For reasons not really important to this story, I needed to make use of a stud finder. I don't actually own a stud finder, since I've never had the need to hang anything on my wall that's heavy enough to require a stud.
So first, I asked my theatrical set building friend to borrow a stud finder. She brings one over one night, and we try it on my wall. The thing thinks my entire wall is a stud. A continuous tone beeps from the moment it touches the wall, and stays on no matter where I slide the thing across my wall.
Next, I try my friend who has been doing extensive remodeling of his house over the last several years. Actually... he tells me he doesn't own a stud finder. I suppose that makes sense; when you're actually tearing out walls and/or putting them up, you don't really need to find studs -- you're putting them there in the first place.
BUT... he's some sort of stud whisperer, and can find my studs no problem, he says. So he starts to do that "testing the Trojan Horse" tapping on the wall thing. Tap-tap-tap-tap-taaaAAAP-TAP-TAP. "There's one stud." Yes, I can clear hear that. So how far over to the next one?
Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap.... uh... tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap... uh... tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap.... No luck.
Suspecting that my wall is neither one continuous stud, nor a big hollow space with only one brace dead center, I ask another friend (Sangediver) to borrow a stud finder.
When the robot uprising occurs, this thing is going to play a crucial role.
First of all, it has a selector switch on the front for studs, metal, or electrical current. It has a digital display that shows you a rough graphic of the stud as you're passing over it, and has text that pops up on screen indicating the "EDGE" or "CENTER" of the stud. And when you do find the stud, a red laser light shines, and a beep sounds clearly.
But wait, it gets better! There's a button on the front that says "Mark." So I pull down on that, and out pops this pencil tip like some kind of bee stinger and pffft! It puts a pencil line on the wall for me.
Stud finder? Nay, I think this thing is the stud.
Anyway... thanks, Sangediver!
7 comments:
for a moment there I thought you had a wall like in the kid's room from Time Bandits. it's been a long time since I've seen that movie but I was going to suggest you push on the wall and see what happens?
the mole
If it's any help, studs are usually placed two feet apart from each other. So when you've located one -- normally -- all you need to find the other ones is a measuring tape.
That said, I want one of those atomic stud finders! Whoah.
FKL
Actually, standard building codes require that studs be no more than 16" apart, on center. Once you find one, you should be able to measure 16" either way and find another (give or take a little bowing). When you get close to corners, it can be a little tricky, because there may be smaller gaps because the wall wasn't evenly divisable by 16.
I for one welcome our stud finding overlords.
Tim,
I'll have to check official Canadian building codes, because every wall I've encountered so far had its studs 24 inches apart.
So either the codes are different between our two countries, or I've been hanging around crappy walls!
FKL
FKL -
They could indeed be different. Or, because of the colder nature up there, maybe your walls are 2x6 studs instead of 2x4 to allow more insulation, and could therefore be further apart.
Typically, depending on the size of the beam, ceiling joists and trusses/rafters can be 2 ft.
Either way, stay inside and keep warm :-)
I should clarify,I don't own it, it owns me.
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