Look for nail holes in baseboards and trim

Examine baseboards, crown molding, and chair rail along the wall. Look for small nail holes, dimples, or filled circles in the paint — these mark where trim was nailed into studs. Each nail location indicates a stud running vertically floor to ceiling.

Why It Works

Trim pieces must be fastened to studs to hold securely. The nail holes in baseboards follow the same 16-inch stud spacing as the rest of the wall, giving you a complete map of stud locations.

Tips

• Run your finger along the top edge of the baseboard to feel for slight bumps from filled nail holes
• A raking flashlight helps reveal nail holes in heavily painted trim
• Pneumatic nail holes are very small and harder to spot than hand-nailed trim
• Most effective in older homes where trim has been nailed with visible finish nails