Attaching Items to Walls is Simple - Even If You Can't Find a Stud

Leave the Swiss cheese in the refrigerator!

Nobody likes to see a wall with a bunch of holes left from someone trying to find studs inside, in order to hang a picture or attach a sconce or construct a set of shelves.

Oh, yeah - the holes can be patched and repainted, but such a bother, really, since today's affordable technology makes it virtually impossible to MISS finding studs. And if you just cannot manage to hang your objects at stud locations, there are neat little anchors available that help make it possible as long as you are careful to select ones designed to support the weight you intend to put on them.

So first things first!

Go out and get yourself an inexpensive "stud-finder"! That's "stud," as in what is inside your walls at home ... hmmmmm.

You do not need to spend much more than $15 for a decent stud-finder, and that will be $15 well-spent if you intend to periodically attempt to fasten things to your walls, I can assure you.

Whenever possible, try to plan any "heavy" wall items at stud locations, to ensure a solid, long-lasting support. Lighter objects can be more randomly located, as long as you still provide a solid enough support anchoring method for the object at hand.

When fastening at stud locations, merely install your nail, screw, hook or other fastening device to penetrate into the stud behind the drywall. Most interior drywall is 1/2 inch thick; some drywall on walls common to a garage area is typically 5/8 of an inch thick; and, rarely, some drywall is 3/8 of an inch thick. So, when you calculate your fastener length, be sure to allow enough to reach well into the stud itself by at least one inch, especially for heavier items.

If you must attempt to support 'heavy' items between the studs, I recommend using the plastic anchors specifically designed for use in drywall. They look like a large screw with sharp, widely separated 'threads' that cut into the drywall material as they are "drilled-into" the wall material between studs (preferably with a power-screwdriver; Caution! Do not over tighten!).