What is a Drywall Anchor?
First, let’s talk anchors. Drywall anchors are devices used to secure items to drywall. They were designed to keep in mind a basic principal in construction “ load on the weak party. If you consider the way that drywall is structured, you can see the logic in this principle. Although drywall is made up of a combination solid and gypsum, it doesn’t have a lot of strength. The standard drywall you find in most homes will only be able to support about 30 pounds of pressure per square foot. Some of the thicker and stronger types of drywall can support a bit more but not by much.
The most popular type of drywall anchor relies on screws to connect the anchor to drywall. Other types of drywall anchors will be screw free, relying on built in expansion features or adhesives to stay in place.
The majority of drywall anchors have two prongs. However, sometimes one prong is not enough to keep an item in place. In these cases, you will find anchors that have extended prongs to provide extra strength and stability.
What Type of Drywall Anchor Should I Choose?
There are a number of factors to take into account when deciding on the right drywall anchor for your project. Your choice of anchor will depend on the application.
Placement – In this instance, you’re placing a drywall anchor to mount a support picture frame molding. Since you’ll be driving it into a drywall joint, you’ll want to choose an anchor with a shoulder that will wedge between the two walls, holding the anchor in place.
Load – If you’re attaching a long picture frame molding, you’ll want to