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Unless your studs are metal, the only metal on a wood stud would be the nails holding the studs themselves together or the nails holding the drywall in. Wouldn't it depend upon the type of nail? Or are all nails magnetic? If it's the wood holding the studs together, then the magnet will have to go through all the drywall first...

But still, NIFTY idea.

I don't understand. Studs are wood yes? Are you sure he is not locating PIPES? It looks like studs though based on the spacing. Aren't they typically 16' on center? Hmm.... we are missing a part of this I suspect. Can someone please clear me up?

I think this is how all of the old stud finders worked--they used magnets to detect the nails in studs (if you found a nail, you found a stud). The electronic ones are fancier and I think they use capacitance to determine where the studs are.

I have an electronic stud finder from Black and Decker and the damn thing doesn't work! It beeped like crazy to tell me there was a stud where I was going to hang a bike rack, and when I drilled through there was nothing but drywall. I tried again in two other spots near the first one (1" in either direction horizontally, just to be sure) but still nothing. Frustrating!

Poke a small hole in the wall and put a coat hanger wire in it at a sharp angle, to the left or right. The wire will stop when it hits a stud. Mark the wire at the hole, pull the wire out, and measure again on the outside of the wall by placing the mark on the wire at the hole, and the end of the wire will indicate (approximately) where the stud is located. Studs are about 2" wide, and usually 18" apart.

This isn't perfect, and it's best if the object you are hanging will hide the small hole you made.

IMO, though, unless you're hanging heavy bookshelves, most items can be hung securely with wall anchors instead of driving into studs.

Geckotoes is right--the idea is that the nails/screws holding the drywall to the studs are magnetic. You find a nail, you've found the stud.

Another variation of the magnet on a string is to use a telescoping magnetic pick-up tool. Extend it all the way and move it back and forth across the wall (being careful not to scratch the paint). I found the strong magnet much more helpful than my little old stud finder because you can actually feel the pull.

I think its is a wonderful Idea for someone who doesnt have the money to purchase a stud finder. I tried it and it definately worked for me. Thanks.

I rely on an 'old' stud finder, yes it uses a magnet. You can buy them for a couple of bucks at any hardware store.

Annaland, studs in new construction are metal. So either way, a magnetic stud finder will be effective, whether it's find the metal stud or the nails in a wood stud.

The best part about it is this video the lighting in that shot clearly indicates the seams in the drywall, so you can see where the studs are just from the shadows... Oh, and there's almost always a stud by a light switch -- they're nailed to them before the drywall goes up.

The magnet will work for any nails or screws, and unless you're in an old house, studs are always 16" on center (old houses are 18" I think -- or it could be like my apartment, wherever they felt like putting them). A firm knock with your knuckles usually helps too. In this case he seems to be working with metal studs... something most apartment dwellers probably don't have.

geez, i actually miss drywall. never thought i'd say that. i'm living in an old plastered house for the time being and i can't figure out how to hang up anything that weighs more than five pounds.

I never did find the studs in my 1948-constructed apartment. It's all plaster too. I couldn't anything with a studfinder or magnet because I think there's chicken wire in my wall. I also tried to find access to the inner walls so I could see the stud pattern through an attic or something, but no dice. The only place where I knew there were studs/wood beams is the corners and where the wall hits the ceiling, so I just hang heavy things from there. I bought something very heavy from Ikea and had to use Stolmen posts to hold it because they go to the ceiling and could be nailed directly into studs. I love old buildings, so I don't know what I'm going to do when I buy a place.

the wall/ceiling point is a good one. i guess for art and stuff i could go with the victorian picture railing system, which would tie into that. but shelves over my sideboards are what i long for most.

Two words: drywall hooks

"studs in new construction are metal. So either way, a magnetic stud finder will be effective, whether it's find the metal stud or the nails in a wood stud"

I'm not sure what "new construction" you're referring to, but it's usually either wood or aluminum, neither of which are magnetic. Steel framing usually isn't used for wall studs.