Steps in Fastening Things To a Wall

Determine the weight of the object you are about to hang and go to your local hardware to get your hangers. Simple objects that do not need much strength can be easily hung by picture hangers that are merely nails with a twisted piece or metal from which to hang your pictures or other light objects. Make sure you tell the clerk or shop assistant the object you are going to hang so they could recommend the best wall hanger for your application.

Light to medium weight objects

For fairly light objects such as pictures and paintings you may need something from a simple nail hook to multiple nails and hook assemblies that have more nails with which to distribute the load of the object you are hanging. If you are hanging a fairly medium weight object, it is best to fasten or nail the hanger into a wall stud or the wooden studs where the facing boards are fastened onto. They are sturdier than plain drywall or plywood by themselves.

Medium to heavy objects

Medium to heavy weight objects can be fastened with Self tapping screws, they work on a principle that drywall is punctured by the tip and you screw in the whole plastic thing with a screwdriver. The problem comes when you are attaching the object with a screw that you insert into the attached plastic anchor that tends to spin as you tighten the screw making a really big hole and making hanging impossible and unreliable. These hangers are not much of a use but are still sold at many stores nationwide. The best hangers for hollow, double or drywall would have to be Plastic toggle anchors that have wings that expand and grip the back side of the wall providing the needed hold to hang objects. You simply drill a pilot hole that has a diameter that is equal to the plastic wall anchor and insert the fastening device. The plastic wings expand as you tighten the screw to hang your object providing a sound hanging device.

Metal toggle anchors are better than the plastic ones but have spring loaded metal wings instead of the plastic ones used in the previous hanger, they are also called molly bolts. To use, simply drill a hole that is slightly larger than the molly bolt when folded. Disassemble the molly bolt and attach any additional hardware that you need to attach with the screw in place reassemble, fold the metal wings and insert into the hole. The metal wings snap open as it goes through the hollow wall allowing you to tighten the screw for a tighter grip.

Expandable metal anchors are suited mostly for medium to heavy objects and have a similar principle to toggle bolts except that the wings are fixed and designed to flare out in a specific manner as you tighten the screw. Old types required a pilot hole to be driven into the wall where fastening is needed but a new type has a built-in pointed tip than can be driven into the drywall for medium sized hangers straight without a pilot hole. Drive the screw in to flare the metal ribs attaching it securely on the wall.

Heavy weight

Plastic anchors a re the most widely used fasteners for masonry and other solid wall constructions. They are attached by drilling a hole into the solid wall that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the plastic anchor. The anchor is then hammered into the hole flush with the surface which is now ready to take screws or other hangers that can be attached to it. For very heavy loads there is a more sturdier version called a Lead masonry anchor which has two parts or halves that separate anchoring itself into masonry as the lag bolt is tightened giving a very tough grip that would resist pulling.