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.

Overall, we found this stud finder easy to use and to be the best stud finder for heavy-duty projects. The T13 even has a pencil caddy that's very ergonomic, best wall stud finder case you can't reach your other writing tool for a quick mark. It features four scan modes: three for specific objects wood, metal, live AC wiring plus one for deep scanning—all work reasonably well.

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Hanson Magnetic Stud Finder. Equipped with two magnets, the C. Hanson is a basic, durable model that scans twice as fast as the rest. This finder gives a visible and audible signal when it locates a stud, but it scans a smaller area and is less durable than our main pick. The most accurate electronic stud finder we tested scans the wall in 13 places to display the entire width of a stud, and unlike the competition, does not require a fussy calibration process. In 30 hours of tests against five competitors, the C. Hanson Magnetic Stud Finder stood out for its reliability and accuracy.

Best wall stud finder

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When we look at the breakdown across the different accuracy tests, what the GMS lacked in edge detection, it more than made up for in center detection — its automatic center finder was spot on in our tests. Best for Wires. Jump to a Section. While you may get definitive results in one case, you could be left scratching your head in another. We mounted the studs behind the sheetrock and marked the edges and center on the face so we could precisely test our tools. Electrical wires usually run vertically on the side of a stud and sometimes horizontally between outlets. Watch Next. AC power sensing was field-tested around light switches and outlets. Similarly, it detected black pipe in metal mode. Without the multiple passes, it can be off enough to miss the stud completely. We really liked that we didn't have to hold down the button to keep sensing a feature the Tavool also has , and the functions were easy to understand.

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We found the metal and AC modes worked well enough, but the stud finder tended to pick up on both from several inches away. Despite those drawbacks, we believe the ease of use and accuracy of the Franklin T13 makes it an excellent choice. Vivreal 4 in 1 Stud Finder. Barbara Bellesi Zito. Overall, we found this stud finder easy to use and to be the best stud finder for heavy-duty projects. And yet, it's still easy to use and mark accurately either way. We found the live AC wire detection was unreliable, with some misses along the wire path. At its price, it's a solid value buy. You will have to recalibrate the stud finder each time you use it, but it only takes a few seconds to do it. If your stud finder seems to be picking things up between the studs, it could be detecting metal or plastic plumbing components, electrical boxes or wiring, or metal ductwork. Zircon StudSensor A The Bosch light around the marking ring flashes red when it's over a live wire in AC power sensing mode. Scroll to the bottom for more advice on how to get the most out of your stud finder.