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- By finding a solid piece of wood or metal behind the drywall, a good stud finder can help you hang shelves, cabinets, or decorative items.
- Many can also help you avoid drilling or hammering into a water pipe or electrical wire.
- The Franklin Sensors ProSensor 710 is the best stud finder because it takes readings rapidly without requiring any sliding back and forth along the walls.
A stud finder can make the difference between that framed painting hanging majestically for years to come and it crashing to the ground an hour after you hang it as a chunk of drywall rips out in the process. Many stud finders can also make the difference between you drilling a hole or hammering a nail into a water pipe, thereby turning a modest project like putting up a shelf or mounting a TV into a serious home repair almost surely involving pricey professionals.
In short, a stud finder is an important tool if you value doing a job right and avoiding potentially serious mishaps. But don't worry, this important tool is also affordable and easy to use. Many operate with the push of a single button and use easily interpreted lights to indicate the location of hidden studs. Some have an even more basic operation, simply adhering to the wall near studs thanks to magnetism. And many can also detect electrical wires, helping keep you safe and preventing accidental damage to the wiring in your home, office, or wherever you're working.
Electric stud finders rely on the dielectric constant of various materials, detecting the density of the surface in close proximity to their sensor plate. In other words, they can tell when they're beaming an electric charge into hollow space beyond the drywall and when they are hovering near a solid wooden stud or a metal stud. Magnetic stud finders literally just magnetize themselves to metal behind the drywall, whether to metal studs or to the screws, nails, bolts, and other materials in a wooden beam.
For most DIY projects, a basic stud finder will serve fine. If you're worried about the wiring or pipes hidden in your walls, consider a more advanced unit that can detect various materials. The price of a comprehensive sensor will pay for itself time and time again in the money you save by not ruining your plumbing or electrical system.
And while you can always aim any stud finder at yourself and say: "Found the stud right here!" note that the best hardware for this activity is a mirror into which you can gaze before coming to the realization that it was only funny the first time.
Here are the best stud finders you can buy:
- Best stud finder overall: Franklin Sensors ProSensor 710
- Best low-cost stud finder: CH Hanson Stud 4 Sure Magnetic Stud Finder
- Best durable stud finder: Ryobi LED Whole Stud Detector
- Best high-sensitivity stud finder: Zircon MultiScanner 740
- Best multifunction stud finder: Black & Decker BDL190S BullsEye
Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.
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