Best wall stud finder

Looking for studs in all the wrong places? After investigating over 28 of the best stud finders on the market, we compared the top 12 models side-by-side. We tested for accuracy, ease of use, and features, best wall stud finder, both in isolated tests as well as while working on home projects to get a feel of their real-world performance.

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. Our testers evaluated the accuracy of the devices as well as their speediness in locating the studs.

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.

These choices will be signaled to our partners and will not affect browsing data. Despite its flaws, the Zircon A is well suited for most home projects while keeping costs and learning curves down, best wall stud finder.

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We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Emily Estep is a plant biologist and journalist who has worked for a variety of online news and media outlets, writing about and editing topics including environmental science and houseplants. If you plan on hanging anything over about 20 pounds in your home, you'll need a stud finder to help you locate the studs and joists you'll need to anchor into to keep things secured in place.

Best wall stud finder

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.

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Still, for ease of use and no false positives, the C. Our Testing Process. Hanson Magnetic is a small pair of magnets with a level. Hanson products give you a general gist of where studs are. The Zircon A , on the other hand, did not have nearly as steep of a learning curve, despite the fact that it packed in all the same features as the high-end models and had instructions on how to refine our scans for more accurate results as needed. Product Details: Type: Magnetic Weight: 0. Mecurate Stud Finder. Best Drill Brush. While you may get definitive results in one case, you could be left scratching your head in another. In addition to the three scan modes, the Bosch has a center finder for studs, a magnetic sensor to show screws and other metal, and a ring that changes color depending on how close you are to the material you're seeking. Review Compare. The walls were tested twice—once for wooden studs and another time for metal. We noticed many positive reviews on Amazon, so we tried the Tavool 4-in-1 Stud Sensor.

Affiliate Disclosure: We may be compensated if you purchase through links on our website. Our Reviews Team is committed to delivering honest, objective, and independent reviews on home products and services. Stud finders are used to determine where the studs and fasteners in your walls are located.

Tavool Wall Scanner. Cons AC wire detection limited beyond 2 inches deep. Zircon StudSensor A 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. Watch Next. Stud finders are useful, but you might not have to use them very often. Often, the place that is easiest to drill or nail and the ideal spot to drill are not the same. They also find steel pipes and studs, but those tend to be somewhat less common in most walls. The Zircon A , on the other hand, did not have nearly as steep of a learning curve, despite the fact that it packed in all the same features as the high-end models and had instructions on how to refine our scans for more accurate results as needed. It only took a single pass, too, though we found that it will only find the center and not the edges of the stud.