Best wall stud finder

Looking for studs in all the wrong places?

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Jump to a Section. To find the best stud finders, we put 30 electronic and magnetic options to the test at our testing lab in Des Moines, Iowa. Each one was put to the task of locating wood and metal studs—as well as wiring and pipes, where applicable—behind walls covered in drywall, plaster, and paneling.

Best wall stud finder

Knowing where your studs are is crucial for hanging up heavy items, like mirrors or mounts for flat-screen TVs. Some stud finders have other features, too, like deep scanning and AC wire detection. To test all the features, we put a selection of stud finders through their paces on a wall of our own making and walls in real homes. Magnetic stud finders work by waving the magnet along the wall until it catches on the fasteners that attach drywall to the studs. Since fasteners may be spaced over a foot apart on a single stud, it may take longer to locate one with a magnetic stud finder, but this is an affordable and simple option. If the builder missed the stud, so will the magnetic stud finder. In commercial construction, where metal studs are standard, you may find magnetic stud finders more useful. Most electronic stud finders work by sending out a signal from a sensor inside, then reading the signal that bounces back. Some also identify metal pipes or electrical wires. The most advanced stud finders use technology like ground-penetrating radar, which uses radar pulses to create a subsurface image. For most occasional home uses, like hanging pictures or bathroom mirrors, a magnetic stud finder will do the trick. Stud finders have their jobs cut out for them, given the many variables in wall materials and construction. While you may get definitive results in one case, you could be left scratching your head in another. Take everything with a grain of salt, and use the stud finder in conjunction with the placement of electrical and plumbing fixtures to figure things out. Scroll to the bottom for more advice on how to get the most out of your stud finder.

We loved that it shows the entire stud as well as the center marking in a single view, which could help when there are nonstandard-sized studs behind the sheetrock.

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We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more. We decided to test a slew of them to help readers find one that suits their needs, including both magnetic and electronic models to find the best stud finder options for a variety of user preferences. While selecting our list of top picks, we also decided to get professional advice about stud finder features from an expert, John Mazzuca. He is a home builder at Gambrick in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, who has more than 25 years of experience in construction.

Best wall stud finder

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more.

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We found this feature incredibly helpful when hanging multiple picture frames, allowing us to line up nails and hangers with precision across a room. Accuracy 9. Thanks for your feedback! Pros Solid value Well-rounded. Because they are just strong magnets, they are attracted to the steel drywall screws that hold the sheetrock to the studs. Kevin Cortez Commerce Editor. Keep in Mind Though the compact option was easy to hold, it may be difficult for those with larger hands. Pros No-fuss, barebones design Fits in your toolbox. Our Testing Process. What the C. Easiest to Use:. After this pack leader, there were five devices all tied for our second-place score, but with unique strengths and weaknesses based on their design. Some of the models we tested came with analog features like levels and straight edges, as well as more advanced tools like AC power sensing, magnetic sensors to detect steel studs and screws, and pipe detection abilities.

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Its center marking was dead center in our tests, and though the edge sensing was off by a little, it erred on the inside so you'll still hit your stud. You will have to recalibrate the stud finder each time you use it, but it only takes a few seconds to do it. Take everything with a grain of salt, and use the stud finder in conjunction with the placement of electrical and plumbing fixtures to figure things out. Our Testing Process To find the best stud finders, we put 30 electronic and magnetic options to the test at our testing lab in Des Moines, Iowa. We found this feature incredibly helpful when hanging multiple picture frames, allowing us to line up nails and hangers with precision across a room. Bosch GMS Digita Stud Finder. In commercial construction, where metal studs are standard, you may find magnetic stud finders more useful. The tool consistently found studs under drywall up to three-quarters of an inch thick in our testing. Our Top Picks. Thanks for your feedback! We noticed many positive reviews on Amazon, so we tried the Tavool 4-in-1 Stud Sensor.