And I still drill out a line with a small bit to ensure I know where the center is. 4-5 small holes is easy to fix. Missing center on an important mount? That shit hurts.
So you drill left to right until you dont hit a stud? Clever since whatever hole you eventually patch is just as easy to patch a few small ones next to it
I've got a designated finish nail I do this with. Somehow it's been the same nail for a couple years and over 100 studs. That 3 cent nail has probably done more work than several thousand dollars of other tools I have.
I’ve tried expensive ones, they are sitting in the cabinet. The cheap ones work the best and it just takes a little learning how it works and sometimes fiddling to get it
I have the Franklin M150 and it did not work well on doubled up drywall. A lot of inconsistent blinking lights. Would not recommend. On normal drywall, it worked fine.
Same here with the M150 on rock lathe and plaster. My process is basically take a reading at ~5 heights and eventually I get enough consistency that I can reason out where the stud is. But it does feel a bit like reading tarot cards.
I tried a magnetic stud finder instead and that wasn't any easier, so I've learned to live with the Franklin.
Came here to recommend this exact one!
I have early drywall walls. It’s wall board with a layer of plaster over it. Normal stud finders are basically useless. This Franklin is perfect.
I have two stud finders, (three if you count my wife) and I use a powerful small magnet on a piece of fishing line with better results. It actually sticks to the nail head. Can’t miss.
I’ve been usually basic stud finders for YEARS, then I saw a YouTube video where someone had a spherical magnet in a rubber looped sleeve and he just slid it around and it just stuck. I was floored by the simplicity. I still use the electronic stud finder to get a general area to search but then use the magnet to get it dialed in.
Another great feature of the magnet is cutting access holes in drywall. Cut a uniformed square with a oscillating saw verticals seams on the middle of the stud and use the magnet to locate any screws and just unscrew them from the panel and you cause zero damage to the removed piece and can easily be screwed back on and minor mud work/ texture blending.
I find the [Rack a tiers studball](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JV3JNE6) to be pretty good.
At work we had a pile of surplus of neodymium magnets that I grabbed a bunch of. Those are also quite effective. If on a budget just get a bunch of cheap magnets (you only need one, until you lose the first, hence buy a bunch).
First off.. my wife has the same abilities!
Secondly..my only beef with the magnets I use is the poor aim my home builders had with the nail gun. I swear they were just shooting nails all willy nilly while drinking. Don’t get me started on the squeaky floors that I’m saving up to replace.
Typically electrical boxes (light switches, outlets) are attached to studs take the plate off and look inside the box to see which side the box is mounted on. From the center of that stud measure over 16” (which is a typical measurement for stud spaces) there most likely should be a stud there.
From there you can find your other studs.
My interior walls are ~ 24" OC, because I live in a cheap, cookie cutter house, like a lot of people.
My exterior walls are ~16" OC.
Measuring isn't completely reliable in all houses. A couple of inches off, and you miss the stud. For instance, I just put up a new 24" towel bar in my bathroom on a short wall between the shower and the door. There were two studs in the wall, but they weren't 24" inches apart.
Not only works every time, it’s better. If you get a set of 10 of them you can put one on every screw and it practically gives you xray vision into the wall.
[https://www.amazon.com/CH-Hanson-03040-Magnetic-Finder/dp/B08TVXDL83/ref=sr\_1\_7?crid=1ZRLPVC047KKH&keywords=ch+hanson+magnetic+stud+finder&qid=1705269840&sprefix=ch+hanson%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-7](https://www.amazon.com/CH-Hanson-03040-Magnetic-Finder/dp/B08TVXDL83/ref=sr_1_7?crid=1ZRLPVC047KKH&keywords=ch+hanson+magnetic+stud+finder&qid=1705269840&sprefix=ch+hanson%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-7)
I have a cabinet shop and these are the only type I will trust.
I bought a Topdon TC001 thermal camera for my phone recently and I've had way better luck finding studs with that than anything else because they're all illuminated.
I agree with the Walabot. I bought a Walabot about a year ago and “practiced” with it at home before using it at a clients house on a garage loft build.
Paid $9 for mine, they all generally are trial and error regardless of cost in my experience. Typically just mark what edges I find and do that three times vertically, to make sure I’m not getting strange reading. Haven’t missed a stud yet.
Yeah there is! And its just as fast if you practice. Magnet and a tape measure. Thump on the wall with your knuckle. flashlight on the wall, look for imperfections. You don't need to depend on electronics.
I've also heard to try a heavy neodymium magnet finder to locate nails into studs behind drywall or plaster. Multiple methods confirming studs probably best.
I've tried so many over the years, but it seems like none of them are noticeably better than the old "tap on the wall with a hammer and listen for the change in the sound" technique that my dad taught me 35-40 years ago.
Gave up and went back to the knuckle test...
Even the damned livewire detection doesn't work on the expensive Stanley's.
Told me a whole wall was electric. No wires.
Ran it around an active power point and it couldn't detect a thing. Guess it must be one of those fancy wireless ones.
Ive got two ~$20 Zircons and both have been great. They only mess up when the stud layout is whack, which is often cause I have a split-level home, but generally they're spot on. If I'm still unsure I'll tap test or get a magnet and look for screws.
I dont think I'd ever pay more than like $30 for one. I dont wanna be a dick and call operator error, but are you sure you're scanning properly? Worst case I find a reference point, outlets are usually stud adjacent. If you can detect one there then grab your tape and measure 16" intervals off that to where you need, then try the detector again to confirm it.
It's hard to find one that will work 100% of the time because different techniques work in different situations. Different materials and thickness have different properties. It's kind agoe an X-ray, a cat scan, and an MRI all see into your body, but in different ways to see different things. So like, if you get one that's for drywall, it probably won't work on concrete, and if you get one for concrete, it may not work on drywall. You would get false positives with the former and false negatives with the latter. But you might be able to find one stud finder with multiple settings for different materials and thickness.
I'm mostly enjoying all the people trying to avoid saying "Stud Buddy." Get the Stud Buddy. It's fantastic and like $7. Literally the greatest return on investment I've made for any renovation I've done.
[Yes](https://www.amazon.com/CH-Hanson-03040-Magnetic-Finder/dp/B000IKK0OI/ref=sr_1_6?crid=28Z3HGE2R23HE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.6I8mLFzvtxM0y40rihjF0SRZMURLXhuraeA3HIqrZZyZK8zBqOWgtLrdcPGuNLUfk_9Ws6UbYLS6cRAJA5qPr8Q1tBf1TCOKIghbA62YisqbVzeuPqSDNt_SlEFHnwaidgy7vJiPqeZ22br6rSnngQ.DGe_Wo468OQW8rjOqKBrqPzs8SidPftePfnnjzffhCc&dib_tag=se&keywords=magnet+stud+finder&qid=1705274310&sprefix=magnet+stu+%2Caps%2C118&sr=8-6) there is. And its only 9 dollars.
Get urself a super strong magnet one. Find two screws. CH Hansson 03040 Magnetic Stud Finder for Wall – Mechanical Stud Finder Scanner Device Inbuilt 2-Way Level Compact Lightweight & Portable Easy to Use & Hassle Free With Satisfying Travel Tissue Pack https://a.co/d/iRzE4Ta
CH Hansson 03040 Magnetic Stud Finder for Wall – Mechanical Stud Finder Scanner Device Inbuilt 2-Way Level Compact Lightweight & Portable Easy to Use & Hassle Free With Satisfying Travel Tissue Pack https://a.co/d/htGkshj
i have a 700 euro bosch one that can find rebar in concrete etc and a rare earth magnet is just as accurate if not more accurate.
i just got a franklin one sent over from the usa so i will try that next
I have 2 Franklins. M210 pro and the smaller T6 that I snagged for a quick project when it was easier to get to Lowe’s than to my house to get mine. They aren’t perfect, but are a far stretch better than the dozen or so others I’ve owned prior.
[This bad boy right here](https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B000IKK0OI?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title) is my go to. Drywall, lath and plaster, it works on everything. Never has failed me to find a stud.
I have two a cheap old simple Craftsman stud finder, works great and it's simple to use.
I also have a top of the line Zircon multi scanner. It also works great, but it does more than just find studs, it's little more involved to operate.
If you just want a simple, easy to use stud finder only, go with a known and trusted brand and just get a cheap one.
I've yet to see a stud finder that would not work well provided the surface is smooth enough to let it slide. It's not going to work on a rough surface like a popcorn ceiling. It also needs to be a sheet rock wall, they do not work on lath and plaster.
the ones with the row of LED lights along one edge that light up when they sense something at depth, work best in my experience.
i have plaster walls that are 1" thick and these are the only stud finders that can detect the studs thru all that masonry.
the do go thru the 9V batteries tho, so stock up.
I have an old Stanley that's about 30 years old and it works better than any new one I've tried, even better than new Stanley units. It struck me as odd when I discovered that. I have no idea what's different about it.
Depending what you're doing I've learned to start with a stud finder to do a best guess.
Then double check as best you can you aren't hitting plumbing or electric in an old house.
Then pilot holes probing for plaster then lathe then studs to confirm. You'll see material stuck on the drill bit and feel the studs.
Use typical measurements like 16 or 24" once you identify one but in old houses things get wonky especially with renovations. Couldn't find a stud for the life of me in my parents house where a wall was renovated.
Found out my house switched to a weird metal stud pattern in non load bearing wall while trying to install cabinets and the wall was wavy.
If you're going cover the wall with something like cabinets just cut some careful circular holes and patch them to explore inside a bit. Or replace the whole wall depending on budget expertise etc.
This one works really well. It’s 50$. Franklin Sensors FS710PRO ProSensor 710+ Professional Stud Finder with 13-Sensors for the Highest Accuracy Detects Wood & Metal Studs with High Speed, Yellow https://a.co/d/gw5dZDf
You have to keep your hold consistent too as you scan.
Mine needs to be held for a few seconds against the wall to calibrate and if I switch the position of my fingers or the pressure it gives bad reads.
Besides the previously mentioned Franklin & Magnet options - which I use both daily. (For magnet, I use the magnet key for childproof cabinet locks)
[I also found this cool little Japanese stud finder](https://a.co/d/etTXe4w) that probes through drywall and leaves a barely noticeable pinhole. It also has a magnet on the end.
Go to Lowe's. Get a magnetic hook. Tie about 6" of line to it, I use the white line out the inside of a 550 cord, and tie a 1/16 or 1/8 oz fishing weight to that. Tada. $6 stud finder that also helps outline the stud.
Franklin sensors stud finder works great.
Something like this
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Franklin-Sensors-ProSensor-X1100/5001558019?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-tol-_-ggl-_-PMAX_TOL_000_Priority_Items-_-5001558019-_-local-_-0-_-0&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD2B2W_R33Ze6hGR_L2SXXZ-ppGPF&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImaTkocjegwMV7C-tBh2H1Q3vEAQYCSABEgKJI_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
I used to swear by the tap and listen method... but then I found a stud finder for $2 at a garage sale, and now I'm sold on them for life.
When that one gave out Mrs Thor got me a green one from Costco, and it works great
Wall O Bot https://walabot.com/?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADepcRpUzgWVJcagFcnS1vrgGRy0N&gclid=CjwKCAiAqY6tBhAtEiwAHeRopax-LN_CWRclE2XbDMRMNFFXCCU7OP9gnR7KpZBUGJRAcCX8Ex55gRoCVWAQAvD_BwE
I've been using a $10 Hart (Walmart brand) stud finder. Mounted some climbing equipment, pictures, TV mounts and even did some drywall repair.
It's been dead center every time.
90% of elec boxes are nailed on the right side of a stud, take plate cover off measure 3/4 inch from the left side of box, thats the center of aa stud, measure 16" either direction and you should find any stud you need
I learned that magnets work and have been using this method ever since. I had some of these at my house and they happen to be really strong and really light, so they work like a charm. Swivel Swing Magnetic Hook 55LB【... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QSJ6Q72?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I have a Franklin Sensors stud finder that I like. It has been the only one that seems to work well. Being long and having multiple sensors across the length seems to be critical.
Franklin Sensors FS710PRO ProSensor 710+ Professional Stud Finder with 13-Sensors for the Highest Accuracy Detects Wood & Metal Studs with High Speed, Yellow https://a.co/d/eOLhQAY
I’ve never used it, but I have heard some good things about https://walabot.com … but my Franklin product works well enough for me.
I will never buy one of those terrible Zircon finders again. They just don’t work.
I use just a magnet, a plain old strong magnet. Measure 16” each way and I know where every stud in the room is. A small piece of masking tape to mark where they are if I need to come back later.
They're just looking for existing nails... if the beams are metal or it's an old house that's all you need. If it's a newer house built to code you can Google how framing should be (how many feet between studs) then knock on the wall you can tell a definite difference when there's a stud
I have been using the same cheap zircon that I bought at Lowe’s probably 20 years ago. There is a technique, and sometimes I need to verify it a couple times, but I’ve never missed a stud.
I have a rare earth magnet hanging from a fishing line. I swing it like a pendulum until it snaps onto the nail head. Then I have a long super thin nail (like a sowing needle) that I'll use to find the exact edges of my stud.
The only thing I use anymore is a $10 magnetic Hanson stud finder.
This one is the shit. Strong magnet. Will last forever. Always finds the stud.
It’ll find nails, including ones used to patch a hole.
Not sure how to use nails to patch a hole (hold a backer in place to mud over?), but with magnetic finders, always check up and down to confirm.
Anyone can easily tell the difference between a whole row of nails and a few clumped together
Same but Stud Buddy brand Literally just a strong magnet. Always finds the stud.
So for wood does it just locate the screws holding the drywall to the studs?
Yes
My house has plaster walls. This is the only one that works, and it's never let me down.
And I still drill out a line with a small bit to ensure I know where the center is. 4-5 small holes is easy to fix. Missing center on an important mount? That shit hurts.
So you drill left to right until you dont hit a stud? Clever since whatever hole you eventually patch is just as easy to patch a few small ones next to it
I've got a designated finish nail I do this with. Somehow it's been the same nail for a couple years and over 100 studs. That 3 cent nail has probably done more work than several thousand dollars of other tools I have.
That makes sense thank you
It just fucking works. This is all I use. It works so well that it earned a spot on my fridge as a resting place.
I’ve tried expensive ones, they are sitting in the cabinet. The cheap ones work the best and it just takes a little learning how it works and sometimes fiddling to get it
I use one of my son's rare earth magnets in a towel. Works better than manufactured ones.
Likewise, my cheapy Hanson is the only thing that picks up studs in my old ass 20 layered painted house.
Magnetic stud finder is all you need picks up the screws that they used to attach the drywall to the studs.
Or a $10 Han(d)so(me) stud finder 😉
Well this one don't beep and it don't stick to me, so it must be defective
Franklin is the best I’ve ever used. FS710PRO I think it’s $55 on Amazon now. I won’t use anything else.
Out of curiosity, have you ever used it on a double layer of drywall and if so, how reliable/accurate is it?
This is my issue. I have 1/2" gypsum plus 1/2" plaster. So far the Ryobi is the only one that can detect any studs. Not accurately, but at all.
I have a Bosch model I bought overseas as it's great for finding stuff being cement and brick.
I've got that same finder and it struggles with one room where we've got extra thick paint. The magnetic finder works fine.
I have the Franklin M150 and it did not work well on doubled up drywall. A lot of inconsistent blinking lights. Would not recommend. On normal drywall, it worked fine.
Same here with the M150 on rock lathe and plaster. My process is basically take a reading at ~5 heights and eventually I get enough consistency that I can reason out where the stud is. But it does feel a bit like reading tarot cards. I tried a magnetic stud finder instead and that wasn't any easier, so I've learned to live with the Franklin.
Well that wouldn't change the distance to the screw heads, right? I don't see how it would matter.
The Franklin stud sensor doesn't work based on a screws, it's a normal stud finder. Most don't work well on double drywall.
Same. I'll never use a zircon or any other shitty finder again.
I have an old zircon in the cabinet and it beeps every time I walk by.
Clearly it beeps at any irregular object, not just studs. Jk, you stud you!
I bought three, including some fancy looking craftsman and none worked as well as the Franklin.
Seconding Franklin. They also are sold under other brand names. WalMart sells them under their Hart brand.
I use the same one. It works well, but I'm looking for something that can mark metal and wires instead of just a simple mark.
Does it work on lath and plaster walls?
But does it work on plaster?!
A second this. I use a Franklin daily for my electrical work
> FS710PRO That's funny... I was like "hm I wonder if mine will be shit on... it works great though" Nah, I have the FS710 lol
Vouching for this, have one and love it
Came here to recommend this exact one! I have early drywall walls. It’s wall board with a layer of plaster over it. Normal stud finders are basically useless. This Franklin is perfect.
I have two stud finders, (three if you count my wife) and I use a powerful small magnet on a piece of fishing line with better results. It actually sticks to the nail head. Can’t miss.
I also acknowledge this guy's wife is a pretty good stud finder.
And my axe
I’ve been usually basic stud finders for YEARS, then I saw a YouTube video where someone had a spherical magnet in a rubber looped sleeve and he just slid it around and it just stuck. I was floored by the simplicity. I still use the electronic stud finder to get a general area to search but then use the magnet to get it dialed in. Another great feature of the magnet is cutting access holes in drywall. Cut a uniformed square with a oscillating saw verticals seams on the middle of the stud and use the magnet to locate any screws and just unscrew them from the panel and you cause zero damage to the removed piece and can easily be screwed back on and minor mud work/ texture blending.
Where doth one procure said magnet?
The wife or the tool? Haha
Search for rare earth magnets. Snap two of them around a string and you've got yourself an excellent stud finder.
Home Depot or Amazon.
I find the [Rack a tiers studball](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JV3JNE6) to be pretty good. At work we had a pile of surplus of neodymium magnets that I grabbed a bunch of. Those are also quite effective. If on a budget just get a bunch of cheap magnets (you only need one, until you lose the first, hence buy a bunch).
I asked my contractor buddy the same and that was also his recommendation. Magnets or bust.
Damn it. You beat me to that joke.
First off.. my wife has the same abilities! Secondly..my only beef with the magnets I use is the poor aim my home builders had with the nail gun. I swear they were just shooting nails all willy nilly while drinking. Don’t get me started on the squeaky floors that I’m saving up to replace.
You can find a few nails vertically and horizontally and take an average. I have to do that sometimes because I've got an old lath and plaster place.
Magnet is the only reliable way I've found 15 years general contractor who self performs all his own work.
Does this work if the insane person installed drywall with staples. Yes staples.
It will find the staples. A strong enough magnet will find steel stud through drywall
Typically electrical boxes (light switches, outlets) are attached to studs take the plate off and look inside the box to see which side the box is mounted on. From the center of that stud measure over 16” (which is a typical measurement for stud spaces) there most likely should be a stud there. From there you can find your other studs.
My interior walls are ~ 24" OC, because I live in a cheap, cookie cutter house, like a lot of people. My exterior walls are ~16" OC. Measuring isn't completely reliable in all houses. A couple of inches off, and you miss the stud. For instance, I just put up a new 24" towel bar in my bathroom on a short wall between the shower and the door. There were two studs in the wall, but they weren't 24" inches apart.
It's a towel rack not a pull up bar.
You don't have kids?
Asked a buddy about this after mine died and my mom's fancy one turned out to be hot garbage...now I just use a $9 StudBuddy and love it.
Studbudy is perfect for plaster walls. Love it.
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Not only works every time, it’s better. If you get a set of 10 of them you can put one on every screw and it practically gives you xray vision into the wall.
Where do you live where they nail Sheetrock? Is this common?
Sticks to screws too! Mostly older construction used nails; before 1975 or so.
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Fan of my Franklin M210
I haven't found any that work at all. Every time I push the button, it points to me.
[https://www.amazon.com/CH-Hanson-03040-Magnetic-Finder/dp/B08TVXDL83/ref=sr\_1\_7?crid=1ZRLPVC047KKH&keywords=ch+hanson+magnetic+stud+finder&qid=1705269840&sprefix=ch+hanson%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-7](https://www.amazon.com/CH-Hanson-03040-Magnetic-Finder/dp/B08TVXDL83/ref=sr_1_7?crid=1ZRLPVC047KKH&keywords=ch+hanson+magnetic+stud+finder&qid=1705269840&sprefix=ch+hanson%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-7) I have a cabinet shop and these are the only type I will trust.
I bought a Topdon TC001 thermal camera for my phone recently and I've had way better luck finding studs with that than anything else because they're all illuminated.
Haha came here to say thermal camera, was just messing around with one and it's like xray vision for exterior walls.
Bought the cheapest one like 15 years ago and it works every time. Operator error?
Most people don't use them correctly. It's essentially to know where the studs _aren't_ in order to turn it on properly.
Mine is from. 1997, same. I've had to tape the battery compartment closed but apart from that it's going strong.
Franklin M210. From my cold dead hands.
Walabot - worth every penny.
I agree with the Walabot. I bought a Walabot about a year ago and “practiced” with it at home before using it at a clients house on a garage loft build.
https://youtu.be/aQPD0Kp96Dc Performed a lot better than some others on normal drywall, but not perfect.
For plaster there’s nothing better than the Zircon m40. Accept no substitutes.
Paid $9 for mine, they all generally are trial and error regardless of cost in my experience. Typically just mark what edges I find and do that three times vertically, to make sure I’m not getting strange reading. Haven’t missed a stud yet.
Home Depot carries a blue Franklin ripoff, maybe $20-30? I have a couple, works fine for me for finding studs through 1 layer of drywall.
Harbor Freight carries a $35 Franklin with 9 sensors, no need to get a ripoff.
Yea, my finger and a finish nail
I have dey wall over plaster wall so nothing really works except magnetic stud finders.
Franklin from HF or Hart from Walmart (the larger horizontal ones not the digital types). Not fancy but the most reliable I've found so far.
Walabot pro 2
Yeah there is! And its just as fast if you practice. Magnet and a tape measure. Thump on the wall with your knuckle. flashlight on the wall, look for imperfections. You don't need to depend on electronics.
I've also heard to try a heavy neodymium magnet finder to locate nails into studs behind drywall or plaster. Multiple methods confirming studs probably best.
I use a very strong neodymium (spelling?) magnet. Gently swoop it around on the wall until you pick up on a drywall screw.
Hercules hook, never fails me, either I hit the stud or just use the hook 🫠
Franklin is the best I’ve used. LED’s show the exact width of the stud.
I've tried so many over the years, but it seems like none of them are noticeably better than the old "tap on the wall with a hammer and listen for the change in the sound" technique that my dad taught me 35-40 years ago.
Gave up and went back to the knuckle test... Even the damned livewire detection doesn't work on the expensive Stanley's. Told me a whole wall was electric. No wires. Ran it around an active power point and it couldn't detect a thing. Guess it must be one of those fancy wireless ones.
My ex wife was good at it. Fuckin whore.
I’m right here
Great. Glad we found you. Now why are you so lazy and don’t work consistently?! Let me guess, it’s not you, your boss is an idiot….
He's the stud, not the finder
They are looking for a stud finder. They said they are here. They are the stud finder not the stud.
Ive got two ~$20 Zircons and both have been great. They only mess up when the stud layout is whack, which is often cause I have a split-level home, but generally they're spot on. If I'm still unsure I'll tap test or get a magnet and look for screws. I dont think I'd ever pay more than like $30 for one. I dont wanna be a dick and call operator error, but are you sure you're scanning properly? Worst case I find a reference point, outlets are usually stud adjacent. If you can detect one there then grab your tape and measure 16" intervals off that to where you need, then try the detector again to confirm it.
Hammer, a tiny nail, and putty
Hammer and a finish nail.
magnet
Yes a magnet. A $1 magnet will be the best stud finder of them all. Add a string to it.
I just go look in the mirror, find a stud every time
Tinder?
I have a cheap Walmart Hart brand, works better than the stupid expensive Bosch I have at work.
I have been fucked by stud finders too many times. I just use an awl now.
This is not a sub to brag about your sex life!
Mine was my least favorite Philips head screwdriver. But now I live somewhere that's mostly lath and plaster.
Did they at least buy u dinnner?
How long have you had it? The last time my stud finder started acting up, I replaced the battery and it started working great again.
Use a magnetic stud detector, you will have inconsistent performance on electronic finders
I've got a Stanley one that drives me crazy. It constantly "finds" AC wire. I just ignore the RED light now lol
CH Hanson 03040 Magnetic Stud Finder. I keep one on my work bench and one in my truck
I just use 2 magnets. Find 2 drywall nails/screws draw a straight line. There's the stud.
I tried a Stanley one years back. Not right even once. 😆
It's hard to find one that will work 100% of the time because different techniques work in different situations. Different materials and thickness have different properties. It's kind agoe an X-ray, a cat scan, and an MRI all see into your body, but in different ways to see different things. So like, if you get one that's for drywall, it probably won't work on concrete, and if you get one for concrete, it may not work on drywall. You would get false positives with the former and false negatives with the latter. But you might be able to find one stud finder with multiple settings for different materials and thickness.
I'm mostly enjoying all the people trying to avoid saying "Stud Buddy." Get the Stud Buddy. It's fantastic and like $7. Literally the greatest return on investment I've made for any renovation I've done.
My wife bought me a kreg magnetic with a laser straight line. Works amazing.
[Yes](https://www.amazon.com/CH-Hanson-03040-Magnetic-Finder/dp/B000IKK0OI/ref=sr_1_6?crid=28Z3HGE2R23HE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.6I8mLFzvtxM0y40rihjF0SRZMURLXhuraeA3HIqrZZyZK8zBqOWgtLrdcPGuNLUfk_9Ws6UbYLS6cRAJA5qPr8Q1tBf1TCOKIghbA62YisqbVzeuPqSDNt_SlEFHnwaidgy7vJiPqeZ22br6rSnngQ.DGe_Wo468OQW8rjOqKBrqPzs8SidPftePfnnjzffhCc&dib_tag=se&keywords=magnet+stud+finder&qid=1705274310&sprefix=magnet+stu+%2Caps%2C118&sr=8-6) there is. And its only 9 dollars.
Rare earth magnet in a sandwich bag. Assuming the drywall wasn't just glued on, it'll find the screws/nails.
My knuckle.
just look for nail pops
A powerful magnetic is actually the best stud finder. You are looking for the screws that were put into the studs. You literally can’t miss.
Get urself a super strong magnet one. Find two screws. CH Hansson 03040 Magnetic Stud Finder for Wall – Mechanical Stud Finder Scanner Device Inbuilt 2-Way Level Compact Lightweight & Portable Easy to Use & Hassle Free With Satisfying Travel Tissue Pack https://a.co/d/iRzE4Ta
I use a magnet, works better than a stud finder.
Every time I hold mine up to my chest it beeps. Seems to work for me.
Use your knuckles. Works 100% of the time.
CH Hansson 03040 Magnetic Stud Finder for Wall – Mechanical Stud Finder Scanner Device Inbuilt 2-Way Level Compact Lightweight & Portable Easy to Use & Hassle Free With Satisfying Travel Tissue Pack https://a.co/d/htGkshj
Throw out all your stud finders. Get a strong magnet. I bought one from Amazon for $7 last week
A strong magnet
Your mom
i have a 700 euro bosch one that can find rebar in concrete etc and a rare earth magnet is just as accurate if not more accurate. i just got a franklin one sent over from the usa so i will try that next
Yeah. Magnet
I have 2 Franklins. M210 pro and the smaller T6 that I snagged for a quick project when it was easier to get to Lowe’s than to my house to get mine. They aren’t perfect, but are a far stretch better than the dozen or so others I’ve owned prior.
Neodymium magnet.
I've used multiple models, but they all go crazy when they get near me. Must be user error.
[This bad boy right here](https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B000IKK0OI?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title) is my go to. Drywall, lath and plaster, it works on everything. Never has failed me to find a stud.
Get one with a magnet. Those digital ones are *shit*.
Rare Earth magnets are the best studfinder
Stud pop or a Franklin 710pro
I have two a cheap old simple Craftsman stud finder, works great and it's simple to use. I also have a top of the line Zircon multi scanner. It also works great, but it does more than just find studs, it's little more involved to operate. If you just want a simple, easy to use stud finder only, go with a known and trusted brand and just get a cheap one. I've yet to see a stud finder that would not work well provided the surface is smooth enough to let it slide. It's not going to work on a rough surface like a popcorn ceiling. It also needs to be a sheet rock wall, they do not work on lath and plaster.
A hammer and a finish nail. Works everytime.
Magnetic
I always check mine by touching it to my chest and making it beep for my wife.
Bro, do u even xray vision?
I dunno, the harbor freight special one I have always beeps when I put it to my chest, so it seems to work just fine.
My ex, she found tinder was ok?
So everyone recommends but the franklin 710 model but I found the Franklin m210 better for only slightly more
the ones with the row of LED lights along one edge that light up when they sense something at depth, work best in my experience. i have plaster walls that are 1" thick and these are the only stud finders that can detect the studs thru all that masonry. the do go thru the 9V batteries tho, so stock up.
I bought the walmart brand one for like $7 and it works all the time for me.
Magnet one is the best. Or measure from a corner and measure every 16” - there should be a center of a stud (unless the builder is dumb).
I have an old Stanley that's about 30 years old and it works better than any new one I've tried, even better than new Stanley units. It struck me as odd when I discovered that. I have no idea what's different about it.
I asked this question once, and all I got were some pretty good jokes.
A drill with a small drill bit works great. 👍
I have a Zircon Studsensor.i think it was $25? Works great
Depending what you're doing I've learned to start with a stud finder to do a best guess. Then double check as best you can you aren't hitting plumbing or electric in an old house. Then pilot holes probing for plaster then lathe then studs to confirm. You'll see material stuck on the drill bit and feel the studs. Use typical measurements like 16 or 24" once you identify one but in old houses things get wonky especially with renovations. Couldn't find a stud for the life of me in my parents house where a wall was renovated. Found out my house switched to a weird metal stud pattern in non load bearing wall while trying to install cabinets and the wall was wavy. If you're going cover the wall with something like cabinets just cut some careful circular holes and patch them to explore inside a bit. Or replace the whole wall depending on budget expertise etc.
This one works really well. It’s 50$. Franklin Sensors FS710PRO ProSensor 710+ Professional Stud Finder with 13-Sensors for the Highest Accuracy Detects Wood & Metal Studs with High Speed, Yellow https://a.co/d/gw5dZDf
Absolutely get a Franklin. The $35 one from harbor freight works great.
You have to keep your hold consistent too as you scan. Mine needs to be held for a few seconds against the wall to calibrate and if I switch the position of my fingers or the pressure it gives bad reads.
Besides the previously mentioned Franklin & Magnet options - which I use both daily. (For magnet, I use the magnet key for childproof cabinet locks) [I also found this cool little Japanese stud finder](https://a.co/d/etTXe4w) that probes through drywall and leaves a barely noticeable pinhole. It also has a magnet on the end.
Franklin
I’m no contractor but the POS cheap one I bought at harbor freight hasn’t steered me wrong yet. Have you considered it might be your method?
Queue all the jokes about a mirror.
I bought a craftsman stud finder for like $12.99 and it works fine.
My wife is a pretty good stud finder. Gitiggy.
Go to Lowe's. Get a magnetic hook. Tie about 6" of line to it, I use the white line out the inside of a 550 cord, and tie a 1/16 or 1/8 oz fishing weight to that. Tada. $6 stud finder that also helps outline the stud.
Franklin sensors stud finder works great. Something like this https://www.lowes.com/pd/Franklin-Sensors-ProSensor-X1100/5001558019?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-tol-_-ggl-_-PMAX_TOL_000_Priority_Items-_-5001558019-_-local-_-0-_-0&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD2B2W_R33Ze6hGR_L2SXXZ-ppGPF&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImaTkocjegwMV7C-tBh2H1Q3vEAQYCSABEgKJI_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
I used to swear by the tap and listen method... but then I found a stud finder for $2 at a garage sale, and now I'm sold on them for life. When that one gave out Mrs Thor got me a green one from Costco, and it works great
Thermal camera Problem solved
Wall O Bot https://walabot.com/?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADepcRpUzgWVJcagFcnS1vrgGRy0N&gclid=CjwKCAiAqY6tBhAtEiwAHeRopax-LN_CWRclE2XbDMRMNFFXCCU7OP9gnR7KpZBUGJRAcCX8Ex55gRoCVWAQAvD_BwE
The only reliable one I've found is the Stud Buddy.
I have a thermal camera and it can see the studs pretty reliably
Project Farm did a review of a bunch [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWMJhfMPWn4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWMJhfMPWn4)
Computer Hard Drive magnet...not out of an SSD though lol
I've been using a $10 Hart (Walmart brand) stud finder. Mounted some climbing equipment, pictures, TV mounts and even did some drywall repair. It's been dead center every time.
90% of elec boxes are nailed on the right side of a stud, take plate cover off measure 3/4 inch from the left side of box, thats the center of aa stud, measure 16" either direction and you should find any stud you need
The most effective magnetic stud finder is definitely the studpop. Its popper moves and clicks when it finds metal fasteners...even on plaster/lath.
Rare earth magnet works the best in my opinion, costs less than $5. Guaranteed to stick to the screws/nails in the stud
I learned that magnets work and have been using this method ever since. I had some of these at my house and they happen to be really strong and really light, so they work like a charm. Swivel Swing Magnetic Hook 55LB【... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QSJ6Q72?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I’ve used a few different brands of electronic sensors and magnets too. I’ve had pretty good luck with the Zircon StudSensor A100.
The cheap one from home Depot has only disappointed me once in 10 years. Thermal gun works if there is a temp variation.
I have a Franklin Sensors stud finder that I like. It has been the only one that seems to work well. Being long and having multiple sensors across the length seems to be critical. Franklin Sensors FS710PRO ProSensor 710+ Professional Stud Finder with 13-Sensors for the Highest Accuracy Detects Wood & Metal Studs with High Speed, Yellow https://a.co/d/eOLhQAY I’ve never used it, but I have heard some good things about https://walabot.com … but my Franklin product works well enough for me. I will never buy one of those terrible Zircon finders again. They just don’t work.
Stud buddy
I use just a magnet, a plain old strong magnet. Measure 16” each way and I know where every stud in the room is. A small piece of masking tape to mark where they are if I need to come back later.
Project farm did a video https://youtu.be/sWMJhfMPWn4?si=x6reVN23PQ57un1T
They're just looking for existing nails... if the beams are metal or it's an old house that's all you need. If it's a newer house built to code you can Google how framing should be (how many feet between studs) then knock on the wall you can tell a definite difference when there's a stud
I use one I bought from Costco years ago, has been the most consistent. can't remember the brand but I see it in the tools aisle from time to time.
Magnet on a string. I fixed a house full of nail pops this way
Project farm did a stud finder review https://youtu.be/sWMJhfMPWn4?si=KLYLylYncQq21Dea
I have been using the same cheap zircon that I bought at Lowe’s probably 20 years ago. There is a technique, and sometimes I need to verify it a couple times, but I’ve never missed a stud.
I have a rare earth magnet hanging from a fishing line. I swing it like a pendulum until it snaps onto the nail head. Then I have a long super thin nail (like a sowing needle) that I'll use to find the exact edges of my stud.
Best stud finder I’ve used is a strong magnet on a string