A good deep scan mode helps make up for the extra gap created by the texture, but in our tests it was better calibration accuracy that made the biggest difference in eliminating false positives on a popcorn ceiling. How we tested If you are renovating your home now it is high-time to level up your toolbox with new instruments for extra convenience. First of all, consider a laser level to align and balance every item in your house and then get rid of your old measuring tape since laser meters are more convenient and feature the whooping measuring distance up to 300 ft! What Features to Compare Type

It has multiple scanning modes, including the ability to look for studs through varying depths of drywall, and a metal mode capable of searching through more dense materials.

Feature Highlights

I wanted to create a test situation that was very close to the situation DIYers and pros face when trying to find hidden studs, so I built a facsimile of a stud wall. I framed up a test board with several vertical studs and attached standard, ½-inch drywall to the bottom half of the studs. That allowed me to test the tools on the drywall while noting how accurate they were. In addition, to test for live wires, I ran the stud finders (the ones with wire-finding functions) over a section of wall in my home where I know electrical wires run. Now let's consider in detail the additional convenience feature of the device, which we mentioned above. To get the most out of the free space available in the detector case, the manufacturer decided to build in yet another, quite useful device - a two-direction bulb level. Using the magnets and the level, you can locate metal objects in the wall and mark the horizontals and verticals on which the objects are positioned right away. Thus, the device will be of a great use when you locate in-wall metal profiles because once you get the finder attracted the wall just follow the level and mark the necessary points. Even if you’re using one of these sensors, you should always turn off circuits running through a wall you’re drilling into. Best on Drywall: Franklin Sensors – Prosensor T6

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, both in isolated tests as well as while working on home projects to get a feel of their real-world performance. Read on to see our detailed results and find what works best for you, whether you're hanging a mirror or remodeling your entire kitchen.Stud Finders Wood Stud SuperScan​® Stud Edge Finding Stud Center Finding DeepScan® Mode Target Control® Technology SpotLite® Beam WireWarning® Detection Low Battery Indicator Auto Correcting Technology LoLevel™ Detector MetalliWarning™ This basic Craftsman Stud Finder doesn’t come with a lot of bells and whistles, but it gets the job done—and at a very attractive price point. I was a bit surprised on the first inspection of the Craftsman stud finder; it weighs less than 4 ounces, and it’s just 5½ inches long. I didn’t hold out much hope that it would do the job. I was wrong.

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. The Bosch Digital Multi-Scanner GMS120 is a powerhouse of a wall scanner. It has three modes; wood, metal, and electrical power, and is quite accurate with all three. 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. The light-up ring changes from green (no stud sensed), to yellow (close), to red (directly on top of a stud). The ring is also hollow, allowing accurate marks right in the center of the sensor. For bonus points, the ring is wide enough to accept a permanent marker if that's your writing implement of choice. We appreciated not having to hold any buttons down to use it, which was more comfortable in awkward positions, like looking for ceiling joists. We also love the light-up screen, which made it easy to use in crawl spaces or other dimly lit areas. WireWarning® detection is a feature to alert the user to the presence of live,unshielded, electrical AC wires while scanning for studs and metal. The WireWarning® detection is always on in StudScan, DeepScan®, or Metal Scan modes. (An LED light will flash, or a lightning bolt icon will appear on the LCD display when live AC voltage is present, depending on the model.)

Everything we liked about the Prosensor T6 is also true of the bigger Franklin Sensors – ProSensor T13, but the increased price makes it a hard sell. You’re paying three times more for a wider sensor, but the T6 is already more than wide enough to work effectively. Auto Mode: Locates the centre and edges of wood studs up to 19 mm deep and filters metal and low density objects This is a different kind of electronic stud finder. Instead of using one or two sensors and telling you when the reading changes as you sweep the tool across the wall, Franklin designs their tools with more sensors that read a larger area simultaneously. The T6 covers a three-inch-wide section, compared to the seven-inch width of the more expensive T13. How it works

We've been searching for the best stud finders on the market since 2021, so that when you need to find a stud or pipe behind a wall, it only takes you a second. In this review, we devised and conducted over 10 individual tests on each product to evaluate and rate each tool's performance. Electronic stud finders can often detect a stud through ceramic tiles, especially if the tool comes with deep mode. One of the best options for detecting through most materials is the Franklin Prosensor. Q. How far apart are wall studs? Why it made the cut: When your mind thinks “modern stud finder,” this is probably what you’re picturing—and it works well, too. Deep scan mode: When your wall is covered with lath and plaster or stucco this mode will help you find studs more accurately than a regular stud finder could.The red arrow was right on the center of the stud and had I inserted a nail or screw at that point, it would have been dead-on. I moved on to testing for repeat accuracy on a regular wall. I started at one end of the wall and made an entire scan from side to side. Every time the Zircon tagged the center of a stud, I marked the wall with a pencil. To my amazement, the marks were almost exactly 16 inches apart (within a 1/16 inch). This was without needing to calibrate the tool, but the Zircon does come with an auto-calibration feature if it ever needs to be recalibrated for accuracy. 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