You can also get an approximate idea where pipes and wires are by looking in the attic and basement to see where they run up or down through the framing. When boring between studs, drill a hole through the drywall, stop the moment it breaks through, and poke a pencil or other probe into the hole before proceeding. If you're finding a lot of wires, cut power at the service panel before drilling holes or doing any disruptive work. The easiest option is to use a professional-duty stud sensor, which often has settings to detect energized wires and buried pipes. Step 3: Check for Air Ducts, Pipes, and Wires. If you're hanging anything of significant weight (over 10 pounds), reinforce it with a section of 2 x 4 to spread out the weight along the stud and keep the metal from twisting. This is also a good way to find metal studs, used in many apartment and commercial buildings and not easily located by a stud finder. It will stick where a screw or nail is driven. Run a powerful rare-earth magnet along the wall. The noise should go from hollow to solid when you get to the stud. Use the back of your knuckle and rap horizontally along the wall at 1-inch intervals. These devices detect either the edge of the stud or its center. If you're working with drywall, you have a few more options: While most drywall is 3/8 or 1/2 inch thick-and thus works with 1 1/4-inch screws for light loads-plaster can range from 3/4 inch to 1 1/4 inches thick, so you may need screws up to 2 1/2 inches long. Expect your bit to take a beating from the harder material. You need to drill through the plaster and into the wood framing. Most wall framings set studs every 16 inches, so you should be okay to measure from there, but double-check with a pilot hole. Take off the switch plate and you can see which side of the stud the box is mounted on by spotting the screws. ![]() (The box holding its wiring needs to be attached to something sturdy.) Most are mounted inside the first stud by the door frame. One way to cheat is to look for a light switch. If you're working with plaster, this can be tough, since the fasteners used to attach the lath will throw off a stud finder. Whether you're hanging a kitchen cabinet or a coat hook, your best option is to attach things to a stud. You can feel the difference, but if you're still not sure, a pushpin will go into drywall. Most houses will have drywall, but many built before 1950 used lath and plaster, which is harder than drywall, brittle, and much thicker.
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