Things You'll Need
Stud finder
Hammer
Tape measure
Drill and bit
You do not want the mirror you hang on your wall to fall and crash, and coat hooks hanging on the walls need to be strong enough to hold objects. Nothing anchors securely like nailing into a stud, especially in mobile home trailers, which often use either wood paneling or very thin drywall at best. But you have to find these studs first. Although mobile home walls are a little different than those in houses, finding your studs is not difficult.
Step 1
Measure 16 inches from the beginning of a corner wall or a door. Tap the wall with a hammer to see if it sounds hollow or solid. You have located the stud if it sounds solid.
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Step 2
Look for an electrical outlet or light switch. Measure in 16-inch increments from the outlet or switch in the direction of the stud you wish to find. Tap in the spot you expect the stud to be, based on these measurements. Mark the location if it sounds solid. Adjust slightly if you are off a few inches.
Step 3
Examine your walls and look for seams. Notice any areas where paneling may be nailed or where drywall seams show. Measure away from the wall seam toward the stud you wish to locate. Verify the stud by tapping with a hammer lightly.
Step 4
Drop to your knees and look at any baseboard trim. Find a spot where the baseboard is nailed, and you will locate your studs.
Step 5
Use a stud finder, following the manufacturer's instructions. Watch the display of the stud finder and note when it indicates a stud is present. Mark the wall there. Double-check the location by tapping lightly with a hammer.
Tip
You also can drill to check for studs. Use a 1/16-inch drill bit to bore a hole into the wall. If the drill goes right through the wall without gripping anything, your measurements or estimations are off.
Modern federal code, which regulates all manufactured housing, is more strict than the old standards for mobile home trailers. If 16 inches doesn't seem to be working, try measuring 24 inches to locate studs.
Older trailers may use 2-inch by 2-inch studs, which allow very little room for measurement errors; if you are off by an inch, you may miss it. If all else fails, tap every few inches to locate your studs and note the distance between studs for future reference.
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