Pro tip: double check your drywall anchors before hanging anything heavy

I put up some heavy shelves in my garage last month and used those cheap plastic anchors from the hardware store. First shelf came down at 2am and took a chunk of drywall with it. Turns out the box said they were only rated for 20 pounds and my shelves were closer to 40. Switched to toggle bolts and they have been solid for 3 weeks now. Has anyone else had a similar surprise with anchor ratings?

2 comments

2 Comments

william40718d ago

nah toggle bolts are way better for anything over 15-20 lbs, but you gotta make sure you get the right size for the wall thickness too. those plastic anchors are really just for light pictures or curtain rods.

samw4718d ago

Oh man, you just reminded me of this time I tried to hang a heavy mirror with plastic anchors and it came crashing down at 3am! Scared the heck out of me and my cat. @william407 is totally right that toggle bolts are the way to go for anything with some weight to it. I actually had to patch a huge hole in the drywall after that mirror incident, and now I only trust toggles for stuff over 10 pounds. Plus, those plastic anchors can strip out so easy if you overtighten them, which I definitely learned the hard way.

-1