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favorite drywall anchors

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JackOfDiamonds

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I'm a big fan of drywall. It's cheap, relatively fire safe, infinitely patchable, and you can hang things anywhere on it. They key for a garage drywall is not to be sentimental about it and consider it an expendable surface to be consumed.

The problem with drywall anchors is they aren't consistent. You can have 5 drywall anchors that look like they are the same, but some of them work great and some of them work like not at all. Or you find one you like, go try to buy more of the same thing, and can't find it and get something else that isn't as good.

I have pretty good luck with the EZ Ancor drywall anchors from home depot. They are strong and they are flush so you can easily patch over them, but at about $0.50 each, I'm wondering if there's not a cheaper or better option.

I tend to not like toggle bolts, even though they are strong, because you have to drill a really big hole, and they are fiddly and hard to get them tight and they fall off inside the wall. But I know that SOME toggle bolts work great but it depends on the specific product.
 
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Gozo

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Central VA
Depends on what your hanging. Into the stud is my preference for anything more than a pound range. The plastic screw in inserts or Molly bolts have worked well for me and fairly straightforward to remove and patch later.
 
S

Skellyii

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JackOfDiamonds said:
I'm a big fan of drywall. It's cheap, relatively fire safe, infinitely patchable, and you can hang things anywhere on it. They key for a garage drywall is not to be sentimental about it and consider it an expendable surface to be consumed.

The problem with drywall anchors is they aren't consistent. You can have 5 drywall anchors that look like they are the same, but some of them work great and some of them work like not at all. Or you find one you like, go try to buy more of the same thing, and can't find it and get something else that isn't as good.

I have pretty good luck with the EZ Ancor drywall anchors from home depot. They are strong and they are flush so you can easily patch over them, but at about $0.50 each, I'm wondering if there's not a cheaper or better option.

I tend to not like toggle bolts, even though they are strong, because you have to drill a really big hole, and they are fiddly and hard to get them tight and they fall off inside the wall. But I know that SOME toggle bolts work great but it depends on the specific product.
Click to expand...
I pretty much only use the EZ Anchor stuff, or similar anymore when I can't hit a stud.

I've had really good luck with them.
 
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MichaelP

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Jul 27, 2009
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987
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IL/WI border
Same here: I strongly prefer metal anchors of the above mentioned types.
For very light things like smoke detectors, etc., I can use plastic ones of the same shape.
 
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M

MovingAlong

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Aug 17, 2013
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JackOfDiamonds said:
I have pretty good luck with the EZ Ancor drywall anchors from home depot. They are strong and they are flush so you can easily patch over them, but at about $0.50 each, I'm wondering if there's not a cheaper or better option.
Click to expand...

Looks like 50 for $14.11 on Amazon, or 28 cents each...

How many are you using that cost is your driving concern?
 
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Sumboodie

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AK
Put ply or OSB then drywall for at least the bottom 8ft in a shop, if it needs drywall.
It's what they did to all the walls at work. It's awesome.
 
H

hmbemis

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Eastern Massachusetts
Snap toggles are my go to. The the toggle is a bar that goes in straight and is spread by the two zip-tie like plastic things which hold it in the wall until you install the bolt. Works really well when you need to a bolt through something to hold it in place like tip over anchoring.
 
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rmack898

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Honu Grove NE Florida
WildBill said:
Depending on what you are hanging these spring steel (I think) ones that just make a tiny hole work great. I've hung 25-40 pound signs off them for years with no issue. There are a bunch of different types, the exposed hanging hook part is shaped different for different uses. They are rated for 50-100 pounds. https://www.amazon.com/MIHUYAN-Pict...y-Hercules/dp/B0DZT133SP?tag=atomicindus08-20
Click to expand...
The market name for those is "Monkey Hooks"
They are great for anything that gets suspended from the wall like picture fames.
 
J

johnre

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Dec 1, 2016
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Portland, OR
My favorite drywall anchor, you ask? In order:
  1. The wall studs themselves. If the force is expected to be excessive, like for towel racks, stairway banisters, etc, I'll figure out how to use them - somehow. I'll even buy towel racks at 16" increments for this purpose.
  2. A lateral 2 x 4 mounted between the wall studs in the interior space. Which I actually can use in my garage and shop back wall, as I have access through the crawl space to put them there.
  3. Otherwise, toggle bolts. Because they're entirely retained with counter pressure on the back of the drywall, and not side pressure on the opening through it - which is bound to fail. Always.
 
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The Cobbler

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Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada
favourite drywall anchor depends entirely on what I'm hanging . they range from the good old plastic anchors to the stud/joist as an anchor point. no one anchor system suits everything
hope this helps
:lol_hitti
 
P

PWC Repair

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Arkansas
I found a box of these at a 'bin' store...................https://www.walmart.com/ip/Self-Drilling-Anchors-Screws-2025-Upgraded-Drywall-Expansion-Anchor-Dry-Wall-Screws-Kit-Metal-Anchor-Heavy-Duty-No-Drill-Or-Holes-20-1-18-inchs/17382815727?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=102842312&adid=2222222222717382815727_102842312_14069003552_202077872&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=t&wl3=42423897272&wl4=pla-2449037643288&wl5=9026024&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=5591108635&wl11=online&wl12=17382815727_102842312&veh=sem&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=202077872&gbraid=0AAAAADmfBIoRKQLYSmaHzGUwYkAIkapMi&gclid=CjwKCAjw1bvTBhBbEiwAzbP8L2zf_j9lezcQrw4H6Mbss2z_nWXX5BfTECGcP9bOtbYPcG1B6KSb9xoCzsMQAvD_BwE

They're my new favorite for all the light duty stuff.
 
6

67King

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Nov 14, 2014
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Friendsville, TN (Knoxville area)
I can't tell you how much I disdain drywall anchors. Building out my workshop, the only thing I am using them for is retaining some compressed air line that runs along a dropped section where drywall covers a steel I-beam and I can't get to any wood. Otherwise, I'm not hanging anything directly onto the walls, I am using brackets, shelves, tracks, etc. for everything. In the house, when I absolutely MUST use them, the only thing I will use are the EZ Anchor stuff. This is relegated to toilet paper holders, towel racks, and pictures

The standard nail in then screw ones are as likely to spin as they are to work. The worst ones, apologies to be so disagreeable to rharman, but those TripleGrip ones. When I was redoing out closets in the old house to list it, those were used extensively to put in those &^*%ing wire shelves (one of the few things I disdain MORE than drywall anchors!). THose things absolutely destroy drywall if you ever need to remove them. You can try to unscrew screws then tap the screw in to extend them back, but that doesn't always work. Shear the head off of them, and push them into the wall, but sometimes they are through brackets (again, ^%&*ing wire shelves), so that doesn't always work.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.
 
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cmandp

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New Jersey
I prefer the EZ-anchors, they work and hold well. Those triple grip ones also work fairly well.
If I'm hanging something heavy or will see dynamic load, like a shelf or TV, I will go for studs or screw a board spanning studs and screw the object to that.
 
N

niget2002

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Oct 2, 2012
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Josephine, TX
johnre said:
and not side pressure on the opening through it - which is bound to fail. Always.
Click to expand...
grumble grumble grumble... had a shelf in the office fail and drop half a dozen built lego sets on the floor. Not a lot of weight, but a lot of time.

I'm going to remount with the toggling hangers that I have.

I've also had good luck with these. Similar to the ones you mentioned.

 
R

rharman

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Apr 22, 2012
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9,009
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SoCal
cmandp said:
I prefer the EZ-anchors, they work and hold well. Those triple grip ones also work fairly well.
If I'm hanging something heavy or will see dynamic load, like a shelf or TV, I will go for studs or screw a board spanning studs and screw the object to that.
Click to expand...
We recently bought a new TV for our den. It's on a stand. I'll be adding earthquake straps and that's my plan as well. A 1x2 poplar board attached to probably 1 stud, depending on where it lands, and the straps attached to that. Round over the tips, paint it to match the wall, and I'll be good-to-go.
 
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