OT How to Find Stud in Plaster Wall

Re: OT How to Find Stud in Plaster Wall

Dick Coers

I use rare earth magnets and slide one around on the wall until it sticks. Then do it again just to verify the spacing to the next stud. Works better than any purchased stud finder.

Re: OT How to Find Stud in Plaster Wall

Barry Irby

Can you look at the baseboard for nail holes?

Is it wood lath plaster? If so you should be able to attach a closet pole most anywhere. Or, you can hang a small powerful magnet on a string and swing it across the wall and find a nail. Or one of the simple little magnetic ones. takes considerable patience because they were not as conscious of regular centers like 16" or 24" in plaster houses.

a hammer and a needle

Drill

Jack Guzman from Maine

What Ralph said. Use a small drill bit. The wholes are easy to fill.

Re: OT How to Find Stud in Plaster Wall

Lee Schierer in McKean, PA

I do the same thing if my stud finder doesn't work.

Lee

Re: OT How to Find Stud in Plaster Wall

John McGaw

Whatever you do, keep in mind that if the wall is of lathe-and-plaster construction all of the simple probing methods are unreliable since hitting a piece of wood is no indication of a stud location. Conventional drywall and stud construction is so much easier.

Ditto with the stud spacing -- I worked on an 1870s-vintage house and the studs were anywhere from 12" to 24"+ apart and there was no obvious logic behind it. On top of that, the house had been built from mostly-green lumber harvested on the site and the wood could have been anything from oak to ash to walnut and cutting out a section of wall to open up a space for light ruined a number of saw blades.

Re: OT How to Find Stud in Plaster Wall

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

But, when you first hit wood, keep drilling another 1/4" or so. If you've got wood lath, that can fool you into thinking you hit a stud, when what you hit is the lath.

I have successfully hung a closet pole on the wood lath for 30 or more years; but you have to get lucky and hit the lath (there's space between laths), and it's not best practice.

Plaster has its virtues, but you're not alone in frustration. Try cutting in an outlet box without destroying the plaster all around the hole...it can be done, but easy it's not.

Re: OT How to Find Stud in Plaster Wall

Larry Clinton At Frankfort, (Central) Indiana

My home was built in the 1880's. I have always been able to find the lathe nails with my old stud finder with the green and red lights (30+ years old) that apparently detects metal. My newer finders that measures density or other characteristics don't work as well! I guess the builder of my home did stay on 16 centers also which makes it much easier to verify.

By the way the comment on cutting for outlets in lathe without damage is apt. However, the Rotozip spiral cutting tool with carbide bits works pretty darn well for this task. I have also did some cutouts with my mini router using a 1/4 carbide bit, but it raises a lot more dust!

Thanks for the Help

Howie

Most of the time I could not find the studs so I ended up using toggle bolts and jordans, I hat plaster!

Re: OT How to Find Stud in Plaster Wall

Garthinsandiego

Recently bought a Rack-A-Tiers 52300 Stud Ball Magnetic Stud Finder. Less than $20 at big box and online stores. Amazing. Works really well to find the drywall nails or screw heads in standard wood studded walls. Better than my electronic stud finder. Worth consideration. Usual disclaimer, no financial interest in this product, just a happy customer. May be similar devices available.