Stud finders, unless you spent some cash, are notoriously unreliable. Your experience is not surprising--unfortunate, but not surprising. Try a magnet to locate the drywall screws, buy a better fineder, or use another method.
> Measured out 16" from the corner and drilled a small hole, went straight through.
Even if your studs are 16" on center, that doesn't mean they are 16" from any point or feature. The wall may start anywhere inside or even beyond the corner, or the studs might have been laid out to make cutting in windows, doorways, or other features easy.
Once you have located a stud, you can usually find other studs this way, but this won't necessarily help you find your first stud.
Your studs might also be 24" on center, depending on the wall specs, or might even shift to make framing easier. The code is a minimum, not a rule.
Magnets are my go-to, you can even find magnet-based stud finders.
Most power receptacles and light switches will be installed against a stud, so look to either side (this is very NOT true for phone, cable, or other low-voltage outlets, or anything installed after construction was complete).
Finally, knocking along the wall will usually let you center in on a stud.
None of these is going to give you a "right there", but you can usually get a 4-6" target and narrow down from there. The nails are a good check.
zanfar t1_j9e4k82 wrote
Reply to How do I find these g-d studs?? by WaterChestnutII
> Stud finder finds nothing
Stud finders, unless you spent some cash, are notoriously unreliable. Your experience is not surprising--unfortunate, but not surprising. Try a magnet to locate the drywall screws, buy a better fineder, or use another method.
> Measured out 16" from the corner and drilled a small hole, went straight through.
Even if your studs are 16" on center, that doesn't mean they are 16" from any point or feature. The wall may start anywhere inside or even beyond the corner, or the studs might have been laid out to make cutting in windows, doorways, or other features easy.
Once you have located a stud, you can usually find other studs this way, but this won't necessarily help you find your first stud.
Your studs might also be 24" on center, depending on the wall specs, or might even shift to make framing easier. The code is a minimum, not a rule.
Magnets are my go-to, you can even find magnet-based stud finders.
Most power receptacles and light switches will be installed against a stud, so look to either side (this is very NOT true for phone, cable, or other low-voltage outlets, or anything installed after construction was complete).
Finally, knocking along the wall will usually let you center in on a stud.
None of these is going to give you a "right there", but you can usually get a 4-6" target and narrow down from there. The nails are a good check.