Best drywall anchor ever

[Trunk Monkey]

I've been using those crap plastic expanding drywall anchors for years. Usually they work fine for a year or two, but bump whatever they're holding in or put any weight on it and they rip right out of the sheetrock. I was at the local hardware store and noticed these things called Sharkies. They look just like the crap plastic anchors, but they pop open on the other side of the drywall and really hold in place.

I tried a couple on a shelf that was being held in just by the tension of the anchor and they are freaking awesome. A pack of like 8 was $1.50 and there were a few different sizes.

 

[KLF]

I keep a box of these in my hardware supply at home, I really like them:

I've hung a lot of stuff with these things, including 16' long whiteboards in classrooms. You stick the anchor on the tip of your screw gun, drive it into the wall (drills it's own hole) till it's flush, then run a screw into it. Very strong.

 

[Fast Eddy]

I keep a box of these in my hardware supply at home, I really like them:

The wire shelves in our closet are massively overloaded by my . One evening we heard a loud crash from the bedroom and discovered carnage. I put it back together with some new parts and these anchors. It's still overloaded, but it's holding.

The best thing is that even if a screw or anchor was previously ripped out, these will probably drill out an even bigger hole and still hold strong.

 

[KLF]

The other thing I like about them is you can easily unscrew them back out of the wall if you don't need the anchor anymore. It can be reused and its easy to mud over the old hole.

 

[Joe_E]

I use those same type but in plastic form in two different sizes.
By far the best ancors i have ever used hands down.

 

[titanpat57]

Hilti Quik-Togs....


Nothing like them.

We use to hang stanchions for wall hung lateral file cabinets, never came loose once.

 

[AJP]

I am reading this with a great deal of interest ( and I wanna believe!!) but my experience is -- if it isnt screwed into a stud ... its gonna come out - and usually when you dont want it to.

 

[PAToyota]

Personally, from my commercial experience I tend to stick to 5/8" drywall. It will take a heck of a lot more abuse than even 1/2" stands up to. Lately I've been seeing residential contractors using 3/8" more and more. You can buckle that by leaning too hard against it between the studs and even the toggle bolt anchors can pull through it without that much effort.

 

[batcon]

I am reading this with a great deal of interest ( and I wanna believe!!) but my experience is -- if it isnt screwed into a stud ... its gonna come out - and usually when you dont want it to.

Exactly, if it's something lightweight use the anchors, but for shelving and such, you know it's a matter of time before bowling balls and anvils will be stored on them.

 

[titanpat57]

I am reading this with a great deal of interest ( and I wanna believe!!) but my experience is -- if it isnt screwed into a stud ... its gonna come out - and usually when you dont want it to.

If installed properly, I will guarantee the Hilti anchors WILL NOT come out.

 

[AJP]

If installed properly, I will guarantee the Hilti anchors WILL NOT come out.

As I said titanpat57 "I want to believe"

...but just to playback your own tagline:

It's not "if",it's "when"

(anyway I'm too old to believe in "guarantees" )

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

All the anchors above are good anchors but they are only as good as the drywall they are installed in.

 

[ojaij40]

The wire shelves in our closet are massively overloaded by my . One evening we heard a loud crash from the bedroom and discovered carnage. I put it back together with some new parts and these anchors. It's still overloaded, but it's holding.

The best thing is that even if a screw or anchor was previously ripped out, these will probably drill out an even bigger hole and still hold strong.

I've found that with these auger type, it helps to hold it with pliars, pre screw in the bolt, take it back out, then install.
Because if the screw binds going in, it can turn in the drywall.

 

[PAToyota]

If installed properly, I will guarantee the Hilti anchors WILL NOT come out.

All the anchors above are good anchors but they are only as good as the drywall they are installed in.

This...

If the drywall is too thin, has been water damaged, or the end user decides that shelf is perfect for his entire cannonball collection, I don't care how good of an anchor you put into it, it is going to fail.

 

[BulletHead]

http://www.wingits.com/WingItsMasterAnchor

my fav..

 

[BrotherRob]

I am reading this with a great deal of interest ( and I wanna believe!!) but my experience is -- if it isnt screwed into a stud ... its gonna come out - and usually when you dont want it to.

x2, into the stud is the best. The metal screw in things work well. The plastic ones are pretty easy to break with a power driver.

In places where you can't use an anchor, wall dogs are pretty handy for a quick and dirty fix. Unfortunately, they only come in one length, so they're pretty limited..

 

[Michael Hanson]

I agree, We have never had a call back when we used 3 inch screws into the stud. Mike

 

[AJP]

Alright ... VERY IMPORTANT .... I just reread all the messages on this thread ... and decided that we had to at least agree on one thing ... and that is NOT to EVER tell our wives that we all had a meaningful (continent wide) debate on "drywall anchors" ...




Agreed??

 

[titanpat57]

Alright ... VERY IMPORTANT .... I just reread all the messages on this thread ... and decided that we had to at least agree on one thing ... and that is NOT to EVER tell our wives that we all had a meaningful (continent wide) debate on "drywall anchors" ...




Agreed??

PM me your addy so I can send you a handfull...oh, and a nicely fresh killed crow...

 

[The Jade Bean]

If I'm not to late to chime in these are my faves for no studs.

-Daniel Kent