Just had a guy at the hardware store tell me I've been using drywall anchors wrong

I was buying anchors for a shelf in my garage in Portland, and this older guy stocking the aisle said most people use the wrong size for the weight. He pointed out I was using plastic anchors for a 50 pound shelf when I needed toggle bolts. It hit different because he showed me the math on the box right there and I'd never even looked. Has anyone else gotten basic advice from a stranger that totally changed how you do things?

3 comments

3 Comments

faith_thomas16d ago

Actually those plastic anchors can hold 50 pounds if you get the heavy duty ones with the screw threading on the outside... they're rated for like 75 pounds sometimes. Toggle bolts are definitely better for hollow drywall though since the weight doesn't just pull straight out.

wendyprice16d ago

Has anyone else ever bought those heavy duty anchors thinking they were bulletproof and then had one snap off in the wall anyway? I tried putting up a little shelf for my spice jars, nothing crazy, just ten little bottles maybe. Used the screw anchors like you said and one cracked right in half when I was tightening it. Now I got this little plastic chunk stuck in the drywall and I can't get it out. Ended up using a toggle bolt on the other side and that thing held fine though.

adamthompson16d ago

Push the plastic piece deeper into the wall with a screwdriver, then patch the hole with some spackle. Toggle bolts are the way to go for anything over maybe 30 pounds, trust me I've had shelves drop at 3am before.