TIL to always check for a wall stud before hanging a heavy shelf

I was in my garage trying to mount a new tool rack when the drywall anchor gave way and the whole thing crashed down. I ended up using a stud finder and some 3 inch screws to fix it right. Anyone have a better way to find studs without a tool?

3 comments

3 Comments

kim.stella14d ago

I learned the hard way too, now I use a magnet to find the drywall screws first and it marks the stud edges perfectly. Those plastic anchors are basically useless for anything over 10 pounds.

lily891mo ago

Ugh, been there. I just knock on the wall and listen for the solid sound, works most of the time. Those anchors are the worst for anything heavy.

smith.anna1mo ago

Careful with that, lily89, you can still hit a pipe or wire in a solid stud. Stud finders are cheap and save a ton of trouble.