Photo: Pixabay

Are screw anchors necessary?

“Because drywall is too weak to hang things from, a drywall anchor is necessary,” explains Matt Michaels, a spokesman for Lowe's Home Improvement in Charlotte, NC. The anchor essentially allows you to insert screws into the wall without causing the soft drywall to crumble around it.

realtor.com - Types of Drywall Anchors—and Why You Need to Use the Right One

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With all of the different types of drywall anchors facing you in the hardware store, DIYers may be tempted to throw up their hands and walk away. These handy items help us hang everything from picture frames to small appliances, but picking the right type can be confusing. Still, if your home’s walls are made of drywall (also known as Sheetrock, plasterboard, or wallboard), you can’t just grab a hammer and nails and hope it’ll all work out OK. You’ll need heavy-duty wall anchors to hold your new mirror or artwork securely in place on your wall material. Here’s how to find the right drywall anchor for the job, and how to install it.

What are drywall anchors, anyway?

Just as the name implies, drywall anchors are devices that “anchor” something you hang to the wall. Although you may be able to hammer a nail into drywall and hang something light, such as a calendar, the wallboard is thin (typically only a half-inch thick) and is created using relatively soft materials such as gypsum and paper. Pressed together in factories, it makes sturdy walls, but it’s also easily dented (as anyone who ever knocked a divot in the wall during a scuffle with a sibling can attest). The softness of drywall materials becomes a problem when you want to hang things that weigh much more than a framed photo—like a large painting or floating shelf. “Because drywall is too weak to hang things from, a drywall anchor is necessary,” explains Matt Michaels, a spokesman for Lowe’s Home Improvement in Charlotte, NC. The anchor essentially allows you to insert screws into the wall without causing the soft drywall to crumble around it. Drywall anchors are also fairly deep, to counteract the weight of whatever you’re fastening to the wall. Before you buy an anchor, grab a stud finder to see if you can find a stud—the sturdy pieces of wood that contractors use to frame the wall. If there’s a stud located where you want to hang your item, you might be able to avoid installing a drywall anchor—the wood will provide the appropriate resistance and keep your item in place. If you can’t find a stud, you’ll have to weigh the item at hand to find out which type of drywall anchor will work best.

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Watch: How Wall Anchors Can Save Your Decorating Ambitions

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Drywall anchor types, plus when to use drywall anchors

“There are different types of drywall anchors depending on the weight of whatever it is you’re hanging,” Michaels says. “Metal anchors are stronger and are built to hold heavier items than plastic drywall anchors.” Drywall anchors are rated for weight capacity, based on the weight of an object they’re used to hang, says J.B. Sassano, president of Mr. Handyman, in Ann Arbor, MI. If you’re using the wall anchors to hang shelves, make sure you tack on extra weight to account for whatever you plan to put on those shelves (e.g., heavy books or vases full of water). Sassano also recommends hitting your hardware store for better anchors than the ones you find packaged in most shelving kits. “Using a basic plastic anchor to support 50 pounds will fail at some point,” he warns. “This type of anchor doesn’t grab enough drywall to hold a lot of weight. Most commonly, we see wire shelving that has pulled away from the wall due to too much weight being on the shelves. A better anchor would be able to support heavier storage.” Here are the various types of drywall anchors, how to install them, and where they’re best used.

Plastic expansion anchors

Plastic expansion anchors can be used for lightweight items. (Amazon)

Plastic expansion anchors are made to hold a screw, expanding inside the wall as the screw is driven into them. They look like a jacket with ribs for your screw, and they’re often packaged with the accompanying screw inside. You must drill a small hole before you install this fastener. Best for: Lightweight items such as picture frames that weigh less than 15 pounds. How to use them: To install, predrill a small hole—slightly smaller in diameter than the anchor. Next, using a hammer, tap the anchor into the wall, and then use a screwdriver to insert your screw or hook to support your object. Hang your picture, and enjoy your handiwork!

Self-drilling anchors

Self-drilling anchors have threads just like a screw. (Amazon)

Anchors that are self-drilling look like small screws, and due to the threading on the anchor, can be screwed into the wall without requiring a predrilled hole. Best for: Curtain rods and small decorative shelves that won’t bear much weight; limit of most is 50 pounds.

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How to use them: To install, take the anchor itself and screw it carefully into the wall using a screwdriver. Make sure the head is flush to the wall, and then insert the provided screw into the center of the anchor and attach your object.

Steel hollow-wall anchors

A steel hollow-wall anchor is also called a molly bolt. (Amazon)

Also called molly bolt, a steel hollow-wall drywall anchor looks a lot like a bolt wrapped in a pointy metal jacket. As you drive it into the wall, the metal sleeve will expand, creating an anchor inside the drywall. Best for: Towel bars, coat hooks, and other items that weigh up to 100 pounds. (Remember, you’ll be adding the weight of wet towels!) How to use them: To install, predrill the recommended size hole, then insert the anchor. Tap lightly with a hammer to set it tight to the wall. Then screw in the screw until it is very tight. The anchor will then “mushroom” inside the wall for a strong hold.

Toggle bolt

Toggle bolts have sturdy metal anchors. (Amazon)

Like molly bolts, toggle drywall anchors are metal, and they include a sturdy anchor that will spread out on the opposite side of the wall (remember, most drywall is less than an inch thick). These are considered the strongest option. Metal toggle anchors are also the only wall anchors recommended for concrete or plaster walls. Best for: Shelving that will bear weight such as pantry shelving. Ratings vary, but some can hold as much as 300 to 350 pounds. How to use them: To install, drill the recommended-size hole, and insert the toggle into the wall and tighten the screw. Load up your shelves!

realtor.com - Types of Drywall Anchors—and Why You Need to Use the Right One