Finding a stud reliably means combining a stud finder with layout logic, outlet clues, and small confirmation checks instead of trusting one electronic beep.
Stud finders are helpful, but they still produce false readings around corners, wires, dense patches, and inconsistent walls, so confirmation habits matter.
A level line across a wall is easier to mark cleanly when the wall is treated as a layout surface with reference points, not just as a place to hold the level freehand and hope for the best.