How To Find a Stud Without a Stud Finder

[ledisxo]

Thanks just helped my hubby find a stud to mount our led tv :)

[spankgirl582]

Hello, I was wondering how I could find a stud when affixing things to the ceiling

[RochaBR777]

Saved me some holes in the wal,thank you.

[ClassicKhmer]

Saved my wall!!!! Thanks alot!

[prolinerangehoods]

@Niggm6 I'm not sure what you mean by "gritty and bumpy." It could be some a coating on the sheetrock or it may not be sheetrock at all but lath and plaster. Lath and plaster is a lot different than sheetrock and it is much harder to find the studs, even with a stud finder. But, lathe and plaster walls will support much more weight than sheetrock if you get the right type of anchors. When was your apartment built? Often the age of the apartment can tell you what the walls are made of.

[Niggm6]

@prolinerangehoods i think the apartment is atleast 25 years old, will there be studs in the wall? cause i found the perfect spot for the tv, and the wall is not a flat wall it's a wall that has bumps on it, the whole wall is bumpy it's not flat, so do you think the wall would have studs in it?

[prolinerangehoods]

@Niggm6

If it's newer than the 1950s in the USA it should be sheetrock over studs. But you cant be sure. I would ask your maintenance crew or apartment managers. If it's not and you can't find a stud, You'll need to go to any home improvement store and get anchors for the type of wall you have. They will allow it to support more weight and keep the screws anchored into the wall. Once you know the type of wall it is any employee should be able to show you the proper anchors.

[prolinerangehoods]

@Niggm6

One more thing. In the even that it is lath and plaster, Lath and Plaster still goes over studs, so they are still there, just harder to find. If you use a metal detector (radio shack has had them in the past for $20) you can find the nails that nail through the lath and plaster into the stud behind it.

[martinaee]

Yup thanks. I figured you could tell by the hollow/solid echoing sound when you knock myself, but that general 16 inch figure helps for most reasonably modern homes in the U.S. --- Now I'll go hang that painting I haven't hung for months lol.

[ziggamalay]

Awesome so helpful thanks.

[tvkuykendall1]

THANK YOU!!!!!!!

[prolinerangehoods]

@tvkuykendall1

No Problem. If anybody has any other questions or ideas of DIY things they'd like explained let us know so we can possibly make a video tutorial of it. RIght now we are working on showing out door BBQ ventilation and how to build an outdoor pizza oven out of brick.

[aurumv3ra]

Great Refresher. Thank you!

[p8ntbawlr210]

wow! very helpful thanks

[TheEggBeast]

Very helpful.  Thanks!

[dogdutyascetic]

Drywall is easy. What about for lath and plaster?