If you’re trying to hang something heavy such as a mirror or T.V., but are struggling to find a stud, we recommend finding out if there’s a proper fastener for the situation that doesn’t require a wall stud. Drywall anchors and hollow-wall anchors are two of the most common options for studless load-bearing jobs. Why isn’t my stud finder working? Some electronic stud finders can detect live electric cables and different types of metal in addition to finding studs. This feature-set ensures that you’re not drilling into any sensitive or dangerous equipment behind your wall. Brand Always remove any obstruction relative to the area you aim to work on, regardless of how proximal any rubbish or junk is to your chosen starting point.

These finders couldn’t distinguish between the metal in a stud or the metal from a pipe or wire, which meant that it could be dangerous to drill into a spot triggered by the finder. Multi-sensor/Instant: This is a relatively new type of stud finder that scans an entire wall at once to give you the location of all of the studs. Because this type of stud finder requires multiple readings, our team found that it tends to be more accurate than the other electronic types. It doesn’t require calibration before use either. My review: The VIVREAL stud finder is a fully-functional wall scanner that sets itself above and beyond simple magnetic units. The real selling point of this scanner is its 3-in-1 functionality that hits all the sweet spots for DIY and professional users alike.

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This simple stud finder uses a powerful magnet instead of battery-powered sensors to identify studs, making it our top choice for magnetic stud finders. The magnet’s plastic casing is easy to hold and won’t mar or scratch the surface of the wall. Since it has no batteries or moving parts, the stud finder is always ready to use. Look For Nails or Screws: Studs are often found where pictures, mirrors, shelves etc. have been mounted previously on your walls. The nails or screws likely went into a stud, so you should be able to locate one in that area. The truth is that commercial and industrial buildings require a different level of accuracy and usability than residential homes. Coordinating miles and miles of studs, piping, and electrical wiring is difficult enough, and that’s not considering the complexity of many commercial buildings. Professionals in this industry usually look for a tool with more advanced features, and with a sensor accuracy that exceeds the typical needs of homeowners.

The longer answer is a little more involved. Before stud finders were even a thing, construction workers used the “tap” method to locate studs. Simply put, they tapped on different sections of a wall and used the sound to determine if a section was hollow or connected to a stud. A hollow section of wall was obviously stud-free, and with their knowledge of stud spacing workers could more or less figure out where to drive nails. You can learn more about how to find will studs manually here. Magnetic stud finders use large magnets to find the nails that are holding the studs together. Some magnetic stud finders we researched are molded into a plastic casing, while some are left loose. With molded ones, you can feel the magnetic attraction as you push it along the wall. With loose ones, we find you’ll hear a “thunk” noise when it finds something or see a bright piece of plastic pop up. Notably, the downside to this type of stud finder is that you can’t guarantee that it found a stud and not some other magnetic piece behind the wall. Electronic I focused primarily on stud finders that homeowners could use for more-or-less complicated household tasks. And while many of the electronic stud finders in the above listings are powerful, they aren’t necessarily suitable for more commercial or industrial applications. Know your finder. There are basic stud finders out there, but there are also some that are a bit more precise. There are some stud finders that are either a center finder or an edge finder. Some are equipped to do both. Marking only one edge is a common mistake that many DIY homeowners make. Know the materials. Believe it or not, stud finders are not meant to be used universally. Typically, they are meant to work with plywood and drywall (which are the most common materials used in home construction). When it comes to plaster, lath, or another type of material, you may need a different solution to locate the studs.One: Know your budget. Many of us like to buy new shiny tools for our upcoming projects, but don’t let your stud finder get in the way of something else you might need to buy. All electronic stud finders use sensors to measure the change in density in the wall. Typically, you must place the stud finder on a part of the wall without studs to ensure it gets calibrated before sliding it across the wall to find studs. Once the finder locates a stud, the results are displayed on an LCD screen. Beyond that, your commercial applications are going to go beyond simply locating studs. The Leica Geosystems 3D Disto is more than a wall scanner–it is a 3D imaging system that allows contractors to model building plans into CAD models.

Over time, the sensitivity and accuracy of magnetic sensors improved, and new methods of looking for studs behind walls began to revolutionize these devices. Types of Stud Finders The magnets contained in the stud finders would locate metal behind existing walls and signal to the operator that a stud was nearby. The more metal contained in the stud, the easier it was to find. As you might expect, this caused several issues:The shift from magnetic to electronic to sound also signal an advance in sensitivity and approach. Magnetic units will detect the metal in the studs, whereas electronic and ultrasonic units can detect shifts in density between studs and empty wall cavities while they also detect the metal present. The Stanley STHT0-77406 S200 Stud & Cable Detector is a versatile tool that can help you find studs, joists, and live AC wires behind drywall and other common building materials. It is the perfect tool for DIYers and professionals alike who need to accurately locate hidden structures before drilling, hanging pictures, or installing shelving. This detector features two detection modes: stud and cable. In stud mode, the tool uses electronic signals to locate the edges of wood and metal studs up to 19mm (3/4") deep. In cable mode, the tool can identify live AC wires up to 51mm (2") deep. TheV-shaped marking channel allows accurate marking. Features:

Edge: An edge stud finder finds the edge of the stud. After finding that edge, we determined you have to approach the stud from the other side to find its other edge and determine its width. To provide our readers with the best stud finder recommendations possible, we rely on several key sources of information to help guide our selection process. At some level, the price of such scanners puts them out of reach of homeowners. But serious builders and contractors who are looking for tools that can help them easily do their job should consider investing in a unit with more commercial uses.The earliest stud finders were magnetic. These finders used internal magnetic to determine the location of metal located in studs. The theory was that this covered several use contexts—commercial buildings were often built with metal studs, and almost all wooden studs present in residential homes had some sort of metal contained in them. Many of us don’t know it, but stud finders have been around since the early 80s. These were simple devices that used magnetic force to sense the presence of a stud behind an already-built wall. Of course, they’ve come a long way in terms of accuracy. Two: Get something that will last. If you want a stud finder that you can throw in your toolbox and pull out when you need it, then buy something that fills that niche. if you want a high-powered tool that hands on the wall of your workshop, then spend a little more money.