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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Stud finder can see behind walls

Samantha Mazzotta King Features Syndicate

Q: What’s a stud finder? And how can I hang up a coat rack without it pulling out of the wall? — Jim T., Atlanta

A: The stud finder takes the arcane art of rapping the wall with your knuckles until you find what you think might be a stud, and places it in the hands of the common man. Or woman.

Why is this important? Because any item that is intended to be hung on a wall that weighs more than five pounds — or will hold other items totaling more than five pounds — should be anchored securely to that wall. And one of the most secure anchors is a stud — not the kind we women dream of meeting, but rather, the vertical framing boards behind the drywall.

Think of your wall, the visible part with paint or wallpaper on it, as a kind of curtain. It’s a bit sturdier than cloth, but not by much. It’s just sheets of material known as drywall or sheet rock, placed against and hammered to what is really your wall — a bank of vertical timbers spaced about 16 inches apart. These aren’t just good for holding up your drywall, they’re great for holding up heavy objects like shelves and coat racks.

Unfortunately, you can’t see the studs, but a stud finder can — in a way. The most common type, a magnetic stud finder, locates metal studs or nails, while an electronic stud finder senses the density between a stud and the gap between studs. Operation is simple: Hold it flat against the wall surface and move it carefully from one side to another, at least 2 feet, until a green light glows.

So, to secure a coat hanger so it doesn’t fall out of the wall, locate and mark the nearest stud (or stud pair), drill holes and attach the rack to the wall.