in the garage and shine a light ACROSS the wall (that is, hold the light sideways against the wall). Locations of studs should be obvious from shadows caused by the raised areas of joint compound.


How old is the house?

 

[bruceb]

I said most times, the stud is on the left. Most people are right handed and as such will do it that way. Easier to hit a hammer or use a screw gun that way. Now of course, there is always the odd percent of people that are lefties.

 

[CPA]

Unless its new construction, no.


I've lived in 5 houses, only 2 had 16" centers

That's probably the result of shitty construction work. Standard is 16" on center.

 

[dbailey]

You can try a strong magnet.. you'll find the stud if you make small figure 8's until you find the nail or screw holding the drywall up.

 

[MacFatty]

Either your stud finder is faulty, or you are using it incorrectly

Should be 16" on center and get a better stud finder

That.

 

[olds]

Look for nail heads popping through the mud.

 

[yh125d]

That's probably the result of shitty construction work. Standard is 16" on center.

It's alot more common than you think. Not all houses are tract built by reputable contractors


I wouldn't be surprised if at least 25% or more of houses from before 1975 don't have 16" centers

 

[herm0016]

many old houses have 24in centers. esp. if there is plaster.

 

[DrPizza]

The drywall is fastened on with nails or screws. Get a really strong, small magnet (neodymium) and see where it's attracted to the wall. Takes slightly more time than a good stud finder.

Re: looking for the raised area from joint compound - if the wallboard is laid horizontally, all you're going to do is find a seam every 8 feet (or 10 or 12 if they used longer sheets of wallboard. But, even if they used 4 foot sheets, he still won't know if the studs are 16" or 24" on center. I'm not completely knowledgeable about more modern framing, but aren't 2x4's 16", but 2x6's can be 24", and 2x4's can be 24" on non-load bearing walls (but usually aren't in somewhat older homes? Homes built in the last decade or so are more likely to be 24" on center. Hey, if code allows it, it saves a few bucks for the builder, plus fewer holes to drill for wiring, etc. I'd still prefer 16" on center though, even with 2x6's.

Also, while there's going to be a stud at each corner, measuring out 16" will typically only work for one of the two corners on each wall, unless the wall is an even multiple of 16" (or 2 feet). This is a bad picture to show it, but you can kind of tell from the insulation on the wall to the left - the last gap is only about 10 or 12".
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/drpizza/garage3.JPG
It's 16" on center starting at the left end of that wall. But, going every 16" meant that at the end, they'd have less than 16" left. They don't take the length of the wall & divide by the number of studs to space them perfectly evenly, because then the wallboard wouldn't line up. When I wallboard that wall, I'll start at the left end and finish at the right end; same as the studs.

 

[Squisher]

Should be 16" on center and get a better stud finder.

I have a $60+ Zircon that gives me so many false positives I usually hunt for old nail heads and rap on the walls with my knuckles. If someone knows of a better one, I am a tool addict, I'll buy it.

 

[SearchMaster]

This, plus
1. Drywall in garages is thicker. Stud finder may have sensitivity setting

2. Turn off the lights in the garage and shine a light ACROSS the wall (that is, hold the light sideways against the wall). Locations of studs should be obvious from shadows caused by the raised areas of joint compound.


How old is the house?

Insulation in exterior (garage) walls can impact the sensor too, no? I've always found exterior walls are harder to scan, but I probably have a crappy stud finder.

 

[mugs]

Re: looking for the raised area from joint compound - if the wallboard is laid horizontally, all you're going to do is find a seam every 8 feet (or 10 or 12 if they used longer sheets of wallboard. But, even if they used 4 foot sheets, he still won't know if the studs are 16" or 24" on center.

Not if the drywall looked like this before it was painted:

 

[Phanuel]

I just use a big magnet and feel for the nails.

 

[alkemyst]

what stud finder are you using? Some $3 special?