There are two types of stud finders, magnetic and electronic. A magnetic stud finder, as the name suggests, employs a magnet to locate drywall screws or nails hidden behind the mud and paint.
In older days, you’d have to make do with inexact methods like knocking on walls or using magnetic stud finders to locate studs, but for a stud finder that precisely locates the center of a stud ...
Since these studs are hidden behind your drywall or plaster, a stud finder saves you a ton of time (and potential wall damage), ensuring you drill right into the sturdy support every time.