How to Find Wall Studs in Old Buildings

Finding studs in lathe and plaster can be tricky.

Finding studs in a wall involves trial and error but is not impossible. Older buildings often used lathe and plaster in walls, materials which hide studs even deeper. Fancy electronic stud finders are OK but they're no more accurate than hands-on mechanical methods using a hammer and a nail. By tapping on the wall with a hammer, then confirming the location with a small nail, you can find even the most elusive wall stud.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Hammer
• Finish nail, 2-inch
• Cordless drill
• Drill bit, 1/4-inch
• Wire clothes hanger, cut

Instructions

1. Kneel down on the floor beside the wall. Examine the baseboards if the room has them. Look for nail locations on the baseboards. Try to find a pattern. Measure across the baseboard nail locations, if they are around 16 inches apart, they are located on studs.

2. Stand up and place the side of your head against the wall. Sight across the wall. Look for high spots, ridges or nail heads. These are probable locations for studs. Look for seams in the sheetrock under the paint. Seams also indicate stud locations. When you detect any of these clues, measure across and try to find the 16-inch pattern.

3. Lean close to the wall and tap lightly with a hammer, moving across the wall, tapping about every 1/2 inch. Listen to the sound. When you tap over a stud, there will be a distinctive, "thud." When you hear this sound, tap back and forth over it several times and pinpoint the location. Hammer a small nail in to confirm that you've found the stud. If the nail misses and drives all the way into the sheetrock, you've missed the stud. Move the nail 1/2 inch to the right or left and try again until you hit the stud.

4. Get out a drill if you suspect that the wall is the old-fashioned lathe and plaster variety. Studs are often located beside electrical boxes or switches. Move up the wall beside any fixture and drill a hole into the wall. Insert a bent clothes hanger into the hole and push left and right to find the stud.

Tips & Warnings

• Use toothpaste to fill any nail holes that you make while trying to find the stud. If you decide to use electronic stud finders, you'll still have to confirm with a hammer and nail.

References

• Home Improvements Depot: 10 Ways to Find Wall Studs