How to find the studs behind plasterboard wall?

I use a cheap ish stud finder that I got in screwfix. Bosch brand.

Now... I say ‘stud finder’ but this is more a finder of metal and beeps for live electrical current.

Finding the studs is only part of the job. You also don’t want to pierce or damage a service, like gas, water, and leccy!!!

studs are usually 400mm or 16 inches centre to centre. Find one. Makes the next one easier.

personally... I’d use a stud finder to locate the metal ‘screw’ holding the plasterboard slab in place... hence finding the stud. I’d carefully sink a thin nail to see if it bites the stud or punches through into thin air.

but I would also always check for signs of a service. Even without a stud finder. I.e. Do you have a socket or rad on that wall?

Sockets would usually have the cable fed vertically, so make sure none are ‘in-line’ with your holes.

Hope this helps

If you're ok with a pilot hole you could drill a small hole in the centre of where the TV will go. Then thread a coat hanger wire in until you hit the first stud. Measure that and then you know where all the rest are as they are usually on 16" centers.

Fill the little hole afterwards.

400mm is just under 16" I'm guessing thats a typo on your part

Magnets are the easiest and funnest way

I have a 40" Samsung Frame on 6 plaster board bolts - it's still hanging there 14 months later. I believe the TV is 10kg.

I had to do that because the stud finder picked up a wooden stud in the middle of the wall which I wanted to go into, but turned out to be metal. I didn't trust myself or the drill to get through the metal.

Stud finders can be hit and miss. If you can afford it call a 'bloke'. Less hassle.

Look for nails in the skirting boards,this is a good indication of where the studs are.

A decent length finish nail, hammer it into the wall to find the studs. It'll be behind the TV anyway. Get some polly filler and patch and paint the small holes after. When you find the stud use your level to mark a line down. If you can measure from a door or a corner that will give you an approximation of where to begin your search. For example you could measure 16...32....48...64 off the architrave or the corner of the room, won't be accurate but it should put you close enough to start searching with the finish nail.

Just spotted this thread and hoping I could get some tips. Cant find any studs in the upstairs back bedroom on the side wall of the house. I have a stud finder which works great on every other wall, just not this one. I looked at the skirting boards and there are no nails in them.

I’ve drilled seven small holes about an inch apart each in an attempt to find something. No luck yet. Before I make absolute sh*te of the wall I have a stupid question - is it possible there’s no studs in this wall? Or that they don’t fun the full height of the wall. I’m guessing not but figure it’s worth asking.

I did wonder about that but when I drill through the wall I can detect the rear wall about 3 inches behind the plasterboard.

im trying to mount a big TV and need to find something better than plasterboard to attach it to.

great idea. Sadly it’s definitely insulated plasterboard. I think I’m just going to grab this

Oh that’s a great idea. Very nice.

So unfortunately the geefix won’t work. Not enough space to get it in behind the plasterboard (only around 20mm to play with) plus not sure it would work properly on the insulated board anyway. There’s actually a fair amount of insulation behind the plasterboard. I reckon 50mm of insulation and then a 20mm garment before you hit the brick.

The corefix looks good but just worried there wouldn’t be enough of it in the brickwork - the plugs are 100mm, so only 30mm of that would be in the actual wall. The metal core wouldn’t bridge the gap either.

No studs unfortunately. It’s dip and dab.

Strong enough magnets will find the nails. Nails are in the studs.

If you can find the nails you can work out where the studs are