Old cashier at the hardware store taught me a 3-second rule for finding studs

Had a guy in his 70s at the Ace in Portland show me to knock twice and pause, not once like I always did. He said listen for the dull hum instead of just a solid thud. Anyone else been shown a trick by a random stranger that totally changed how you do something?

2 comments

2 Comments

robinson.leo10d agoMost Upvoted

That knocking trick is legitimate. The dull hum means you're hitting the stud itself, while a hollow sound means you're between them. I'd add one small thing though: the pause part is important because you're listening for the sound to die off, not just the initial knock. A quick double tap without a gap doesn't give your ear enough time to catch the difference. For me, the real game changer was learning to knock an inch or two apart and map out both edges of the stud, since the hollow thud changes at the edge. You end up knowing exactly where center is instead of just guessing at where the stud might be.

averywright10d ago

Listen really close to what you said about mapping out both edges of the stud. How far apart do you knock to catch that edge sound without going too far and missing the stud altogether? I've been trying this on my own walls but sometimes I think I'm way off because the thud changes so subtle. Do you start wide and move in tighter, or do you go the other way around?