Stud finders - do any of them work?

[Steve Medlock]

Is it a tool worth buying?

 

[Doug71]

If it's just for wooden studs I generally just use a magnet to find the plasterboard screws/nails.

 

[fleyh]

As @Doug71 wrote above, for DIY and if you want to find wooden studs specifically, there is no reason to waste money.

However, better (read: more expensive) "stud finders" also allow you to detect:

• Metal (to stop you from drilling into a water or gas pipe)
• Wires (to stop you from electrocuting yourself)

Regardless of how much such a finder costs, it only needs to stop you from accidentally drilling into a pipe or wire once to recoup its price.

 

[Sideways]

Expensive Bosch devices use LIDAR technology. I'm sure those work but £££.
Anything cheaper seems to have lots of people reporting a "waste of money" after trying them. I'd be wary of spending £80-£150. That is not enough to get a good one and far too much for tech that is little better than a £20 model.

 

[Sideways]

If it's just for wooden studs I generally just use a magnet to find the plasterboard screws/nails.

Buy a couple of dozen of the little neodymium ones. They'll mark all the screws or nails around the place you want to cut.

But all the postcards will fall off your fridge while you're using them

 

[BillHoughton]

The answer depends partly, in my experience, on what covers your walls. If it's plasterboard (or, as we Americans say, sheetrock or drywall), they can work nicely. If you've got an older house with lath coated with plaster, well, not so much (and, if it's metal lath, probably not at all). I agree that for plasterboard walls, a neodymium (Amerispeak: rare earth) magnet can find your nails. Put a good-sized (1/2"/13mm diameter) one in a small, clear plastic box of some sort (flat, slippery surface inside the box), and run it about on the wall. When it finds a nail, it will stop, and slide about in the box.

Knocking on the wall can get you there, too - the sound changes when you're knocking on a stud - even somewhat with lath and plaster.

For lath and plaster, my only reliable method is small holes (1/8"/3mm) near where I think the stud is, preferably on the part of the wall that will be covered by whatever I'm putting up.

 

[Ollie78]

I have a cheap bosch metal detector one, it does find metal and wires pretty well, yet to find a detector thats reliable for wooden studs so its more a case of find a screw or nail and work from that. Had a black and decker that was about 50 percent on finding studs, not exactly briliant.

 

[AES]

Ditto, my cheap Bosch model works quite well when trying to find water pipe, electrical conduit, etc. Never used it for finding timeber studs, but GUESS it would find nail heads.

 

[trvlr]

This is pretty good at finding studs:

CH Hanson 03040 Stud 4 Sure Magnetic Stud Finder

It hunts for the nails/screws holding the wall board/plaster board in place.
It's a very powerul magnet and really "simples" to use... You just slide it across and up 'n down until you feel teh drag of nail/screw pulling on the magnet. Markk that spot and then scan up/down to confirm when you find other nails/acres for that stud. Then - presuming studs are more or less correctly spaced... - scan horizontally unil you find another nail/screw and so on. I've also used it with some measure of success on lathe and plaster; and on bathroom wall tiles too to discover where the studs are behind the tiles and wall board layering; though for the latter you have to be very patient, press firmly and be sensitive to the drag effect which will will be les apparent than on untiled walls.

Again - be aware that it's rather strong magnet, so keep well clear of anything that might be adversely affected by magnetic fields.

It's on the Rig River Company site and isn't too many pennies.

Haven't found "any" of the usual stud finders to be all that much; but the one above - certailny has earned its keep thus far and is part of my toolbox/kit.

 

[Ashcraftwoodturning]

Beware, if you are using one to find pipes behind a dry lined wall. They do NOT find plastic pipes! I discovered this to my cost late one Good Friday evening and had to find a plumber quickly. He left at 3 a.m.

 

[Fitzroy]

I have become pretty proficient with the tap, tap, tap method and experience with the stud spacing in my house. I have a cheepo detector but I'm just as reliable without it.

 

[Fergie 307]

This is pretty good at finding studs:

CH Hanson 03040 Stud 4 Sure Magnetic Stud Finder

It hunts for the nails/screws holding the wall board/plaster board in place.
It's a very powerul magnet and really "simples" to use... You just slide it across and up 'n down until you feel teh drag of nail/screw pulling on the magnet. Markk that spot and then scan up/down to confirm when you find other nails/acres for that stud. Then - presuming studs are more or less correctly spaced... - scan horizontally unil you find another nail/screw and so on. I've also used it with some measure of success on lathe and plaster; and on bathroom wall tiles too to discover where the studs are behind the tiles and wall board layering; though for the latter you have to be very patient, press firmly and be sensitive to the drag effect which will will be les apparent than on untiled walls.

Again - be aware that it's rather strong magnet, so keep well clear of anything that might be adversely affected by magnetic fields.

It's on the Rig River Company site and isn't too many pennies.

Haven't found "any" of the usual stud finders to be all that much; but the one above - certailny has earned its keep thus far and is part of my toolbox/kit.

A powerful rare earth magnet is good for finding plasterboard screws. Same method, just slide it about under your finger until it grabs. Then side to side and up and down to find more. I first tried this when the stud finder I had packed up and I had promised to mount a TV on my daughter's bedroom wall. I had some powerful magnets so gave it a go, and it works a treat. Only good for steel fixings of course but still very handy, and cheap !

 

[Fergie 307]

Beware, if you are using one to find pipes behind a dry lined wall. They do NOT find plastic pipes! I discovered this to my cost late one Good Friday evening and had to find a plumber quickly. He left at 3 a.m.

Ouch.

 

[pulleyt]

A powerful rare earth magnet is good for finding plasterboard screws. Same method, just slide it about under your finger until it grabs. Then side to side and up and down to find more. I first tried this when the stud finder I had packed up and I had promised to mount a TV on my daughter's bedroom wall. I had some powerful magnets so gave it a go, and it works a treat. Only good for steel fixings of course but still very handy, and cheap !

+1 for rare earth magnets. Worked a treat for me.

 

[paulrbarnard]

I have a cheap Stanley that works well enough on plasterboard walls. It’s a bit of a knack to use it as it’s very dependent on where you start as it seems to look for change and gets confused if it starts on a thick bit.
I use it more for looking for wires and pipes though as it works well for that.

 

[gmgmgm]

Little neo magnets are great for finding plasterboard screws (and marking them- put 20 magnets on 20 screws and it becomes easier to visualise the wall construction.

I've tried a few of the "stud finders", none of them worked, then bought a v. expensive (for my humble uses) Franklin "M210" stud finder with 13 sensors/LEDs - what a difference. Not perfect, but it's now a useful tool I often use. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Franklin-Sensors-ProSensor-M210/dp/B0917VXLDK

 

[Dave Moore]

Beware, if you are using one to find pipes behind a dry lined wall. They do NOT find plastic pipes! I discovered this to my cost late one Good Friday evening and had to find a plumber quickly. He left at 3 a.m.

Hi,
When fitting plastic pipe you should put some metal foil tape behind so it can be detected. Don’t put the tape on the pipe as the glue can damage the pipe and it invalidates the pipe manufacturers warranty.. I doubt if many people do this.
Regards,
Dave

 

[Stevekane]

When Im drilling into a plasterboard wall where I think pipes or cables might be I take it very gently and only just break through, then I poke about to make sure there is nothing in my way before going any further.

 

[Steve Medlock]

Many thanks for all the replies on this - its been really useful.

Steve

 

[macetownhouse]

I have the Magnusson three in one and find it quite useful.
Have an old house with a mixture of batons carrying plaster boards and lathe plaster. With electrical wires it helps to workout if cable comes from top, bottom or side to plug or switch.
It cost €50 from Screwfix. It is a helpful guide.