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How do I choose wall anchors?

6 min read

Asked by: Troy Lapa

How do you choose wall anchor size?


Remember when you're hanging a shelf that the long side of the bracket. Goes against the wall if you're looking to hang something a bit heavier you're gonna want to go with a medium duty anchor.

How do you match a screw and anchor size?

Finally, the screw size should match the anchor size. Always purchase the screws and anchors together, because if the screw is too large it will bind in the anchor, and the anchor will twist loose. If the screws are too small, it will not spread the anchor open and secure to the Sheetrock.

How heavy should wall anchors be?

Hangers and Nails Can Hold the Weight on Drywall



They can hold up to 20 pounds with the proper nail, such as a regular diploma frame. Flat mounted hook and anchor can hold up to 50 pounds.

Which drywall anchor should I use?

Toggle bolt



Toggle bolts have sturdy metal anchors. 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.

How much weight can 2 drywall anchors hold?

anchors on different walls can each support 50lbs, whether or not the load(s) supported is shared between the two or not. However, any holes in the drywall weaken it slightly, so while an anchor in drywall may be rated for 50lbs, putting two within a few inches of each other will decrease this rating.

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.

What size drill bit do I use for a drywall anchor?

1/2-inch drill

What Size Pilot Hole is Best for Drywall Anchors? The great thing about drywall anchors is they pretty much tell you exactly what size hole to drill. For our recommended Snaptoggle and FlipToggle anchors, a 1/2-inch drill bit is needed. For self-tap drywall anchors, you can forgo the drill bit altogether.

Should drill bit be same size as anchor?

The drill bit for the pilot hole should be smaller than the width of the anchor that is being used. Use the drill bit recommended by the manufacturer.

Why is my screw not going into the anchor?

Try wedging two or more wooden toothpicks in the anchor, preferably toward the sides (glue probably won’t help since it doesn’t tend to stick to the soft plastic in anchors). Now when you drive the screw, the toothpicks should push outward, creating a tighter fit that may be enough to lock the screw into the anchor.

Do drywall anchors need a stud?

There’s never a stud when you need one. If you’re looking for a clever solution to hang a picture or other fixture to drywall, try one of these. Whether fastening a framed picture, mirror, shelf, or curtain rod to a wall, it’s always best to screw or nail directly into a wall stud.

How do you hang a 100 pound mirror on drywall?

Push it through the wall. And when you push it through the wall the spring opens up look at that all right you pull back on it and you tighten it with a screwdriver.

How much weight can drywall ceiling anchors hold?

Maximum holding power for metal toggles is 100 pounds, depending on size; plastic wing toggles have a holding power up to 20 pounds, depending on size. Both metal and plastic toggles can be used on ceilings at 1/3 the holding power listed for walls, up to a maximum of 15 pounds.

When should you use wall anchors?

Shelves. Whether they be floating shelves or shelves with brackets—always, always use drywall anchors to mount them (if you’re not screwing them into studs, that is).

How do you hang something heavy on drywall?

This into the drywall. And it's as simple as drilling. It in when that anchor splits. Your screw is already to hang a picture on. Next we're gonna get to a series of toggle bolts.

How do you hang something heavy from the ceiling without a stud?

So to help it out use ceiling anchors with hook attachments when connecting your object to drywall ceiling anchors have small wings that when open redistribute the weight of your object.

How do you use ceiling anchors?

How To: Use Drywall Anchors

  1. STEP 1: Choose the right drywall anchor. …
  2. STEP 2: Twist the self-drilling wall anchor into drywall with moderate pressure. …
  3. STEP 3: Turn the drywall anchor in until the lip is flush with the wall. …
  4. STEP 4: Attach your rack or shelf to the wall by screwing into the drywall anchor.


Can you screw into drywall without an anchor?

Simple Answer: NO – A screw directly into drywall will not hold. You need to use some type of picture hanging hardware to hang a heavy picture securely. The threads of a screw into only drywall, without an anchor, will NOT permanently hold in the drywall. It will just pull right back out sooner or later.

How do you anchor something to the ceiling?

Using a Phillips head screwdriver. Then insert the bolt into the item you want to connect and screw the bolt into the anchor. This will allow that toggle arm to grab hold behind the drywall.

How much weight can ceilings hang?

The average drywall ceiling can support 20 pounds, but the final calculations can reach up to 100 pounds under the right conditions. Hanging things from the ceiling is similar to hanging things from a wall made out of drywall except for the additional factor of gravity.

Can you screw directly into ceiling?

Climb up a ladder until you reach the part of the ceiling where you want to insert the screw hook. Screw hooks can be used with a variety of different material, so it can most likely be inserted into your ceiling. Cement and cinder blocks can be extremely difficult to screw hooks into and should typically be avoided.

How do I find a stud in my ceiling?

So we kind of use a similar method to how I showed the first one we took a nail. And we just pop it in where we kind of thought one would be and we popped it about every half inch.

Is there a stud finder app?

The Walabot DIY stud finder app is compatible with iPhone 7 or higher and Android phones running v9. 0 or above. These phones must be supportive of USB On-The-Go. This app requires the Walabot DIY device to operate.

How far apart are studs in a wall?

The general spacing for wall studs is 16 inches on center, but they can be 24 inches.

How do you tell if there is a stud in the wall?

Here’s how to find a stud in the wall quickly and easily, with or without a stud finder:

  1. Locate the nearest light switch or power outlet. …
  2. Look for dimples in the wall. …
  3. Use windows as a guide. …
  4. Tap the wall. …
  5. Drill a hole. …
  6. Fish around with a wire hanger. …
  7. Try a stud finder app. …
  8. Or just use a stud finder!


Can I use my iPhone as a stud finder?

First, no iPhone app can locate 2x4s because phone hardware generally doesn’t include an electromagnetic density sensor to find wooden studs.

Are you supposed to drill into studs?

If you’re hanging shelves or mounting anything heavy to the wall, you’ll probably want to mount it directly to the wall studs. However, you should be drilling pilot holes first before driving in any screws.