When you hang objects on the wall, do you think of screws and nails at the first time? However, there will always be situations where the hanging is not firm and it is easy to be “pulled out”, and the chain wall is also damaged. At this time, you need wallboard anchors (Drywall Anchors), whose function is to “build a bridge” between the screws and the fragile gypsum board, distributing the weight of the mounting to a larger area of ​​gypsum board, greatly increasing its load-bearing capacity.If you don’t know about wallboard anchors, this ultimate guide is for you!

What Types Of Drywall Anchors? How Do You Choose?

When you see all kinds of drywall anchors in the hardware store when you buy them, are you a little confused? We will help you sort out the most common types so that you can understand them at a glance and easily choose the right ones:

1.Plastic Expansion Anchors

What are they： the most common type of anchor, usually a small plastic tube (conical or straight), with threads or barbs at the front and a larger “head” at the back that sticks to the wall.

How to use: First use an impact drill to drill a hole of the right size in the wall, knock or screw the anchor in, and then screw the screw into the hole in the center of the anchor. When the screw is screwed in, the tail of the anchor will expand in the wall, which can tightly grasp the wall to increase the load-bearing capacity.

Application scenarios: You can hang lighter items, such as small picture frames, photos, small mirrors, lightweight decorations, towel racks, etc. The load-bearing capacity is generally around 10-25 pounds (4.5-11.3 kg)

2.Self-Drilling Anchors

What are they: Usually made of hard plastic (nylon) or metal, with sharp threads that look like thicker screws. Also called Threaded Drywall Anchors

How to use: No pre-drilling required! Just screw it into the drywall with a screwdriver or electric drill. When screwing it in, its structure will chew into the drywall by itself. Pay attention to the strength, can strip if over-tightened.

Application scenarios: Light to medium weight, similar to plastic expansion tubes. But it saves the drilling step, which is very convenient, and the load-bearing capacity is about 10-30 pounds (4.5-13.6 kg).

3.Toggle Bolts

What are they: Also called “butterfly anchors” or “wing toggles”, it consists of a long bolt and a foldable metal “wing” (or spring clip). Designed to hold substantial weight by leveraging the backside of the drywall panel

How to use it: You need to drill a relatively large hole in the wall. First, fold the “wing” and pass it through the hole. When the “wing” is completely through the drywall, it will automatically pop open or you need to pull the bolt to make it stuck. Then tighten the bolt so that the “wing” fits tightly against the back of the drywall and the bolt head presses against the wall.

Application scenarios: Medium to heavy items! For example, slightly larger mirrors, medium-sized shelves, small TV stands, lamps, etc. Much stronger load-bearing capacity, usually up to 50-100 pounds (23-45 kilograms)

4.Screw-In Anchors

What are they: also called self-tapping anchors, usually made of metal such as zinc alloy, with wide, spiral sharp threads.

How to use: Usually no pre-drilling is required (unless the drywall is very hard or the anchor is very large), just screw it into the drywall with a screwdriver or electric drill until its base is close to the wall.

Application scenarios: Medium to heavy items. The load-bearing capacity is between plastic expansion tubes and butterfly anchors, usually around 25-75 pounds (11-34 kilograms), which is very practical.

5.Winged Plastic Anchor

Screw-In Anchors – metal screw-in:

What they are: self-expanding plastic anchors, or plastic ribbed anchors are among the most common and economical drywall anchors. They’re designed for lightweight to medium-duty applications and rely on ribbed wings that expand against the drywall when a screw is inserted.

How to use: Drill a Pilot Hole, Match the drill bit size to the anchor’s diameter (usually 1/4″ or 5/16″). Insert the anchor flush with the wall surface (use a hammer if needed). As you drive the screw, the anchor’s ribs expand radially, gripping the drywall.

Application scenarios: 15-30 pounds (7-14kg) in standard 1/2″ drywall.

The Golden Rule For Selecting Anchor Bolts

1.Check the weight:

First, check how heavy the item you want to hang is (usually on the box or in the instructions). Make sure to choose an anchor with a load-bearing capacity greater than the item!

2.Check the type:

• For small picture frames and light decorations, you can choose plastic expansion tubes or self-tapping anchors.

• For slightly heavier mirrors, small shelves, towel racks choose self-drilling anchors or spiral anchors.

• For large mirrors, TV stands, heavier shelves, wall cabinets choose butterfly anchors or large spiral anchors.

3.Check the screws:

The anchor packaging will indicate the appropriate screw thickness and length. Make sure the screws you use to hang the item match the anchors. Usually the screws should be long enough to pass through the item, the anchor, and penetrate far enough into the drywall.

Anchor Type	Load-Bearing Range	Installation Difficulty	Applicable Scenarios	Most Common Problems Remo	Removal Difficulty
Plastic Expansion Anchors	10-25 pounds (4.5-11kg)	⭐⭐☆	Small picture frames, photos, light decorations	Overweight easily damages the gypsum board	Medium
Winged Plastic Anchors	15-30 pounds (7-14kg)	⭐⭐☆	Slightly heavier picture frames, small mirrors, towel racks	Improper installation may cause insufficient expansion	Medium
Self-Drilling Anchors	10-30 pounds (4.5-14kg)	⭐⭐⭐☆	Light and medium-loaded items that do not require drilling (wall clocks, small shelves)	Repeated screwing may cause thread slipping	Easy
Toggle Bolts	50-100+ pounds (23-45kg+)	⭐⭐☆	TV brackets, heavy mirrors, wall cabinets	The bolt head is exposed and needs to be covered	Difficult
Screw-In Anchors)	25-75 pounds. (11-34kg)	⭐⭐⭐☆	Medium-heavy loads. (Bookcases, lamps, medium-sized shelves）	Poor quality products can easily tear the edge of the drywall when screwed in	Easy

How to install wallboard anchors? Step by step

Choosing the right anchor is half the battle for installation. Remember the key steps:

1.Positioning & marking:

After measuring the tool, use a pencil to accurately mark the drilling point on the wall.

2.Drilling (if necessary):

Choose a drill bit of the right size according to the instructions on the anchor packaging. The drill bit diameter is usually the same as the outer diameter of the anchor (or slightly smaller). If the hole is too large, the anchor will not hold firmly!

When drilling, keep the drill bit perpendicular to the wall and drill steadily. Don’t drill too deep! The depth should be slightly deeper than the length of the anchor to prevent the anchor from hitting the wall stud inside. Drill gently to avoid cracking the drywall.

3.Install the anchor:

• Plastic expansion tube/screw anchor (need to drill): Align the tip of the anchor with the hole and gently tap its base with a hammer (or press directly with your hand) until its flange (base) is completely close to the wall. Don’t knock too hard and crack the base!

• Self-tapping anchors/screw anchors (no drilling required): Use a screwdriver or drill (at low speed!) to drive it vertically into the marked point until the base is completely against the wall. Stop when you feel a noticeable increase in resistance.

• Butterfly anchors: Loosen the bolt a few turns and push the folded “wings” into the drilled hole. When the “wings” are completely through the wallboard, they will pop open or get stuck (you may need to gently pull on the bolt). Then hold the base of the anchor (to prevent it from turning) while tightening the bolt until it is very secure. As you tighten, you will feel the “wings” tightly pull on the back.

• Screw in the screw: Put the screw you want to hang the item (or the screw that comes with the anchor) through the hanging hole of the item, and then screw it into the center hole of the already installed anchor. Tighten to ensure that the item is secure.

Important tips & pitfall avoidance guide: Choose a location:

If you can find the location of the wall stud when drilling the hole, wooden squares or metal studs, you can directly screw long wood screws into the wall studs! The load-bearing capacity of the wall studs far exceeds that of any anchor bolts. Use a nail finder to carefully find the wall studs.

Pay attention to the load-bearing capacity:

Strictly abide by the load-bearing limit of the anchor bolts. When hanging heavy objects (such as TVs and large cabinets), butterfly anchor bolts or multi-point fixation must be used, and ensure that they are fixed to the wall studs.

The size of the drilling hole:

The size of the drilling hole is extremely important. If the hole is too large, the anchor bolt cannot bear the force; if the hole is too small, forcing it in may damage the anchor bolt or the gypsum board. Follow the drill bit size in the manual!

Vertical installation:

Whether drilling holes or screwing in anchor bolts/screws, keep it perpendicular to the wall surface so that the force is even.

Remove old anchor bolts:

Plastic expansion tubes can usually be pulled out by clamping the base with pliers after the screws are unscrewed (a little gypsum may be brought out, and small holes are filled with putty). Self-tapping/screw anchor bolts are unscrewed in the opposite direction. After the butterfly anchor bolts are unscrewed, the “wings” will fall into the wall, and the hole is relatively large and needs to be repaired.

Repair the wall:

Remove the small holes left by the anchor bolts or installation errors? Don’t worry! Buy some quick-drying wall repair paste (Spackling Paste), fill it with a scraper, and after it dries, gently sand it smooth with sandpaper, and then add some paint so that it won’t be visible.

Summary

Drywall anchors are the first choice for hanging things at home. Understand the characteristics and applicable scenarios of different types of anchors, and choose the right one according to the weight of the items, so you don’t have to worry about things falling or the wall being damaged. If you have any questions about drywall anchors or installation, please feel free to contact us, we will provide you with the best solution as soon as possible.

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