Electronic stud finders are designed to operate by measuring capacitance differences and identify where the wall is denser. Thus, by measuring the electrostatic field of the wall, it can detect even the slightest differences inflow of electrons. In this case, the stud finder detects the relative change in the density and shows the right place to drive your nails. There are also devices that use magnetic fields to determine nail heads in studs. They can also scan for wires.
Although you can hang pictures anywhere, there is a chance of having your mirrors and pictures crashing down when hey are fastened to sheetrock. The truth is that you cannot rely on the sheetrock for the heavy objects. Remember that the sheetrock is crushed limestone that is held together with the cardboard. The sheetrock is not meant to support a lot of weight.
How Stud Finders Work
It does not matter whether you are hanging a mirror or even putting up the shelves; you ought to understand the basics of wall construction. Usually, most houses have 2 -inch thick by 4 -inch wide boards. That becomes quite important when you want to hang the light fixtures or electrical boxes.
For many years, the only way you could discover a stud was to try the detective mission. In this case, you would measure distances from the corner and bang your wall to listen to different acoustics. Moreover, you can drill or tap tiny holes to verify the location of the study before carrying out the installation.
This method was regarded to be cumbersome and had to rely on the carpenter’s skill. Later, people started to use strong earth magnets to find nail heads and metal studs in the wall. In this case, they had to slide a magnet along a wall and feel the slight resistance when the magnet slides across the metal stud. Ideally, this method was better than the detective mission but needed a bit of skill and patience.
Magnetic Stud Finders
These types of finders use a compass needle that is moved when a stud finder is moved across a nail. Also, there is an added visual aid of the compass needle that helps throughout the process. In this way, it improves the accuracy level. The devices also incorporate electronic metal detectors that are accurate and sensitive. Nowadays, you can purchase the magnetic stud detectors, and they provide added accuracy when used with the modern stud finders.