When hanging things on your drywall, it’s important to attach the mounting hardware to one of the support beams behind the wall’s surface called a wall stud. This is because your drywall surfaces are not sturdy enough to support much weight. While you can use an electronic stud finder to locate your wall studs, you don’t need one. Handyman Connection of Mountain View explains a few ways to find wall studs:

• Shine A Flashlight On The Wall – Find a bright flashlight and then shine it at a steep angle against the wall. You’re looking for a column of bumps or dimples on the wall’s surface. The nails that secure the drywall surface create these irregularities, so these dimples and bumps indicate that there is a stud underneath. You can check by driving a small nail into the wall. If the nail doesn’t hit wood, pull it out and insert a wire hanger instead. Twist the hanger to let you feel the stud’s exact location.

• Figure Out The Location Of Nearby Studs – Once you’ve found at least one stud, you’ll be able to find the approximate location of the other studs. Measure 16 inches from the first stud and start rapping on the wall sharply. You can also look for irregularities. If you hear a solid sound after rapping on the wall, then you’re in the right spot. If you don’t see any sign of studs, then you need to measure 24 inches from the location of the first stud and try again from there.

• Inspect Your Baseboard – You’re looking for nails in your baseboard. The nails show where the baseboard was nailed to your wall studs. You can also search for outlets because these are typically attached to wall studs too. Electrical switches are another sign that you can look for. Switches are usually mounted on the sides of wall studs.

These are just some of the low tech ways you can use to find your wall studs. While you’re hanging wall decorations or installing shelves, why not take the time to schedule another home improvement project as well? Handyman Connection of Mountain View can help you with a wide range of home maintenance and home improvement projects. Contact us to learn more tips for finding wall studs or to ask about our services. You can also request an estimate by calling (650) 482-8907.