Finding Your Stud: "The Magnet"

Now this one is pretty easy, once you have the right tool. Yep, and that's a magnet. A relatively strong magnet too. I have a set of rare earth magnets that come in a plastic case to help protect the paint on your walls. For extra protection (gulp), I also stick a piece of masking tape the the surface.


Now the success of this method relies on fact that all fasteners used for internal linings (plasterboard etc) should be with steel screws or nails, which are obviously magnetic.

1. So simply slide the magnet around the surface of you wall lightly until you feel it pull towards the wall. If you have a strong enough magnet it should sit against the wall by itself, pulled against the hidden fastener. This fastener should be located in the centre of the hidden stud. Yes, we must assume your builder has done a reasonable job of hitting the centre of the studs with his fasteners.
2. Mark this position, and the keep moving along the wall until you locate all the studs you need.

And that's a very simply and clean method to finding studs! (And therefore we like this one very much!)