Finding studs in popcorn textured walls - TexasBowhunter.com Community Discussion Forums

gander · 01-22-2021, 12:32 PM

I just bought a new house and in the main living area it has a vaulted ceiling. Well on either sides of the room on the higher vaulted walls they are popcorn textured that has been painted over. Not a fan, but will address that later on.

My question is this, how do I locate studs in the wall in order to hang my mounts? Will a stud finder work? I have been reading that it won't be accurate, I have also seen where people use magnets to locate them. You guys that have dealt with this before, what is the best way to locate them without putting 30 holes in my walls.

tmurray · 01-22-2021, 12:34 PM

Find a good strong magnet and figure out where it sticks to the wall, there's a nail there, which means there's a stud there too.

RR 314 · 01-22-2021, 12:36 PM

It ain't rocket surgery. :-) Knock, stud finder, small brad. Stud finder used to beep at me when I was younger. Now only works on walls. :-)

Looney Tatonka · 01-22-2021, 12:37 PM

I guess it would depend on the thickness of the popcorn, but my little stud finder was spot on, on ours.

kingranch · 01-22-2021, 12:41 PM

I use a tiny Brad nail that is 2 inches long you can cover the hole w any kind of filler and won't notice it

They should be like 16 on center w 1.5 stud

8th1 · 01-22-2021, 12:42 PM

My stud finder found a water line and I drilled through it.

Look out for electrical and water lines.

tmurray · 01-22-2021, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 8th1

My stud finder found a water line and I drilled through it.

Look out for electrical and water lines.

That sucks!

hog_down · 01-22-2021, 12:50 PM

MadHatter · 01-22-2021, 12:52 PM

Hand held thermal scanner.
Some places rent them now.
You can also lay paper over the popcorn and slide the stud finder over that.
A little trickier, but it works.

MadHatter · 01-22-2021, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 8th1

My stud finder found a water line and I drilled through it.

Look out for electrical and water lines.

I had a guy drill through a LP copper tubing in a wall, with a 3\8 bit.
Said there was something hard he could tell, but just kept going

.
Luckily it was new construction, and no gas.

sendit · 01-22-2021, 02:11 PM

I have done this and it works for me. Find a switch or an outlet in the wall that’s closest to where you want to attach something. Take the cover off and see what side of the stud the box is attached to. Use that as a reference point. Mark the floor with a piece of blue tape. Now there are studs in either direction at 16” OC. Once you find one it’s not hard finding the others as they should be spaced at 16”. You can lay a tape measure down on a stud mark and see the where the studs are. You can then use a level to go up the wall or simply measure the distance from a wall and use that. It’s harder to explain than do actually do.

Apodz · 01-22-2021, 02:17 PM

Just check at 16” 18” and 22” and one of those is probably your best bet for spacing.

jb5001 · 01-22-2021, 03:02 PM

Use the stud finder. I alway drill a small hole to confirm or to find the edges. With a tiny drill bit, you barely will see it if it’s not on a stud.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

neskora · 01-22-2021, 03:28 PM

Franklin 710 stud finder. Just used one for the same issue. It’ll outline the stud for you, so you can go along with it held slightly off the wall until it hits, then set down in one place.

TeamAmerica · 01-22-2021, 06:10 PM

Buy the quality magnet stud finder. They work great and are cheap! Beware they will stick to a bunch of other tools and are hard to get off!

Robertt · 01-28-2021, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apodz

Just check at 16” 18” and 22” and one of those is probably your best bet for spacing.

Find one then the closest left or right on that wall. Use a stud finder or a strong magnet on a 18"string to find a nail. Slide back and forth finding a nail head. Spacing should be the same across that wall. Normally 16" to as much as 24".

Removing a light or outlet plate to find the first one is a great start.

Philip-TX · 01-28-2021, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apodz

Just check at 16” 18” and 22” and one of those is probably your best bet for spacing.

Go into the attic and check the spacing of joists

texan16 · 01-28-2021, 12:42 PM

Stud finder (with good battery) should work for you. Like already mentioned, pop the cover off the closest light switch or electrical outlet and see which side the stud is on and measure your 16" from it. Verify with the stud finder.

cj7zrcool · 01-28-2021, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apodz

Just check at 16” 18” and 22” and one of those is probably your best bet for spacing.

Studs should be 16"on-center, joists could be 16", 19.2", or 24" OC.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philip-TX

Go into the attic and check the spacing of joists

Joist spacing doesn't necessarily = stud spacing.

krisw · 01-29-2021, 04:20 PM

Old house won’t necessarily have them on 16” centers either.

wes122984 · 01-29-2021, 06:00 PM

measure and tap a brad nail into it, will know quick and it wont leave a mark.

3ChordTruth · 02-02-2021, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jb5001

Use the stud finder. I alway drill a small hole to confirm or to find the edges. With a tiny drill bit, you barely will see it if it’s not on a stud.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

X2 on this

Drill a small bit or hammer small finish nail just above baseboard trim to confirm edges of stud. Then a dab of caulk covers any hole if needed.

SC-001 · 02-02-2021, 08:34 PM

Philip-TX · 02-02-2021, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cj7zrcool

Studs should be 16"on-center, joists could be 16", 19.2", or 24" OC.

Joist spacing doesn't necessarily = stud spacing.

My bad, He said "popcorn" so I was thinking ceiling.

01-22-2021, 12:32 PM	#1
gander Ten Point Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Beaumont Hunt In: Beaumont	Finding studs in popcorn textured walls I just bought a new house and in the main living area it has a vaulted ceiling. Well on either sides of the room on the higher vaulted walls they are popcorn textured that has been painted over. Not a fan, but will address that later on. My question is this, how do I locate studs in the wall in order to hang my mounts? Will a stud finder work? I have been reading that it won't be accurate, I have also seen where people use magnets to locate them. You guys that have dealt with this before, what is the best way to locate them without putting 30 holes in my walls.

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01-22-2021, 12:34 PM	#2
tmurray Ten Point Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Cypress, TX Hunt In: Webb County	Find a good strong magnet and figure out where it sticks to the wall, there's a nail there, which means there's a stud there too.

01-22-2021, 12:36 PM	#3
RR 314 Pope & Young Join Date: Nov 2006	It ain't rocket surgery. :-) Knock, stud finder, small brad. Stud finder used to beep at me when I was younger. Now only works on walls. :-)

01-22-2021, 12:37 PM	#4
Looney Tatonka Four Point Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Crazytown Hunt In: Anywhere	I guess it would depend on the thickness of the popcorn, but my little stud finder was spot on, on ours.

01-22-2021, 12:41 PM	#5
kingranch Ten Point Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: lakeway	I use a tiny Brad nail that is 2 inches long you can cover the hole w any kind of filler and won't notice it They should be like 16 on center w 1.5 stud

01-22-2021, 12:42 PM	#6
8th1 Nubbin' Buck Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: Houston Hunt In: Del Rio	My stud finder found a water line and I drilled through it. Look out for electrical and water lines.

01-22-2021, 12:50 PM	#8
hog_down Ten Point Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Houston, TX

01-22-2021, 12:52 PM	#9
MadHatter Ten Point Join Date: Feb 2014	Hand held thermal scanner. Some places rent them now. You can also lay paper over the popcorn and slide the stud finder over that. A little trickier, but it works.

01-22-2021, 02:11 PM	#11
sendit Ten Point Join Date: May 2016	I have done this and it works for me. Find a switch or an outlet in the wall that’s closest to where you want to attach something. Take the cover off and see what side of the stud the box is attached to. Use that as a reference point. Mark the floor with a piece of blue tape. Now there are studs in either direction at 16” OC. Once you find one it’s not hard finding the others as they should be spaced at 16”. You can lay a tape measure down on a stud mark and see the where the studs are. You can then use a level to go up the wall or simply measure the distance from a wall and use that. It’s harder to explain than do actually do.

01-22-2021, 02:17 PM	#12
Apodz Six Point Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Liberty Hill TX Hunt In: Central, Brazos Valley and West Texas	Just check at 16” 18” and 22” and one of those is probably your best bet for spacing.

01-22-2021, 03:02 PM	#13
jb5001 Six Point Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: RICHMOND Hunt In: Polk County	Use the stud finder. I alway drill a small hole to confirm or to find the edges. With a tiny drill bit, you barely will see it if it’s not on a stud. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

01-22-2021, 03:28 PM	#14
neskora Ten Point Join Date: Sep 2010 Hunt In: TX	Franklin 710 stud finder. Just used one for the same issue. It’ll outline the stud for you, so you can go along with it held slightly off the wall until it hits, then set down in one place.

01-22-2021, 06:10 PM	#15
TeamAmerica Ten Point Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Dallas Hunt In: Corsicana (Navarro County)	Buy the quality magnet stud finder. They work great and are cheap! Beware they will stick to a bunch of other tools and are hard to get off!

01-28-2021, 12:42 PM	#18
texan16 Pope & Young Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Fairfield Hunt In: Freestone/Schleicher Counties	Stud finder (with good battery) should work for you. Like already mentioned, pop the cover off the closest light switch or electrical outlet and see which side the stud is on and measure your 16" from it. Verify with the stud finder.

01-29-2021, 04:20 PM	#20
krisw Pope & Young Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Hughes Springs, TX Hunt In: Cass County	Old house won’t necessarily have them on 16” centers either.

01-29-2021, 06:00 PM	#21
wes122984 Pope & Young Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Plano, TX Hunt In: Coalgate & Atoka, OK	measure and tap a brad nail into it, will know quick and it wont leave a mark.

02-02-2021, 08:34 PM	#23
SC-001 Four Point Join Date: Sep 2020