Drywall anchors serve various purposes, from securing lightweight pictures to heavy cabinets, but how do you choose the right one for your specific needs?
Attempting to drive a screw directly into drywall without employing any form of drywall anchor is not a wise approach. This can result in the screw easily pulling out or gradually working loose, leading to the potential collapse of whatever you’ve hung on the wall.
While a stud might provide adequate support, these are often inconveniently positioned. Conversely, drywall anchors are both cost-effective and simple to install, ensuring the necessary stability for safely affixing items, whether they are as light as picture frames or as heavy as cabinets.
A wide array of drywall anchor types is at your disposal, each with its unique advantages and drawbacks. It’s essential to familiarize yourself with these options to select the most suitable drywall anchor for your DIY project.
7 Types of Drywall Anchors
1. Expansion Drywall Anchors
Expansion drywall anchors, known for their affordability and ease of use, are among the most widely used fasteners. Featuring ribbed or serrated plastic bodies split down the middle, these anchors expand when a screw is inserted, securely gripping the hole they’re placed in.
These plastic drywall anchors possess remarkable versatility, accommodating the hanging of pictures, mirrors, and small shelves. Moreover, their utility extends beyond drywall, as they can be used in materials such as cinder block, brick, concrete, and more. However, their weight-bearing capacity falls short of that of metal alternatives, with expansion anchors supporting around 25 pounds, even when used in multiples.
Installation of expansion drywall anchors is straightforward: drill a pilot hole in the drywall, insert the anchor, and then drive the appropriate screw into it to engage the anchor’s grip. These anchors are typically easy to remove by inserting a screw, grasping it with pliers, and pulling it out of the wall.
Ideal For: Hanging pictures, mirrors, and small shelves weighing up to 25 pounds
2. Threaded Drywall Anchors
Threaded drywall anchors, another cost-effective option, can be crafted from either hard plastic or metal. They feature a sharp point and an external screw thread that cuts into the drywall, allowing for installation with a screwdriver without the need for pre-drilling. Some models also split, similar to expansion anchors, enhancing their grip.
Self-drilling drywall anchors, like these threaded ones, offer more substantial support compared to expansion anchors, with certain models rated for loads of up to 75 pounds. However, it’s important to exercise caution during installation, as over-tightening can potentially damage the drywall and weaken the anchor’s grip. Removing threaded drywall anchors is a simple matter: just turn the anchor counterclockwise to extract it from the wall.
Ideal For: Hanging pictures, mirrors, and shelves weighing up to 75 pounds
3. Molly Bolts
Molly bolts, often referred to as mollies, are highly regarded drywall anchors, particularly for hanging heavy objects. They consist of a bolt and an outer casing. To install molly bolts, drill a hole, then insert the casing. As the bolt is tightened, a section of the casing expands, securing it tightly behind the wall.
This method not only provides exceptional security but also distributes the load of the hung item effectively. As a result, molly bolts can support weights of up to 100 pounds, making them suitable for ceiling installations, where expansion and threaded drywall anchors may not suffice.
One minor drawback is that the installation of these drywall anchors necessitates a specialized setting tool, though such tools are typically affordable. Removing molly bolts can be somewhat challenging, requiring either the casing to be cut around, enlarging the hole, or forcibly pushing the anchor through the wall.
Ideal For: Mounting cabinets, curtain rails, and ceiling fixtures weighing up to 100 pounds
4. Winged Plastic Anchors
Winged plastic drywall anchors, also known as butterfly drywall anchors, represent a relatively recent innovation, offering a unique blend of low cost and enhanced security, reminiscent of molly bolts. Like molly bolts, they feature a winged casing that expands behind the board; however, they require only a pilot hole, eliminating the need for a specialized setting tool.
The extended wings of these anchors enable them to be used for lightweight ceiling items like smoke alarms. Despite their advantages, they lack the sheer strength of molly bolts, limiting their weight capacity to approximately 25 pounds. Removing them can also be somewhat challenging, with the easiest method involving cutting off the outer head and pushing the anchor through.
Ideal For: Hanging pictures, small shelves, window blinds, and smoke alarms weighing up to 25 pounds.
5. Toggle Bolts
Toggle bolts, often referred to as drywall toggle anchors, rank among the sturdiest types of drywall anchors available. Typically constructed from rust-resistant zinc-plated steel or stainless steel, these anchors consist of a bolt and a pair of spring-activated wings. These wings open automatically when pushed through a properly sized hole and are secured using the included bolt. The design of the wings ensures even load distribution, allowing toggle anchors to support 100 pounds or more, contingent on the drywall’s strength.
While they provide exceptional strength, toggle bolts can be somewhat tricky to work with, as they must be inserted through the bracket or shelf being hung before being affixed to the wall. Furthermore, once the wings are opened, they cannot be closed, necessitating the removal of toggle bolts by pushing them through into the cavity behind the drywall.
Ideal For: Installing heavy shelving, cabinets, bookcases, and large ceiling fixtures
6. Self-Drilling Toggle Anchors
One common drawback of most heavy-duty drywall anchors is the necessity for pre-drilled holes, the potential need for specialized tools, or difficulties with removal. Self-drilling toggle anchors effectively address all of these issues.
These self-drilling toggle anchors are typically crafted from rust-resistant zinc-plated steel. They feature a sharp tip that creates its own hole in the drywall, and once inserted, a toggle bar drops into place behind the wall, enabling them to support loads of up to 100 pounds. Loosening the screw will release the toggle, potentially allowing the anchor to be removed and reused. While they may be somewhat pricier than other options, they are arguably the best all-around drywall anchor type.
Ideal For: Versatile use, particularly for heavy items on walls or ceilings.
7. Strap Toggle Anchors
Among the various drywall anchors featured here, strap toggle drywall anchors offer a compelling blend of strength and simplicity, ideal for DIY enthusiasts with limited experience. These anchors consist of a steel toggle, plastic ratchet straps, and a threaded cap, making them quick and easy to install in drywall. Following a small pilot hole, the anchor is inserted, and then the cap is slid along the straps until it reaches the wall. The straps are removed, leaving a tidy hole for attaching your desired item.
Most strap toggle anchors are rated for 80 pounds or more, combined with their ease of installation, making them one of the top choices for securing TV mounts. They are also effective for ceiling drywall installations. Removal typically entails cutting off the head, causing the remainder to fall inside the wall.
Ideal For: Installing shelves, medium-weight cabinets, curtain rails, and TV mounts.
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