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!
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
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.
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 : )
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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?
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.
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.
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! 😂
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!
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
Stringfellow Hawke My only source was the RUclips 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?
@@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.
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....
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
David Vergara llll
agreed - I have been watching TOH since day 1!
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.
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
Tommy and his calibrated knuckle, love it!
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!
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.
Thank you great idea especially when you need to use multiple studs
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 : )
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.
This is the route I'm about to take. Do you have a brand you would recommend?
The absolute best video on the subject 🖖
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.
Vern C I've had so many stud finders and the best is a really strong magnet for sure.
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.
HDD ? Hard disk drive ?
turns out all you need is a strong magnet! thanks for the video guys!
Great people who are on this show. Also very knowledgeable!
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
Mr. Silva is a stud.
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.
I prefer my method, magnet ! Easy, simple, reliable, cheap, does not fail ! 🖒
Show one that works well with plaster and lathe I would be impressed!! Good tip on the drill bit above molding!!
Finding lathe nails with a magnet type stud finder might be your best bet.
Not if there's also drywall over it.
I bought a Zircon studsensor/60 and its wrong 3/4 of the time...sigh..
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.
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.
I kept setting the stud finder off!
I personally use a mirror
What stud finder can I use for a house built in 1925 I've tried a magnet stud finder with No luck
Hello this old house, could you do one about laser levels please? And how to clean paint rollers.
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.
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.
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
That zircon stud finder steered me right into a gas line once.
You guys are cool. Thanks for the information.
i have the zircon but the cheaper version it sucks i love the magnet one though
LOOKING is so much easier! --I had to tear the wall out of the other side though.. but.. i found the studs!
Every time I hold a stud finder it goes off constantly for some reason...must be a big stud near by
ok dad
You and my husband would get along famously.
That's your wife's boyfriend you're finding, the guy you're handing the tools to.
@@volundrfrey896 lol
How do you find a stud in exterior in stucco, to put up an exterior light close to eve ?
If a magnet works then how do you know you're on center?
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.
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.
can it work on a wooden wall also?
That Zircon is iffy, especially on old homes with lath - plastering.
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!
The only reliable way to find the studs in your wall is to invite Clark Kent over for a cup of coffee.
And then you'll know the location of the stud in your wall is *and* the one outside it. XD
Thanks! This is a very helpful video.
Best stud finder I ever used was a couple of neodymium magnets.
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.
Good segment guys
Easy stud finder is Kevin idea, just look behind the wall, hahaha.
We've had so many of those blue led bar stud finders, and they quit working in a few months! !
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.
I've had one for at least a year.
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?
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.
Match stick
Tom,how do I find the studs on a concrete and wire mesh wall?
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.
What kind is it?
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! 😂
Dad has found the comment section.
I have the yellow stud finder.
I'm pretty sure the gang box has 2 little nubs on stud side you can see once cover plate is off
magnet trick!! thank you :)
Pretty cool! Thank you!
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!
Magnet stud finder with a thread tied on. Drag it across the wall by the thread and you'll see the magnet stick
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.
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.
How about locating a stud on a exterior wall behind stucco?
What are you hanging? Exterior walls are made of plywood sheathing, so unless you are hanging an ATV, hammer or screw wherever.
Unless you are hanging a j box, then use a wire bent at 90 degrees and twist in inside the wall.
You really have very beautiful mind Tommy .
Thank you very much for sharing you knowledge.
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.
Ryan Parrish I have tried 3 different models in my apartment built in 2016 and it cannot locate a single stud.
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
So what if you have lathe and plaster but not baseboard?
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.
I wish I had that many clamps.
william olivares “what do you want for Chris...”
CLAMPS
Every time I look in the mirror, I find a stud. 😜
I just turn it around and it beeps like crazy.
How about the Walabot?
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.
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.
@@FR-tb7xh Ordered one and sent it back the next day. Gimicky nonsense.
Stringfellow Hawke My only source was the RUclips 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?
@@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.
Was anyone else expecting one of them to put on their chest and say" yep it works"
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....
There's a joke somewhere here... hmmm "there's an app for that?" :)
Yes, there are apps that will turn your smart phone into a stud finder!
Yeah, it's called Grindr :p
Yeah, Walabot.
*Only 18* 👇👇👇
210659.loveisreal.ru
It's okay, my wife found me without the need of a finder. Thanks anyway.
I've got a chinese wife its not working at all lololololololol.
epic. thanks.
That zircon. Finds the edge of the stud. Not the center as he stated.
You forgot the most important test - point it at yourself and make it beep!
Strange, I thought I was going to hear how to choose a stud finder...
Help on replacing garage floor with basement please
A common nail and hammer
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.
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.
"The short answer is no and the long answer is no." Haha - love it.
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.
I have an app for my phone that does it.
cool
This vid feels like I have seen it before
Magnets!
They always find me..
1/8” drill bit! Find them every time!
Care to elaborate??
What we call Jerry built in the uk.....
My wife is a stud finder
It looks like Tommy is the Big Stud.
Lol nice joke at the end.... I just look!
I don't need a stud finder, I am a stud.
how to choose a stud Muffin!!! you guys are too much!!
Those devices will always beep when it's in Tommy's hand....
Because he's a stud....
I'm done.
No homo.
RIP closet
Whaat ?? Why the hell Tom ignored his question at the last bit of video ?? 3:00
that screwdriver thing at 2.00 could be a noggin and not a stud!
Walabot!
👏👍
Hit a water pipe, i still get made fun of. Lol. Just tryna do my job, ok thanks
magic knuckle? lol
Just give me a call on the cell. Stud found.
...THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID :)
mr.cool commercial …..lol
I have to say I found this a bit unconvincing.
This takes too much time. Get a Stud Buddy