Installing Drywall Anchors – Tips & Tricks
How to Install Drywall Anchors
When hanging artwork, shelves, TVs or other heavier items on hollow walls, you can drastically increase their security by installing wall anchors.
Anchors reduce the chance of the hung materials becoming too heavy for the screw to bear, and they also help to cut down the chances of damaging the surrounding wall. Once you sort out the details, installing drywall anchors and screws is an easy task anyone can accomplish with the appropriate tools.
What Types of Drywall Anchors Can You Choose From?
Before drilling headfirst into your wall, you’ll need to analyze the different types of drywall anchors to determine the best fit for your situation.
Some popular models include:
- Hollow Wall Anchor: Also called “Molly” anchors, hollow wall anchors will often see use in medium-duty applications. They’re formed using a machine screw that’s been threaded through a slotted metal sleeve. Tightening the screw will cause the sleeve to expand, and its spread will rest against the inside of the wall to disperse the screw’s load. These anchors can usually hold around 50 pounds in 1/2-inch drywall.
- Toggle Bolts: “Butterfly” anchors are a classic type, and they’re arguably the strongest type of drywall anchors. The metal sleeves utilize two spring-loaded wings that open inside the wall. You need to fold back the wings and then insert the unit into the wall, and it will then spread back out to create a sturdy hold. Different models give you different holding capacities. Slender bolts can hold up to 30 pounds, while thicker iterations can hold more than 50.
- Plastic Screw Anchors: You’ll most often see plastic anchors for light-to-medium usage, making them exceedingly common. Its cost-efficient hardware that gradually expands as you thread the screw.
Tips for Installing Drywall Anchors
Once you’ve decided what type of drywall anchor you’re using, you’re ready to get to work. Here are five tips to consider when going through the process.
1. Find the Right Spot
As opposed to other mounting jobs, you can avoid using studs and instead pick anywhere that you feel comfortable. If you’re hanging multiple items, measure out the distances accurately to avoid overcrowding. Mark the desired spots with a pencil, then break out your drill.
2. Use an Appropriately Sized Drill Bit
Think about drilling a pilot hole like playing the Price is Right — get the closest without going over.
Your drill bit should nearly mirror the diameter of the anchor, but try to keep it a tad smaller. That slight size disparity creates a better hold when compared to larger holes, which will be too loose for the anchor to grasp. If you’re feeling weary about the process, start at a reasonably small drill bit size, test the fit and move up to the next size until you find your proper match.
3. Prepare the Screw and Anchor
If you’re using toggle bolts or hollow wall anchors, begin threading the screw in before installing them to give it a good headstart.
4. Secure the Anchor
You can then firmly press the wall anchor into the wall. For toggle bolts, you should hear the wings snap into place. When installing plastic anchors or molly anchors you should be able to slide them all the way in without any difficulties. If your plastic anchors need a push, you can lightly tap them with a hammer to get them flush with the wall. Be careful not to swing too hard, as you could damage the wall.
5. Drill the Screws
You can then drill the screws into place. Approach the screws from a 90-degree angle to ensure they go in straight, and drill slowly to prevent stipping the unit. The screw head should sit flush with the anchor head.
Find Your Drywall Anchors and Screws at All Points Fasteners
Now that you know how to install drywall anchors and screws, you can procure the best hardware for the job at All Points Fasteners. We offer free samples, monthly deals and custom requests to create a stress-free experience. Browse our different types of drywall anchors today and contact us to ask any questions you might have.
Self-Tapping Drywall Screws
Self-Tapping Drywall Screws
When you need the right supplies for work on drywall applications and other uses, you might want to invest in some self-tapping drywall screws. These versatile tools can help you handle all kinds of different jobs without the hassle. At All Points Fasteners, Inc., we have a wide assortment of fastening products to meet all your operational needs. Partner with us and let us help equip you for every project, no matter what work you’re tackling.
What Are Drywall Screws?
Self-tapping drywall screws are manufactured to be utilized with drywall which is also called plasterboard or gypsum board. Drywall is a panel made of plaster, pressed in between two thick sheets of paper. It is commonly used to produce interior walls and ceilings. Drywall sheets can be produced from fiberglass as opposed to paper for a more long-lasting kind of wall. It is also used to stop the wall from being harmed when exposed to water as a result of leaks or floods.
When one is doing work with drywall, there are certain tools and equipment used. Drywall is different from a common cement or wooden wall and therefore requires different equipment and tools. For instance, normal screws should not be used when you use drywall. Instead, specific drywall screws ought to be used.
When you’re working with drywall, using the right tools and supplies is critical. You want to use screws that can work optimally with drywall’s unique properties and make sure the installation lasts long after you’ve finished the job. Drywall screws provide a better hold to keep the plaster in place against the frame.
What Are the Benefits of Self-Tapping Drywall Screws?
Self-tapping drywall screws offer a host of advantages:
- Superior penetration: Regardless of the drywall thickness, these screws can penetrate the surface to the depth that meets your unique project requirements. You can complete the job quickly without creating a mess or generating significant amounts of dust, ensuring a cleaner work environment.
- Reliable hold: Considering the crucial role drywall plays in the construction of walls and ceilings, it’s important to secure this material firmly and ensure it provides essential structural stability.
- Ease of installation: Self-tapping metal drywall screws do not require drilling a pilot hole. Therefore, you can install them quickly and easily, saving time and labor at your job sites. You can experience increased precision during the process and avoid the mistakes that sometimes accompany traditional drilling applications.
- Discreet appearance: If you have concerns about aesthetics for your drywall projects, you’ll be happy to know that these screws feature a recessed head style. They are less visible than other head types and blend more easily into the finished product.
- Corrosion resistance: If you’re executing a drywall project in a damp or moist environment, rust can pose a long-term threat. Some metal drywall screws can resist corrosion, ensuring a long product life span in challenging climates.
Types of Screws for Projects
There are many different kinds of screws available to be used in several different types of tasks. Some drywall screws have a coarse thread that’s meant to secure drywall to wood studs while the fine-thread version of the screw is utilized for attachment to metal studs.
Some of the most common types are:
- Wood screws: Optimized for use with wood surfaces, wood screws consist of metal materials and come in diverse head styles to suit specific wood applications.
- Sheet metal screws: This type of screw has a rounded or flat top and a fully threaded shank. Most frequently made of carbon steel, they can pierce through tough surfaces like sheet metal.
- Drywall screws: Drywall screws have a bulge or flat head, and most are self-starting. They are optimal for securing full sheets of drywall in a building.
Applications for Self-Tapping Drywall Screws
While they are ideal for putting up drywall sheets, self-tapping drywall screws can have several other operational capabilities as well. Depending on your requirements, you might be able to use these fasteners for multiple applications and materials, which is convenient for you and saves you time getting additional screws.
Manufacturing and installing cabinets are other ways that drywall screws are often used. Coarse threaded drywall screws are best used for soft woods or particle board. Fine thread drywall screws are best used in hardwoods. If you use coarse threaded screws in hard woods, you risk the chance of your screws breaking because they drive into the wood too fast.
Drywall screws can be used for a variety of things and the type of drywall screw being utilized would depend on the project. Besides what they are designed for, listed below are a couple of other things they’re great for:
- Clean up a connection: Prior to deploying new fittings, use a drywall screw’s sharp point to dig old compound and tape from the pipe threads.
- Create a starting point for a drill: Tapping a small drywall screw with a hammer will chip away a small amount of glaze on a ceramic tile. This tiny “hole” will be a beginning point for the drill and will prevent it from moving around.
Many cabinet installers use drywall screws for installing cabinets and also for the actual making of the cabinets themselves. A drywall screw very popular with cabinet installers has yellow zinc plating. The yellow zinc looks lovely with the wood and the plating gives a little added corrosive resistance as well! Ultimately, you have all kinds of different options for managing your requirements and ensuring you’re ready to go when you need to tackle a project. With self-tapping drywall screws, you can handle several different applications conveniently.
Get Your Drywall Screws From All Points Fasteners
Are you looking for some more handy tips on using the right screws and other tools for your projects? All Points Fasteners is here to meet the needs of contractors in diverse industries, from HVAC to gutter to roofing applications. With our extensive product selection, we’re sure to have the perfect metal drywall screws for your needs and budget.
Speaking of your budget, we strive to make our fasteners as affordable as possible. Take advantage of our everyday low prices and bulk quantities to reduce your unit costs and save money on these essential items.
Excellent Service Every Step of the Way
When you work with us to get your drywall screws and other supplies, you’ll have access to outstanding customer service and resources. As the only fastener company with online live chat support, we’re a business that focuses on providing the resources you need to make informed purchases. You can always count on reaching a real person who has the knowledge to answer your questions and address your concerns, and who genuinely cares about you and your company’s success.
Although we offer a massive selection of metal drywall screws for sale, it’s possible that a specific item you’re looking for isn’t in our current inventory. As a full-service fastener supplier, we do our best to meet every customer’s needs. If you don’t see the right product for your job, let us know and we’ll locate it for you quickly. You’ll be able to keep your projects on schedule, minimize downtime and deliver exceptional service to your customers.
As you can tell, the self-tapping drywall screw may be used for more than what it’s made for. This little fastener is a trouble solver, all you should do is use your imagination and some creativity and voila, you’ve got a remedy. See, things are not always as they seem to be!
Free Samples Are Available
If you find yourself unsure if the fastener you see will meet your project’s specifications and deliver the results you expect, we can help. At All Points Fasteners, we take the mystery out of purchasing metal drywall screws and most all your other fastener needs online.
We have so much confidence in the products we supply that you can request free samples of any currently stocked item before placing an order. By eliminating the guesswork, we enable you to purchase without risk and have more peace of mind.
Order Drywall Screws and Other Fasteners Today
Whatever your requirements, work with us for live-person service and trusted resources to handle your operational needs. For more information, reach out to our friendly, knowledgeable team and request a quote on our products today. You can also call us at 800-483-6354.