In a recent thread there was an individual that was having difficulty locating studs in a plaster wall. I posted a suggestion that has worked for me and I'm sure there are other non-destructive ways to find studs in walls. Here are five ways I came up with for locating studs:
Tricks for finding studs:
1. Use a stud finder or metal detector to locate nails or screws hidden by plaster or dry wall. (The "Little Wizard" metal detector works well for this.)
2. Use rare earth magnets to locate nails or screws in the wall.
3. Light switches and wall outlets are usually mounted with a stud either to the left or to the right. The next stud will generally be 16" from that one.
4. Studs are usually within 16" of a room corner, window or door opening though they may be closer in some instances. Once you find one the next one is usually 16" away.
5. Remove the base trim and drilling holes to locate a stud. The next stud should be 16" from that one. The holes can be covered by new base trim.
Please post your methods