I read the topic and had a great interest until I read the post. Now if anyone knows how to find the other kind of stud please let me know. LOL!!

Linda

Sorry, Marita I guess I'm no help.

I would use one of those screw things that open up behind the sheet rock. Might need 2. The studs should be 16 inches apart, but of course, you probably don't know which end of the wall they started from!
JoanMN

Thanks Joan. The trouble is that the walls are thick plaster -- a nearly 100 year old house. I understand that studs are (sigh!) sometimes "irregularly" placed in an old house -- could be 16" apart, could be any other number. I'm having no luck!

Are you sure there are studs? What is the outside of the house made from? Brick? Stucco? Stone? I used to own a cement block house that had stucco on the outside and plaster walls on the inside, and there were no studs. Just lath strips and plaster.

I'm really not sure though. Sorry, I guess I'm not much help either. And I don't know how to find the other kind of stud either. not that I need one...

One way I used to find them, was to darken the room, then use a flashlight shone on the wall at an angle. The nail heads in the sheetrock could be seen ever so slightly. It indicated where each stud was. Don't know about in an older house, but it's worth a try.

Love your posting title. (wouldn't we all!?) LOL

Get a stud finder. Any hardware store, home depot or Lowes has them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Stud finders - Lowes

at the baseboard trim look to see where they nailed it in, either the top piece to the main piece, or to the floor. that should give you an idea. i have an old house too, behind the walls is lathe and plaster. studs are definitely irregular.

maryanne

I was going to say knock on the wall with your knuckles, but plaster...that's a whole 'nother animal!

Well, I was going to say that he's pretty easy to locate right now - he's cleaning the pool - but I guess that's not what you meant...

Another vote for the stud finder. I got a really inexpensive one (combination stud finder and level), and have ended up using it several times.

This title made me laugh. I was going to answer "I wish". LOL.

(I looked in a mirror..... said that ain't it!)

Although it's more difficult with plaster, it should still work. Take a hammer and gently tap on the wall and listen to the sound. Keep tapping and move to the side (either way) and keep listening, you'll hear the sound change when you get to a stud. With drywall, you can tap with your knuckles and hear the difference. Just be careful not to damage the plaster. You could even try with a piece of wood (hammer handle would work) or something to avoid damage.

well...you could always just start tapping in a really skinny nail...and once you find it...then fill in the holes you don't need with spackling and touch them up with paint...(yes I did this on a ceiling trying to find where to hang a birdcage...the stupid stud sensor (or stupid me) just wouldn't find it thru the spackled ceiling!

Generally, if it's an older, stick built home-studs were placed on a 16" center. So you can try seaching that way first. Start at a corner of a wall and measure 16". Using your knuckles..tap about 6" from the left of the mark, continuing on the mark & past it for another 6". Notice a less hollow sound on the mark? If so-you hit it. Use a long thin nail and tap it in as a last resort-the only 1 nail hole to fill. If all else fails? Go to the nearest 'watering hole', pick up the cutest "stud muffin" there, take him home & let him find it! LOL!

What worked best for me was joining the U.S. Air Force at age 27. They were everywhere!

I know; I'm bad. Sorry. And it's not even a full moon.

Remember the Christmas gift that I've offered here for a half dozen years or so?

That you list all of your friends since kid-hood, with email address and phone, plus their skills, interests, training, work, etc.

Now's the time to contact all who live within 10 miles or so, to see whether someone has one to borrow? If further, it'd probably be cheaper to buy one of your own.

Probably a good idea to have the owner do the search, as well, for they can likely find the stud more easily.

Otherwise, think of people that you know who are handypersons, who do construction, woodworking, renovations, etc. to see whether they have one that you can borrow.

If the drywall is fairly strong, probably you can drill a hole and put in one of the bolts that has a nut that's split, will open out like a butterfly's wings after it goes through the hole, then you can screw the bolt in until it's tight, holding the fastener in place on your side of the wall.

Don't claim to be adept at finding the other kind.

Good wishes for getting the job done reasonably easily.

ole joyful

Thanks for all your help. I'm going to try this again today -- and then probably run out and buy a stud finder. Ole Joyful, as I mentioned above I'm working with thick, 100 year old plaster walls, not wallboard, so it is not very easy to find the studs at all. Funny how shy I am about borrowing things, although there is no reason to be. Perhaps I'll ask around at work today.

LOL!

I have plaster too. When I was hanging pictures a stud was darn near impossible to nail into. The hole kept getting bigger and bigger. (while you hear the plaster falling inside.) I had to keep going to hang the picture to hide the hole.

Use a sturdy 100 lb picture hanger and pray you're just in plaster.

First, tie a brand new roll of duct tape to a piece of nylon rope. Make sure the knot is sturdy and you have a loop to hang onto. And no fancy colours either, silver only.

Next stand in front of a hardware store (or garage, or bar, sporting event, anywhere men congregate). Dangle the duct tape at the end of the rope behind you as you slowly walk to your car.

By the time you get there, you should have a lineup of men following the tape and you can take your pick!

Another way is to loudly announce you are going to have a keg party, but the tape is a more reliable method that you might find somebody that is handy - and not just HANDSY. Tee hee!

Drive over to your local Fire Department. Tee Hee

maryanne a.k.a. earthlydelights is correct. If you look at your basebords you should be able to see where the nail heads are. They always try to nail the base trim and/or crown molding into a stud. Also look at where your switch plates and/or outlets are located. Switch boxes and outlet boxes are connected on one side of the other, to studs/structure. Count over from there...16". An older home may be 18" or, odd intervals. If your walls are plaster you may have to put in some test holes. You may have to use a high speed drill. Plaster does not 'nail' very well. Trying to put a nail in plaster can leave you with a pit in the plaster but, no nail. Have fun!

sooey

I did buy a stud finder today at Target. Let's hope it works! Dances in garden, you've got some great tips for the other type of stud finder. As a single female, I would ideally like to find a stud to locate a stud. I do think duct tape is the key! (Does anyone ever watch the Red and Green Show?)

Sheesh, it was almost embarrasing how well the stud finder worked. I had dithered between the $9.95 one and the $30.00 one, and bought the cheaper one thinking it probably wouldn't work. But it worked just beautifully -- almost fun to use. It even came with batteries. Can't believe I survived 20 years of home ownership so far without one.

Thought you'd like to see the result. Somehow, my grandmother's 1940s bedroom set survived my recent move, and the mirror didn't break! It is a beautiful set -- a bedstead and nightstand, too.

{{!gwi}}

Beautiful set...and a treasure to have.

It's amazing how many people don't know about those little gizmos.

GOOD JOB! You sould be very proud of yourself!

It looks great and I love your set. It looks like it's in great condition. I also love the wall color.

sooey

I guess I got here too late. (story of my life)

Ron

Beautiful furniture!
JoanMN

That IS a beautiful set! And yes, stud finders are wonderful!

What a generous fellow to half-offer, Ron!

But we already knew that you're a generous guy, didn't we?

ole joyful

P.S. But ... was it to be the stud-finder ... or the other?

o j

Have you ever had that chest-of-drawers appraised? The legs, knobs, and the top piece caught my attention. Do you know if there is a maker's label on it somewhere?