How To Use A Stanley Stud Finder

A good stud finder is key for many home remodeling jobs and can come in handy with smaller tasks like hanging a heavy picture or a television set on your wall. For every job that requires the structural strength of a stud, you will need a way to locate the studs inside your walls. While you can try to do that by tapping the walls and listening, there are also electronic stud finders, such as the Stanley Stud Sensor, that are easy to use and accurate to within 3 mm.

Step 1

Turn on the stud finder. Your Stanley stud finder is powered by a 9-volt battery. When you turn it on, a green indicator light will be lit.

Step 2

Place the stud finder against the wall where you are looking for a stud. Hold the tool at the height where you plan to drill or nail into the wall. Some studs may slant or jog, which can throw off your calculations unless you are at the exact proper height.

Step 3

Slide the stud finder slowly along the wall, moving horizontally. The red lights on the stud finder indicate the depth of the wall.

Step 4

Stop moving when the red lights begin to light up, indicating that you are approaching a stud. Move slowly back and forth until you have found the point at which most of the lights are lit. A tone will also sound to indicate that you have located the stud.

Step 5

Use a pencil to mark the spot on the wall where the stud is located.