A drywall anchor, also known as a wall anchor, is an insert that, combined with the appropriate screw, can create a mounting point anywhere on a drywall panel or similar hollow wall. A drywall anchor goes between the screw and the drywall, gripping the drywall much more effectively than a screw would. Some have toggle arms that either drop behind the wall or expand within the cavity. Others include wide threads that carve out grooves in the wallboard to create resistance against tension forces when tightened. All drywall anchors are designed to create a mounting point in a substrate that cannot support a screw or other fastener by itself by distributing the applied load over an increased surface area.
Drywall anchors are specifically used when creating a mounting point that does not have a wall stud behind it.
Common forms of drywall anchor include expandable plastic wall plugs and metal (molly bolts), WallClaw anchors, toggle bolts, and self-drilling drywall anchors. +Drywall Anchor Performance and Substrate MatrixAnchor TypeCommon MaterialTypical Tension Strength (Pull-out)Typical Shear Strength (Downward load)Primary Substrates and Common Use CasesPlastic expansion anchorPlastic / NylonDrywall, plaster, concrete, brick; intended for lightweight items.Self-drilling / threaded anchorZinc alloy or plasticDrywall, gypsum board; medium-weight fixtures without pre-drilling.Toggle boltSteel / Zinc-plated steelDrywall, plaster, hollow block; heavy items and ceilings.Strap togglePlastic strap, steel channelDrywall, hollow concrete block; heavy-duty and allows bolt removal.Molly boltZinc-plated steelDrywall, plaster; medium to heavy fixtures.Concrete screw (e.g., Tapcon)Carbon steel or stainless steelConcrete, brick, cinder block; direct masonry anchoring only.Hammer-driven anchorCarbon steel or zinc alloyDrywall, drywall over wood or metal studs; high-speed installation.Tapered universal anchorHigh-strength polymerDrywall, concrete, hollow brick, ceramic tile; versatile substrate use.Spring toggle anchorZinc-plated steelDrywall, hollow ceilings, plaster; heavy overhead lighting fixtures.Winged plastic anchorNylon / PlasticDrywall, hollow doors, plaster; light-to-medium duty.
See also Toggle bolt Molly (fastener) Rawlplug Wall plug
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