Types of Drywall Anchors: How to Choose the Right Fastener for Every Wall

Installing curtains, putting up a new light, or hanging pictures might seem easy, but using the wrong fixtures can cause permanent damage to your drywall. In this guide, we discuss the most common types of drywall anchors and their uses.

You’ll learn about different types of drywall anchors and their uses for mounting applications, wall thicknesses, and weight capacities and how to install them. You will also discover the best way to prep your wall and fix any holes that occur before, during, and after your installation.

Weight Ratings and Performance Specs for Common Anchor Types

Getting the right fixture for your application means understanding the uses and limitations of different types of drywall anchors. The strongest drywall anchor is a heavy-duty toggle bolt, but it can be overkill for light-to-moderate applications like picture hanging and towel holders.

Light-Duty Expansion Bolts

These are the typical drywall anchors you see for hanging light hardware and pictures on drywall. Depending on the size, plastic expansion anchors can hold between 5 and 30 pounds in standard ½-inch concrete.

Molly Bolts

Molly bolts are ideal for moderate loads between 25 and 50 pounds on hollow drywall. Some heavy-duty molly bolts can handle up to 85 pounds, but it’s better to opt for the stability of a toggle bolt if you want to fix that much weight without damaging your drywall.

Self-Drilling/Threaded Bolts

For light to moderate loads, some professionals also use self-drilling or threaded bolts, available in both plastic and metal options. These anchors come with sharp, pointed threads, so you can drive them directly into the drywall with a Phillips head screwdriver or power drill. Once installed, the anchor expands as the screw drives into it, securing the fixture with spikes or a toggle mechanism.

Heavy-Duty Toggle Bolts

Heavy-duty toggle anchors are designed for a much heavier load. Depending on the anchor size and drywall thickness, toggle bolts can hold over 200 pounds. They manage this by distributing weight with springs, pivot wings, or butterfly anchors behind the wall.

Although heavy-duty toggle bolts have excellent shear strength, their holding ability is limited by the strength of the drywall. If you’re installing on thinner drywall, consider using multiple fixtures to distribute the load across a broader area.

Best Drywall Fasteners for Lightweight to Medium Loads

Plastic expansion anchors and molly bolts are the best options for lightweight to medium loads. Standard drywall expansion anchors consist of a hollow, conical plastic anchor with a threaded hole for the screw. The plastic cone expands outward as the screw goes in, securing it against the drywall with external ribbing or fins.

Molly bolts are a type of expansion bolt with flexible petals that bow and expand as you tighten the screw inside the anchor. The anchor remains fixed in the wall, so you can remove and replace screws for different types of installations. Both expansion anchors and molly bolts use friction to create pullout tension and hold items in place, so they can fail if used for weights above their stated limits.

A clean hole is crucial for proper seating and optimal friction. Use a drywall circle cutter attached to a power drill to create a clean opening, and a professional-grade utility knife to trim loose fibers and paper around the hole before you install your anchor.

The Professional Workflow for a Flawless Anchor Installation

Once you've selected the right fixture, avoid common mistakes like mushrooming and oversized holes with these installation steps:

1. Use a level to measure the space between the drywall anchor holes. You want a pilot hole that is slightly smaller than the anchor, so it fits snugly without tearing or crumbling the drywall.
2. Before you cut anything, mark each hole on the wall surface with a pencil.
3. Attach a drywall circle cutter to your power drill and adjust it to a diameter slightly smaller than the width of the anchor.
4. Place the cutter against the wall and run the cutter in reverse to score the surface.
5. Run the drill, applying consistent pressure to cut through the drywall.
6. Use a utility knife to trim jagged or frayed edges.
7. Install the anchor and use your utility knife to shear off any excess plastic so the anchor is flush with the wall.
8. Hang the item with the bolts provided, tightening until the item is secured by the anchors.

Avoid overtightening your bolts, as this can cause the drywall to crack and mushroom.

How To Repair Drywall When an Anchor Fails or Is Removed

Even with the best preparations, you can end up with a hole that’s too big for what you need. Whether you need to repair stripped-out holes or you are just repairing nail pops to smooth your wall surface, Hyde’s pro-grade wall repair tools have the precision, strength, and quality to facilitate a smooth repair and seamless finish.

Choose Between a Patch Kit and Spackle

Depending on the size and shape of your anchor hole, opt for a repair patch or spackle. Patches offer a quick fix for repairing holes if you don’t plan to install another anchor, while spackle provides a better anchor base. You’ll see many types of spackle, but the best option is a combination of hot mud and all-purpose spackle. Use hot mud for deep drywall cracks or holes and all-purpose mud for the surface before priming and painting.

Complete the Repair

Apply spackle and patches using premium tools like Hyde’s crack patchers, joint knives, and a drywall hawk. Feather the edges of your top layer to blend with the surrounding area, then smooth the surface with appropriate sanding tools. Don't rush the process — wait for your mud to dry between applications and before sanding.

Sand the Surface and Apply Finishing Treatments

A sanding block or sanding sponge is usually appropriate for smaller repairs such as drywall anchor holes. Start with a medium grit and then move to a finer grit for your final sweep. Once you’ve sanded the surface to a smooth, even layer, apply primer and paint to match the surface and place new drywall anchors as needed.

Common Drywall Fastening Questions

Installing drywall anchors properly might seem like a lot of work, but there’s a reason the professionals take these precautions. Below we address some of the most common drywall installation pitfalls.

Can you drill into drywall without an anchor?

Yes, but it’s a bad idea, especially for anything over 10 pounds. When you drill into drywall without an anchor, the screw strips the drywall material, leaving a large hole that lets the screw slip out easily.

Do I need a pilot hole for a drywall anchor?

It depends on the kind of anchor you’re using. Some self-drilling anchors have sharp threads that let you screw them directly into the wall. For most expansion anchors, molly anchors, and toggle bolts, you do need a pilot hole to install the drywall anchor before driving the screw in.

If you’ve stripped or overshot your hole size, don’t panic! Stop and patch the hole right away to keep it from getting larger or mushrooming. Be sure to clear out any loose material and trim back the surface paper before you begin the repair. Quality tools and professional techniques make all the difference. Use tried-and-true drywall tools from Hyde to ensure a smooth, professional finish from your initial patch repair to the final surface treatment and drywall anchor installation.