Probe the wall cavity with a bent wire hanger

Straighten a wire coat hanger and bend a 90-degree crook about 6 inches from one end. Make a small hole in the wall, insert the straight end, and rotate the hanger inside the cavity. The bent end will swing freely until it hits a stud on either side.

Why It Works

The wire physically contacts the framing inside the wall cavity. Unlike a nail test that only checks one point, a rotating wire sweeps the full cavity and tells you the direction and approximate distance to the nearest studs on both sides.

Tips

• Make the hole low on the wall near the baseboard where it can be hidden or easily patched
• Move the wire slowly and gently — avoid jabbing, which could damage wiring
• This also reveals insulation, blocking, pipes, and other obstructions
• Best used when you need to know what is inside the wall before a major project like TV mounting