Locating Studs Behind Walls

Installing shelves? Hanging a mirror? You’ll need more than drywall to hang them on. You need the solid backing of studs--the vertical 2x4s behind finished walls. Here are some ways to find them:

* Most reliable is the high-tech electronic stud finder that detects changes in density. Pass it over a wall, and lights and tones tell when you’ve found a stud.

* Low-tech magnetic finders locate screws and nails, but they also find wiring, pipes and air ducts that might be nowhere near a stud.

* No-tech methods include tapping and listening or noting where switches and outlets are installed, and “eyeball” techniques such as holding a light close to a wall and looking for nail heads and seams.

* The least reliable but most often tried method involves drilling a hole and either being lucky enough to hit a stud or (if not) inserting a coat hanger and fishing around inside for a stud.