How to Choose a Stud Finder | Ask This Old House

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Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva demonstrates different ways to locate studs in a wall.
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Time: 5 minutes
Cost: $5-50
Skill Level: Beginner
Tools List for Choosing a Stud Finder:
Magnetic stud finder
Digital stud finders
Drill
Flathead screwdriver
Steps:
1. There are several ways to locate studs in the wall- both low tech and high tech.
2. Use your knuckle against the wall to feel for a stud. If you hit a stud, the knock will feel more solid and sound slightly higher pitched.
3. Look for clues in the wall. Look for patched nail holes in baseboard trim, chair rails, or crown molding, since the trim was probably nailed to the studs. Use a small drill bit just above the baseboard to see if there’s a stud behind the wall or not.
4. Turn off the power at the electrical panel and check next to an outlet or light switch. Unscrew the cover plate and slide the screwdriver along the sides of the electrical box to see where it was mounted. Once that stud has been located, measure 16” or 24” on center from the stud to identify subsequent studs.
5. Purchase a magnetic stud finder. Slide it along the wall up and down and it will stick to any nails or screws that attach the drywall to the studs.
6. Purchase a digital stud finder. Slide it along the wall and the light will indicate when a stud has been located.
7. Another digital stud finder can indicate the width of a stud. Slide it along the wall and the lights will indicate stud location and width.
Resources:
The magnetic stud finder Tom used is the StudBuddy (thestudbuddy.com).
The electronic stud finder that can show the width of a stud is the ProFinder 5000+, manufactured by Franklin Sensors (franklinsensors...).
The electronic stud finder that can show pipes and wires hidden in a wall is manufactured by Zircon (www.zircon.com).
About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers-and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.
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How to Choose a Stud Finder | Ask This Old House
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Опубликовано:

27 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 150

@matthewdaigneault3866 3 года назад

Even though I know some of these tricks, I still like watching videos of the master! I’m not talking about you either, Kevin. 😆 You guys are great teachers!

@davidvergara607 6 лет назад

Love the show and cast & crew, you have made many things easier for me to understand and do. Carry on for many more years, please do not ever stop.

@Brian-rx9xx 6 лет назад

David Vergara llll

@mediumstudio 5 лет назад

agreed - I have been watching TOH since day 1!

@Malicos 5 лет назад

But if you do stop, please implant your brains into robots that will continue to churn out this sweet, sweet content for millennia to come.

@rodgerq 2 года назад

Tommy and his calibrated knuckle, love it!

@VC-Toronto 6 лет назад

90% of electricians are right handed, so it's typical in newer construction for them to attach an outlet box to the right side of a stud. I use that starting point along with a strong rare earth magnet (from Lee Valley Tools) to confirm where the stud is by finding the screws with the magnet.

@lowvoltagedude7837 6 лет назад

Vern C I've had so many stud finders and the best is a really strong magnet for sure.

@jerrybobteasdale 5 лет назад

It helps me to put masking tape on the wall where I think a stud is. Use some method to locate the stud(knuckle, Zircon, magnet), and mark the stud location on the tape. I leave that tape in place to reference off vertically or 16" off horizontally. I leave that marked tape until the task is done.

@ntsp00 5 лет назад

Thank you great idea especially when you need to use multiple studs

@patrickplante5103 7 месяцев назад

Such a good video, so useful. I have a 1940's house with lath and plaster and I can't hear the difference on some walls. Just like they say in the video, the original baseboard is still there with nails at 16 inches apart. It's so simple once you know what to look for. 0:45

@ojisanhoward8940 4 года назад

I thought for sure Kevin was gonna flex and say the stud is right here! But he went with the look behind the prop joke! LOL!

@trillpaint3001 4 года назад

turns out all you need is a strong magnet! thanks for the video guys!

@boedillard8807 3 года назад

I tried two of the units he showed. I have cement boards and plaster so it is very hard. Both units couldn't find anything so I ended up getting an attachment for my smart phone - worked very well I have to admit.

@peterwyattmiddleton 2 года назад

This is the route I'm about to take. Do you have a brand you would recommend?

@sandysandstone2448 2 года назад

Great video as usual. That said, no review of stud finders is complete if leaves out the STUDPOP magnetic stud finder. I've been using it since it came out 10 years ago. Unlike every other stud finder---electronic or magnetic---it is able to find studs (via the metal fasteners) in any kind of wall: sheetrock, tile over sheetrock, plasterboard, wood lath and plaster. It's actually...fun? to use, if that's possible : )

@Dave4246 3 года назад

I kept setting the stud finder off!

@jerrymartin7377 6 лет назад

I prefer my method, magnet ! Easy, simple, reliable, cheap, does not fail ! 🖒

@rodneyhammon1793 6 лет назад

Great people who are on this show. Also very knowledgeable!

@JohnAranita 4 года назад

Mr. Silva is a stud.

@TheRealTonyCastillo 6 лет назад

Show one that works well with plaster and lathe I would be impressed!! Good tip on the drill bit above molding!!

@2aminitials 6 лет назад

Finding lathe nails with a magnet type stud finder might be your best bet.

@saulgoodman2018 6 лет назад

Not if there's also drywall over it.

@TheRealTonyCastillo 6 лет назад

I bought a Zircon studsensor/60 and its wrong 3/4 of the time...sigh..

@2aminitials 6 лет назад

If you're trying to find studs on one side of an interior wall and there's an electrical box on the other side of the wall attached to a stud you might be able to measure from a door jamb to the electrical box's mounting stud, and then transfer that measurement to the other side of the wall. Then the studs would be 16" or 24" on center (unless the framer did a non standard spacing.) If you have attic access you might see the studs depending on how the house was framed. That would give you a general idea where the studs are.

@saulgoodman2018 6 лет назад

2 am, wouldn't an easier way would be to measure for a corner. the measure 16 or 24 inches, then drill a hole at 16 to check.

@moonblink 6 лет назад

LOOKING is so much easier! --I had to tear the wall out of the other side though.. but.. i found the studs!

@AlexanderMoore5133 5 лет назад

HARD DRIVE MAGNETS! After putting way too many holes in my walls this morning I go to watch this to get a feel for what to buy... as soon as I heard him say magnet it clicked! I've got some supper strong neodymium magnets laying around I've been looking for a use for. Stuck 3 on a short steel bar and wallah! You can get these supper strong magnets out of any old HDD you don't need anymore.

@markiannetta6336 2 года назад

HDD ? Hard disk drive ?

@MrRaymondyates 5 лет назад

Tommy is the best he's great I wish I could work for him I would work for free because he's so intelligent he can do anything and everything I would give my eye tooth to work with him for just one day love you Tommy keep up the good work

@miaw.5819 6 лет назад

That Zircon is iffy, especially on old homes with lath - plastering.

@ZirconTV 6 лет назад

Hi Mia. Yes, you're correct! We do not recommend basic stud finding mode on lath and plaster construction. One would want a model with Metal Scan mode to scan for the nail heads attaching the wood lath to the studs. Thanks for mentioning!

@scottmillsap2376 2 года назад

That zircon stud finder steered me right into a gas line once.

@percival23 6 лет назад

Most of the gadgets just don't ever seem to be as reliable & easy as a good strong magnet to find the sheet rock screws. It just won't work for lathe walls. For lathe walls, what works best is any excuse to not hang anything on it in the first place.

@tribulationprepper787 4 года назад

The only reliable way to find the studs in your wall is to invite Clark Kent over for a cup of coffee.

@iprobablyforgotsomething 3 года назад

And then you'll know the location of the stud in your wall is *and* the one outside it. XD

@wagdyziada4503 6 лет назад

Easy stud finder is Kevin idea, just look behind the wall, hahaha.

@chadrowland5234 Год назад

I hang fluorescent lights in my garage and I always make sure I am in a stud. Never rely on the ultrasonic stud finders. They're the worst at detecting studs. They don't work. The ones that do work are known for indicating a stud where there really isn't. They lie to you. They shouldn't be called "stud finders". Ultrasonic stud finders are really nothing more than a noise maker. How I find studs is easy. Look at where garage door tracks and garage door openers are hung. Look for the lag bolts holding them up. Also, drive a very small nail and insert a small coffee straw into the hole. If it goes all the way through, it's empty space. If it stops, it's a stud. Then, with the straw still there, slide your thumb and insult finger down the straw until it hits the sheetrock and remove the straw. That will tell you how thick the sheetrock is. Another way that I do it is pound my fist gently against the wall or ceiling. Your fist wall punch will sound hollow when there is no stud. WARNING!!!! If you drive too many screws into a stud, it could potentially compromise the integrity of the stud, resulting in improper support of the ceiling and roof. BE CAREFUL! When you drive a screw into wood, it removes the wood from that area. Too many holes will ruin your stud.

@johns5842 6 лет назад

We've had so many of those blue led bar stud finders, and they quit working in a few months! !

@briancnc 6 лет назад

Love this one, had it for a few years, never failed me. There are knockoffs of it and probably not as well made, perhaps that's what you purchased.

@kkampy4052 6 лет назад

I've had one for at least a year.

@mahatana_r 4 года назад

You guys are cool. Thanks for the information.

@pf5658 3 года назад

I always just use a magnetic stud finder or a piece of magnet. I Find them to be more reliable and less of a hassle compared to those electronic ones.

@68camarorsss33 6 лет назад

Every time I hold a stud finder it goes off constantly for some reason...must be a big stud near by

@user-gk3lu1gg9t 5 лет назад

ok dad

@joycetarleton985 5 лет назад

You and my husband would get along famously.

@volundrfrey896 5 лет назад

That's your wife's boyfriend you're finding, the guy you're handing the tools to.

@jarochito73 4 года назад

@@volundrfrey896 lol

@Omrentonth999 Год назад

i have the zircon but the cheaper version it sucks i love the magnet one though

@rjmcmooseknuckle 6 лет назад

magnet trick!! thank you :)

@davidharris2178 6 лет назад

Good segment guys

@abajhalghamdi9219 6 лет назад

You really have very beautiful mind Tommy . Thank you very much for sharing you knowledge.

@RedSinKen 6 лет назад

Thanks! This is a very helpful video.

@PeteyPablo408 2 года назад

What stud finder can I use for a house built in 1925 I've tried a magnet stud finder with No luck

@davidmorley1606 4 года назад

I have the yellow stud finder.

@Dr.mohammadghaedi 4 года назад

Pretty cool! Thank you!

@tubbers20 4 года назад

If a magnet works then how do you know you're on center?

@tylerlhotta7317 6 лет назад

I personally use a mirror

@davekintz 6 лет назад

I've thrown many a junk studfinder against the wall over the years, until I found the Franklin Stud finder (Like the blue one he showed) It works great, though mine has no level. Mine is yellow, and works great, oh yeah, I said that already.

@ronj9448 3 года назад

Yeah I had the old yellow ones from the 90s that didn't do squat. Never saw the tech like the blue one. It looks like a winner.

@fernandogonzalez1044 3 года назад

What screws should I use if ama mount a tv on a wall that is stucco on wood but it has drywall over the stucco? This room is an addition and they put drywall over the stucco.

@markbelden6919 4 года назад

Was anyone else expecting one of them to put on their chest and say" yep it works"

@johnhitchcock5404 4 года назад

I'm pretty sure the gang box has 2 little nubs on stud side you can see once cover plate is off

@wdhickle5853 6 лет назад

How do you find a stud in exterior in stucco, to put up an exterior light close to eve ?

@stevederitis8755 6 лет назад

I have a type of paneling what is the best way to find studs around them. Is there usually a stud next to a door

@jesterraj 4 года назад

can it work on a wooden wall also?

@theamerican7080 3 года назад

Every time I look in the mirror, I find a stud. 😜

@rud 6 лет назад

There's a joke somewhere here... hmmm "there's an app for that?" :)

@mikel4510 6 лет назад

Yes, there are apps that will turn your smart phone into a stud finder!

@timperry6948 6 лет назад

Yeah, it's called Grindr :p

@blackassmagic 5 лет назад

Yeah, Walabot.

@dianasaltikova8119 3 года назад

*Only 18* 👇👇👇 210659.loveisreal.ru

@MrNascar757 6 лет назад

You forgot the most important test - point it at yourself and make it beep!

@nimmichagger165 Год назад

Magnets!

@bobabooey8367 6 лет назад

Tom,how do I find the studs on a concrete and wire mesh wall?

@bobkraft4364 5 лет назад

A common nail and hammer

@Jazbot3 5 лет назад

Strange, I thought I was going to hear how to choose a stud finder...

@nytom4info 6 лет назад

1/8” drill bit! Find them every time!

@AB-vj8rr 4 года назад

Care to elaborate??

@ryanparrish5361 6 лет назад

Some of us have diminished hearing and can't use he knock on the wall wall method. Is there a reliable brand of stud detector? I have used multiple models of the Zircon brand in houses built in the 80's with simple sheet rock walls and they can not detect the studs.

@blaine690 6 лет назад

Ryan Parrish I have tried 3 different models in my apartment built in 2016 and it cannot locate a single stud.

@elfiero50 3 года назад

I have a house that was built in the mid 50s, using the hybrid plaster on “blueboard”. Without drilling holes in my walls and not being able to find the baseboard nails, how do I find the studs? Stud finders do not work reliably and there is a lot of mesh in the corners and seams. The walls average about 7/8” thick( 3/8 drywall, about 3/8 concrete, and about 1/8” plaster of Paris). HELP! Don’t get me started on the fact every single door and window has a custom made sill!

@bowtch 3 года назад

Magnet stud finder with a thread tied on. Drag it across the wall by the thread and you'll see the magnet stick

@artonline01 6 лет назад

This vid feels like I have seen it before

@Debo89009 4 года назад

Can you please tell me the cheapest stud finder that will work through tongue and groove pine lap boards?? I think that they are either 5/8 or 3/4in, as I'm trying to put up a 65in TV for someone who can't see well and needs the TV up higher so she can sit in her recliner and watch TV... No one at any Home Depot, or Lowe's has anyone that even has used a stud finder, let alone even knowing what one is... I guess they no longer hire professional people for their departments... I told her that I would make sure that it would be done correctly and that her $1000.00 TV won't come crashing down... Please send me a few makes and models that can find the studs and maybe even wires or pipes? But need it to find studs perfectly through the wood... Thanks

@pa39b3rd 6 лет назад

Help on replacing garage floor with basement please

@jashslingingslasher 3 года назад

I just turn it around and it beeps like crazy.

@saulgoodman2018 6 лет назад

So what if you have lathe and plaster but not baseboard?

@ZirconTV 6 лет назад

We recommend a multifunction stud finder/wall scanner with a Metal Scan mode so you can scan for the nail heads attaching the wooden lath to the studs. Basic stud finding mode will be unable to accurately locate the studs because of the inconsistent nature that lath and plaster is applied.

@MustangGuru 4 года назад

That zircon. Finds the edge of the stud. Not the center as he stated.

@artincorona 4 года назад

How about locating a stud on a exterior wall behind stucco?

@timma_thy 4 года назад

What are you hanging? Exterior walls are made of plywood sheathing, so unless you are hanging an ATV, hammer or screw wherever.

@timma_thy 4 года назад

Unless you are hanging a j box, then use a wire bent at 90 degrees and twist in inside the wall.

@user2144 6 лет назад

It's okay, my wife found me without the need of a finder. Thanks anyway.

@telosfd 5 лет назад

I've got a chinese wife its not working at all lololololololol.

@geetarwanabe 6 лет назад

Easier option is to buy a pack of small neodymium magnets which normally come in pack sizes of 10 to 30 for about 15 quid. You can put all 30 on the walls if you want but they are great for visually seeing the studs and getting a better idea of where the centre of the stud is.

@cereal_qilla 6 лет назад

Hey I want to install new blinds. But the previous ones ripped up some holes in the spot of drywall where I want to install them. Can I use spackle to fill them and then screw into them again for my new blinds?

@brandonlemmon9011 6 лет назад

DragonBae1020 Usually the screws for the blinds go through the drywall to the framing around the window. That is what you should be screwing to. If the bracket for the blinds covers up the torn drywall, no need to patch. Otherwise, go ahead and patch with joint compound or spackle depending on how deep the hole is. Drywall won't hold blinds too well by itself.

@garymoyer6663 6 лет назад

Match stick

@cmetube 5 лет назад

It looks like Tommy is the Big Stud.

@LEO-xo9cz 3 года назад

They always find me..

@deeeznuuuts 4 года назад

I have an app for my phone that does it.

@adamsamad 5 лет назад

My wife is a stud finder

@Mmmyess 6 лет назад

The ad that ran before this video began showed a cell phone ap that shows everything behind the wall. THAT is what really needs to be tested, not these old fashioned things.

@Golgafrinchamdent 6 лет назад

How about the Walabot?

@distracted_visions7095 5 лет назад

My son has one. It works a little better than the typical stud finder. However, it only works with a certain type of smart phone. I have an iphone which will not operate with the Walabot. The one my son has seems to be a bit quirky and I'm not sure I could trust it.

@FR-tb7xh 4 года назад

Enjoying-the-Ride Same here. Have Iphone, not android. Watched another video yesterday that showed how the Walabot could not only detect but characterize what’s behind the wall and depict its orientation - wood studs, pvc pipe, metal pipes, conduits, wiring. iPhone App Store has stud finders, but only for metal, apparently.

@Golgafrinchamdent 4 года назад

@@FR-tb7xh Ordered one and sent it back the next day. Gimicky nonsense.

@FR-tb7xh 4 года назад

Stringfellow Hawke My only source was the RU-vid podcast “studfinder showdown,” where the guy compared the CH Hanson magnetic, the Zircon e50, the Franklin LED bar, and the Walabot (4 Stars). What specifically didn’t you like about the Walabot?

@Golgafrinchamdent 4 года назад

@@FR-tb7xh It's been about 2 years ago but I remember getting it working... and not being useful or trustworthy. The images it shows are pre-stored graphics, not actual scans.

@mikenobles1515 4 года назад

Lol nice joke at the end.... I just look!

@Argyll9846 6 лет назад

Don't waste money on a stud finder just buy a strong magnet. Lathes and plasterboard are nailed on the centre of studs and the magnet 'locks' onto them when you run one over the nail heads. You only need to know where the stud centre is if, for example, you want to hang something heavy on a wall. Do you really need to know the width of a stud? The short answer is no and the long answer is no. In my 40 years in the construction industry I've never needed to know the width of a stud in a plasterboard lined walls. In general most studs are around 40-50mm wide - about 2" in the old imperial measurement.

@ronj9448 3 года назад

"The short answer is no and the long answer is no." Haha - love it.

@pinburg 3 года назад

What we call Jerry built in the uk.....

@planesstevee 6 лет назад

that screwdriver thing at 2.00 could be a noggin and not a stud!

@yaosio 6 лет назад

I don't need a stud finder, I am a stud.

@northwinds9155 6 лет назад

magic knuckle? lol

@mrthunderbird5 6 лет назад

👏👍

@Trohawkk 6 лет назад

Hit a water pipe, i still get made fun of. Lol. Just tryna do my job, ok thanks

@iñakias 6 лет назад

...THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID :)

@91099Babar 4 года назад

Whaat ?? Why the hell Tom ignored his question at the last bit of video ?? 3:00

@eddierodden 5 лет назад

I have to say I found this a bit unconvincing.

@meljenkins1016 3 года назад

This takes too much time. Get a Stud Buddy

@DustinPlatt 6 лет назад

Those devices will always beep when it's in Tommy's hand.... Because he's a stud.... I'm done. No homo.

@moonblink 5 лет назад

RIP closet

@Mr55751 6 лет назад

I wish I had that many clamps.

@arttra9158 6 лет назад

william olivares “what do you want for Chris...” CLAMPS

@tchevrier 4 года назад

the problem with many of those electronic stud finders is that they have some trouble if you have double drywall. And if for some reason somebody has drywalled over panelling, most of those won't work reliably.

@janirose 2 года назад

why are there no videos of plaster & lath walls? there seems to only be a quick "this is what plaster & lath looks like, and whatever you're trying to do will be harder" and then you go back to modern walls....

@alpha754293 5 лет назад

It was interesting to see that there are different kinds of stud finders, but ultimately doesn't answer the question though. The magnetic ones depends on finding the drywall nails, as mentioned, but what they don't tell you is what happens if they DIDN'T nail the drywall dead into the center of the stud.

@JS-fb6ww 6 лет назад

Best stud finder I ever used was a couple of neodymium magnets.

@mikel4510 6 лет назад

Walabot!

@troybermudez9269 3 года назад

Hello this old house, could you do one about laser levels please? And how to clean paint rollers.

@MrSouthofBoston 2 года назад

I have purchased and returned dozens of stud finders. All of them keep going off. Extremely frustrating. I finally realized that they weren’t faulty, they were just too close to me! 😂

@marredcheese 2 года назад

Dad has found the comment section.

@tomsmith8781 6 лет назад

how to choose a stud Muffin!!! you guys are too much!!

@ReydioTube 3 года назад

The absolute best video on the subject 🖖

@brandonlemmon9011 6 лет назад

Bought a cheap stud finder for $6 5 years ago. Hasn't let me down yet. They're cheap just pick one. This is a basic tool I'd recommend to all homeowners.