How to Find Drywall Screws After Installing

After mudding, sanding and finishing, the screws used to hold the drywall sheets to the studs are hidden from view. Sometimes there is a need to remove a hidden screw, and there are a few ways to find them. A combination of all the ways will yield the most success.

Magnet

• A small but powerful magnet can be used to scan walls for screws. Once one screw is found, you can go straight up or down to find the others. This may take considerable time, but it'll allow you to pinpoint exactly where the screws are.

Measuring Tape

• Most buildings with drywall have studs placed 16 or 24 inches apart. Measuring from the corner of a wall where you know a stud is, you often can pinpoint the location of the screws.

Light

• Depending on the age and quality of the drywall installation, you may be able to see small bumps where the screws have pushed through the drywall over time. Using a light, you can angle it on the wall as narrowly as possible to cast long shadows which will reveal where the screws are.

Stud Finder

• Stud finders use electronics to detect studs behind drywall. You'll know that the screws are arranged in a vertical line relative to where the stud finder beeped.