Electronic stud finders have advanced significantly, and some models even let you use your smartphone to detect metal, wood, and wiring under drywall. See how the Walabot stud finder, one of the more well-known smartphone wall scanners, performed in this practical evaluation.
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It’s the stuff of science fiction movies that a DIYer could use a smartphone screen to see what’s inside a wall hollow. The Walabot stud finder makes it possible for users to “see” the position of construction items hidden beneath drywall by syncing with an Android smartphone.
I conducted a number of tests on the Walabot stud finder since I was eager to appreciate this new, “techie” stud finder. While I’m confident the company will perfect the product in the upcoming years, the concept is great, but for the time being, I’ll continue with my trusted electronic stud finder with an LCD screen that shows both the edges and the center of a stud.
To evaluate the Walabot stud finder’s detection accuracy, I built a test wall with open stud framing and a cutaway drywall panel. On a typical wall where I was aware of the location of the live wires, I also tested the gadget. Read on to see what transpired during the tests and why I remain optimistic about utilising this technology in the future.
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy-to-install app | Nano pad too small |
| Sharp graphics | Hit-and-miss detection rate |
| Multiple mode selection | Frequent calibration necessary |
How Walabot Stud Finder App Work?
How simple it was to download and install the Walabot app from the apple app store cannot be emphasized enough. The Walabot stud finder is only compatible with Android & iOS handsets, so keep that in mind. My phone is a nearly new iPhone 12 Pro, so I had no issues at all with the app; it downloaded and installed in about 30 seconds and synchronized flawlessly with my iPhone 12.
The app walked me through the process of connecting the scanning gadget to my smartphone when I installed it. This was also simple, with each step being well explained in both words and graphic illustrations.
What is inside in Walabot Box?
The Walabot stud finder is a reasonably basic tool for a fairly sophisticated instrument. It includes two separate USB cables for usage with various Android phone models, an instruction manual, a lightweight plastic scanner box that is almost the same size as a smartphone, and a sticky gel Nano pad to secure the stud finder to the back of a smartphone. The stud finder also has a thin plastic film that attaches to the rear of it to make it easier to glide over drywall.
A Walabot emblem on the scanner box’s side indicates where to position the adhesive gel Nano pad. This scanning unit connects directly to the smartphone via a USB wire, so nothing too complicated there.
Is it Simple to Use the Walabot Stud Finder?
Knowing how adhesive Nano pads are, I first used rubbing alcohol to clean any oils or grime off the rear of my iPhone 12 to ensure the Nano pad would attach firmly. The Nano pad wasn’t big enough to keep the phone and the scanner firmly together, so that was pretty much a lost cause. I frequently found myself holding the scanner and the phone together when scanning, requiring two hands. It was difficult to slide the scanner across a wall without using both hands, therefore this was a concern.
The Walabot stud finder’s design would be considerably enhanced if the manufacturer would do away with the raised symbol, which restricts physical contact between the phone and the scanner, and use a sticky Nano pad the same size as the scanner. When looking for a stud’s center, a free hand is required, therefore the scanner’s inability to stick closely to the phone was a big disadvantage. The Walabot stud finder accurately located the wood stud in the test wall despite the Nano pad’s inability to secure the phone to the scanner.
Does Calibration Require for the Walabot Stud Finder?
Many users of electronic stud finders are already aware that calibration is necessary for these tools to accurately find studs and other building materials. That is also true of the Walabot stud finder. I had to choose the desired mode (wood, metal, or wire) before mounting the scanner and phone to the wall, then I had to keep them there until the calibration was complete. I could start scanning after that.
It required some finger Calisthenics for me to choose the proper modes on the screen because I was having trouble holding the phone and scanner together—yes, I constantly cleansed the Nano pad, but it didn’t help. Although I anticipate that change will be made soon, it would be wonderful if the Walabot stud finder didn’t need to be calibrated each time it was removed from the wall.
How Effective Was the Walabot at Finding Wires?
After confirming that the Walabot stud finder was precise in identifying studs on the test wall, I moved on to scanning a typical household wall to check if it could identify live wires. Knowing how the wall was built originally, I was aware that wires were fastened to a stud directly below a light switch. The stud finder accurately located wiring where I knew it to be after calibrating for live wires.
Sadly, despite the fact that I knew the wire from the switch ran straight down the stud, the image of the wire on the screen appeared cockeyed and diagonal. It wasn’t angled as my iPhone 12 screen misrepresented it to be.
However, the live wire was discovered by the Walabot stud finder, so it wasn’t completely a bust. The diagonal image on my smartphone screen would act as a cautionary signal to anyone about to cut or drill into the wall in that general area. I questioned whether the image might be the result of issues with the phone and the scanner’s loose adhesion.
Is Walabot Best Stud Finder?
The Walabot stud finder still has a lot going for it despite a few design issues. It is possible to cut a huge sticky gel nano pad to fit the full back of the phone and hold it more firmly to the scanner if you are interested in doing so.
A panning mode on the Walabot stud finder enables the user to start scanning from one side of the wall and move the device to any desired location. When everything is finished, a bar chart is displayed on the smartphone’s screen, indicating (by color) if the stud finder discovered a wire or a stud during the scan and pinpointing its exact location with an included ruler. Since a user could scan an entire wall and have an accurate record of where each stud was located, I thought this was one of the more intriguing capabilities of the Walabot stud finder.
This stud finder includes some fascinating features, such the panning mode, for people who don’t mind holding the phone and scanner with both hands. Additionally, a motion detection graphic that closely resembled a thermal imaging image is included. I was certain that the wall stud wasn’t moving, therefore I can only conclude that the movement detector detected movement from my hands. I could see how this feature would be useful if someone was looking for rodents or other animals in the stud spaces.
Walabot Stud Finder Benefits
Few DIYers can find the centre of a stud by tapping their knuckles against a wall, but a stud finder makes it simple. The Walabot stud finder distinguishes out among electronic models by utilising imaging algorithms that identify different sorts of mass behind a wall and translate the data into visible studs, pipes, and cables. The manufacturer will make adjustments to the Walabot that solve the issues that were found during the in-person testing, so those who are interested in trying it out can anticipate them. In this buyer’s guide, you can learn more about the factors to take into account when buying a stud finder.