Are DIY stud detectors any good?

[Flinstone]

Will they indicate the presence of studs or joists fairly easily - even behind lath & plaster walls or ceilings?

Can anyone recommend a model they use, or even suggest the ones to avoid?

Thanks.

 

[JohnD]

My daughter always carries a Stud Detector when she goes clubbing

They aren't much good. Knock on the wall with your fingers. "Which" tried then out in 2005 and only found on worth having

Best Buys Rapitest WPS115
Price: £16
Score: 68%
The Rapitest is by no means perfect. Like the others on test, it's not reliable for locating wire under plasterboard but, overall, it's our favourite.

It can detect wooden joists, cables and pipes and, although it's not sold as a voltage detector, it worked well in our tests as it can rely on its metal detecting capabilities to tell you a wire is present.

 

[imamartian]

i always start with the knocking and listening method to find roughly where they are, and then get a really small drill bit and start drilling small holes in a horizontal line towards the stud or joist. You can tell whether you are drilling into timber or a cavity. When i hit timber, move a couple of inches to the other other side and work back...

 

[wanabechippie]

I've got a B&D one that I use mainly for metal detection in walls I'm about to molest. Works fine for that but the stud finder function is a bit hit-and-miss. May find the stud... vaguely ... but can miss it on the next pass entirely!