Roller wheels make scanning so much easier but can leave marks on finished walls so if you’re worried about scratches it might be worth putting some thin material (perhaps paper or cardboard over the surface you intend to scan.

The best stud finder with laser level goes to the Craftsman 20-ft Self-Leveling Line Generator Line Laser Level. By combining a horizontal auto-leveling laser level with a stud finder, you can take care of hanging multiple pictures or longer items with more confidence. Four: Don’t get caught up in features. Features are great if you know what they do and they can help you do what you want. Bells and whistles for the sake of having them are just going to add complications to what should be a simple tool. It can also be used on different types of surfaces such as drywall, plywood, concrete and ceramic tile. A stud finder is good for, well, finding studs you can’t see. Knowing where your studs are is crucial for hanging up heavy items, like mirrors or mounts for flat-screen TVs.

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Some more advanced stud finder models also include center-finding capabilities. These allow you to pinpoint the location of the stud edges and the center of the stud. Really good models will have a graphical interface that can show you where you are over the stud (whether it is center or edge), which makes mounting and hanging all the easier. Three: Determine what kind of accuracy you need. Just wanting to hang pictures? Basic magnetic finders might be just what you need. We consult with innovators in the technology and design of tools to gain a broader grasp of where these products fit and how they work. Stud finders have their jobs cut out for them, given the many variables in wall materials and construction. While you may get definitive results in one case, you could be left scratching your head in another. Take everything with a grain of salt, and use the stud finder in conjunction with the placement of electrical and plumbing fixtures to figure things out. Scroll to the bottom for more advice on how to get the most out of your stud finder. How We Evaluated Stud detectors are either magnetic or electronic. The latter type can be further broken down into subcategories. Magnetic

Now, there are several types of stud finders and sensors on the market that compliment a user’s budget and needs. Some customers thought that the stud finder was overpriced given its simplicity What Customers Are Saying

Similar to the Bosch D-Tect150 in that their are 7 scanning modes that can reach depths of up to 2.5”.

Unless you’re using a whole-stud detector, mark your position from several directions to ensure the best accuracy. Use a piece of painter’s tape on the wall if you want to avoid marking directly on the paint. First, what do you really need the unit for? Homeowners hanging pictures don’t necessarily need a heavy-duty stud finder to hammer their nails. Likewise, a commercial contractor needs something with more sensitivity.

The truth is that stud finders are going to keep your fixtures and pictures safely on your walls by allowing you to do your job right the first time. Tapping on walls to determine stud location is going to require that you know exactly how a hollow wall will sound and that you have a good idea of how studs are spaced. More importantly, tapping doesn’t really give you a sense of where wires and pipes might be… which is, of course, a huge safety concern. Type. Magnetic types are simpler and more analog but do not have an LCD screen not require much of a power source other than standard replaceable batteries magnetic stud finders also have little-to-no electrical components. We have concluded from the above discussion that it is effortless to use a stud sensor and also beautifully designed. Pay attention to where the kitchen and bathrooms are, too—water supply and waste pipes for the second floor are often found in walls on the first floor, below sinks, tubs, or showers. (Pro tip: If your basement is unfinished, you can go down there to see where exactly the pipes go up on the ceiling.) Mostly common magnets that react via magnetic force as the tool come across metals near the surface of a wall.