How to Use a Stud Finder to Locate a Wall Stud.  If you want to hang curtains in a window that doesn’t already have a rod, or if you have a big heavy picture or mirror that you would like to hang on the wall, you will need to be able to locate the stud.  This way, your item will be attached safely and securely to the wood of the stud, and not just the drywall.

Fortunately, locating the stud in a wall is a simple task that you can easily accomplish with a tool called a stud finder.   This is a handheld tool, that works similarly to a metal detector, believe it or not.  It detects that metal fasteners that secure the lathe or drywall to the stud.  You slide the stud finder across the surface of the wall or ceiling, and depending upon the type of detector you are using, there will be a light, sound (or sometimes both), or a magnetic toggle’s pivoting motion, which will indicate that you have located the stud.

Stud finders come in a wide range of prices and levels of sophistication. Years ago, a stud finder was a simple tool, powered only by a magnet.  It was very rudimentary, and not always accurate.  Sometimes back in the day, it was actually easier and more accurate to guess where the stud was by knocking against the wall and attempting to distinguish between a hollow sound and the dull sound which would indicate that there was a stud present.

The stud finders of today have come a long way since then, and there is no longer any reason to have to knock by hand to find that stud!  These modern-day stud finders have an internal capacitor, which makes them very accurate.  Many of these newer stud finders can not only locate the stud, but also detect metal plumbing pipes and the presence of electrical current.  They range in price between $15 and $50, depending upon the features that come with them.  They are an affordable and helpful addition to any homeowner’s DIY toolbox. Check out our video below, where Leah demonstrates how to use a stud finder, and hang whatever you want on your walls with confidence!

 By See Jane Drill, Copyright 2016, All Rights Reserved