How-To Workshops - How to Use Drywall Anchors | The Home Depot, by The Home Depot on YouTube. 9 min 19 s.
- Video length
- 9 min 19 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 7
What you need
Steps
Run a stud finder across the wall and mark any studs. If you find one, fix the bracket straight into it with a wood screw and skip the anchor.
Hold the shelf bracket or item against the wall, check it with a level, and mark each fixing hole with a pencil.
Pick an anchor rated for the weight you are hanging. Match the drill bit to the anchor size stated on the packet.
Drill each hole to the anchor's length, keeping the drill straight. Hold a vacuum nozzle close to catch the dust.
Push the anchor into the hole and tap it flush with a hammer, or twist self-drilling anchors in with a screwdriver until the head sits flat.
Line the item up with the anchors and drive the screws in by hand. Stop when the item is snug against the wall.
Give the fixing a firm pull to test it before hanging anything heavy. If it moves, use a larger anchor or move to a stud.
Tips and common mistakes
Never overtighten: once an anchor starts to spin in the hole, it loses most of its grip.
Use two anchors per shelf bracket, spaced as far apart as the bracket allows, to spread the load.
Skip anchors in crumbly or hollow plaster. Cut back to solid wall or fix into a stud instead.
Check the anchor packet for its weight rating before you hang anything valuable or heavy.
Questions
How much weight can a drywall anchor hold?
It depends on the anchor type and the wall. Check the rating on the packet and keep heavy loads in a stud.
What size drill bit do I need?
Use the size printed on the anchor packet. For expansion anchors the bit should match the anchor body.
Can I use drywall anchors in plasterboard?
Yes, for light loads. Plasterboard can crumble, so test the fixing and use a stud for anything heavy.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
