Can you use drywall anchors in concrete?

Asked by: Meredith Souffrant

You simply screw the anchor into the drywall at the desired location. Then you install a small screw into the center of the anchor. Drilling holes in concrete or concrete block is a breeze. You should consider purchasing a battery powered hammer drill.

Is there a difference between drywall anchors and concrete anchors?

Compared to masonry, drywall is thin and crumbly, and for a fastener to hold any appreciable amount of weight, it must be anchored to the back of wall. Masonry, on the other hand, is hard, which makes drilling difficult, but the hardness makes even lightweight plastic fasteners capable of supporting hundreds of pounds.

Can you use wall anchors in concrete?

I'm going to show how to install an anchor into concrete block this video will also be helpful to anyone installing an anchor into brick or concrete.

Can I use hollow wall anchors in concrete?

Fastening to Cinder Block



It is important to know that the popular wedge anchor should be used in solid concrete applications, such as fastening to a concrete wall. Wedge anchors should never be used in a block wall or any hollow base material.

What anchors can I use in concrete?

These types of concrete anchors would be the Tapcon®, flat or round head sleeve anchors, or any female type anchors where a specific bolt head can be chosen to be inserted into the anchor. These female type anchors would include the: drop-in anchor, machine screw anchor, double expansion & single expansion anchors.

Can I use plastic anchors in concrete?

Here are a few types of concrete anchors: Plastic anchors, or conical anchors, insert directly into the pre-drilled hole. They might require a few light taps with a hammer, but they’re designed to sit flush with the masonry surface (though they also work for drywall and plaster).

Can I use a drywall anchor in brick?

Wall anchors can be used in drywall, concrete, brick, metal or wood, and installation takes just a few steps.

What is the best way to anchor into concrete?

Drill a pilot hole at the proper location with a hammer drill and masonry bit to the depth your screw will penetrate. Tap the plastic anchor into the hole. It should fit snugly but drive in easily with a hammer. If the hole gets a bit large, use a bigger screw to push the plastic against the walls of the hole.

Should I use anchors in concrete?

Concrete screws provide a quick, easy and incredibly strong way to fasten to concrete. And best of all, there’s no hammering required or anchor or shield to install. All you do is drill a hole and drive in the screw. That’s it.

Can you screw into concrete without drilling?

Can you screw directly into concrete? Concrete screws are a quick and convenient way to fasten to concrete. The best thing about these screws is that you can screw directly into concrete without any need for hammering or an anchor or shield to install.

What is the difference between a concrete fastener and a concrete anchor?

A concrete fastener of any type only holds as well as the base material in which it has been fastened. In most cases, the base material gives out, not the anchor itself. When properly set, the concrete fastener pulled to the ultimate load capacity of the anchor will pull out the base material adhered to the anchor.

How do you use screw anchors in concrete?

Place the concrete screws into the fixture. And into the hole. Using your drill or a wrench to turn the screw. Will allow the screw to tap threads into the base material.

Are Tapcon screws better than anchors?

Tapcon and wedge anchors are pre-installed mechanical anchors that attach structural objects to concrete structures. However, the wedge anchor suits heavier-duty applications, vs the Tapcon anchor that typically serve lighter deployments. Another difference between them is in their fastening method.

How long should concrete anchors be?

As a rule of thumb, the space for the nut and washer is equal to the diameter of the wedge anchor being used. For example, if a 2×4 is being fastened to concrete with a 1/2” wedge anchor then the minimum length of wedge anchor would be 1-1/2”(2×4) + 2-1/4”(minimum embedment) + 1/2”(space for nut and washer) = 4-1/4”.

What is special about a Tapcon?

Tapcon anchors are less prone to head snapping, providing greater dependability on the job and saving hours of labor. The induction hardened tip easily drives through concrete while the patented Advanced Threadform Technology delivers 20% more holding power than other concrete screw anchors.

How much weight will a Tapcon screw hold?

Technical Specifications for Tapcon Concrete Screws

Why are Tapcon screws blue?

Tapcon+ unmatched performance in concrete, block and brick applications make them an excellent alternative to expansion anchors, plugs, lag shields and have a blue corrosion resistant coating that enables them to withstand the harshest conditions.

How much weight can a concrete wall anchor hold?

Masonry and concrete anchor types are considered light-duty, medium-duty or heavy-duty, based on how much weight they can support. Light-duty anchors are good for wall hangings that weigh up to 50 pounds. Medium-duty anchors are good for wall hangings that weigh up to 200 pounds.

How much weight can plastic anchors hold in concrete?

Overall, plastic expansion anchors are the least strong of all the anchors discussed here, with actual pull-out strength of around 30 pounds in concrete but as little as 10 lbs in drywall (depending on the anchor and screw size). Unfortunately, many people use plastic anchors in drywall when they shouldn’t.

How do you hang something heavy on a concrete wall?

Shelving brackets and hooks that are constructed of strong steel mean little if the anchor which fastens them to the concrete wall is too weak to bear the weight. Installing strike anchors that expand inside the concrete is one of the best ways to secure heavy things on concrete walls.

How do you anchor a concrete wall?

And threading the nut on the very end insert the anchor as far into the hole as you can using a hammer I Drive the anchor down into the concrete.

Are drywall anchors strong?

Drywall anchors are stable and secure when installed properly. You must not exceed the listed drywall anchors’ weight limit. You can use drywall anchors for these home tasks: TV mounts: It is possible to mount a bracket holding a 30-pound TV on drywall without drilling the bracket into a stud.

Can you hammer in drywall anchors?

With a rubber mallet or hammer, lightly tap the anchor into the wall until you get to the threads. Use a screwdriver to screw the anchor into the wall until the head of the anchor is flush with the drywall.

What is a masonry anchor?

Masonry anchors are anchors used to fasten or attach an item to the masonry. Masonry anchors refer to anchors that are used in all types of masonry including concrete, brick and block or CMU. There are three basic types of masonry anchors: Expansion anchors such as the wedge anchor or sleeve anchor.

Should screw be longer than anchor?

Since the purpose of a drywall anchor is to stabilize a screw, it must be at least one size bigger than the screw.

Why do my drywall anchors keep pulling out?

If you put even moderate outward force on one, however, it can easily pull right out of the wall. The easy repair is to replace it with a larger conical anchor, but that anchor will probably also pull out in time. A more effective solution is to replace it with a plastic screw-in anchor, a molly bolt or a toggle bolt.

Why do my drywall anchors keep spinning?

Push Them In



If the anchor is already positioned fully behind the edge of the drywall, it may need to be pushed in and the hole patched, rather than removed from the wall completely. The anchor can be pushed back with a screwdriver and a bit of force.