Wall Anchor Types

Tony

My friend wants to hang some shelves on a wall where she moving. she had shelves on previous place but screws were hard to take out and those hard plastic things that go in wall first before the screws are put in them. i think they probably broke in wall and wont come out. any suggestions on how to take them out and maybe something better for her to use next time. she doesn’t like the metal ones that go into wall first for some reason. suggestions on what may be better option and suggestions on how to take those plastic screws in wall which are probably stripped.

Thanks,
Will

Hi Will,

The best type of wall anchor is dependent upon what type wall they will be used in. Solid surface walls such as brick, block, concrete plaster or stucco require a different wall anchor than hollow walls such as sheet rock (drywall). While there are many different types of anchors available some work better and are easier to install than others.

For solid surface walls a hole is first drilled in the wall, into which the wall anchor is inserted. As the screw is driven into the wall anchor, it expands, locking it in place. Plastic wall anchors come in a variety of sizes and are one of the easiest to use fasteners for solid surface walls. This type anchor is sometimes used in drywall but often with unsatisfactory results.

Wall anchors for hollow walls work by expanding on the inside of the wall as the screw is driven in and remain locked in place even if the screw is then removed. Because they spread force over a larger area they hold better and are less likely to pull out or vibrate loose over time. Plastic toggle anchors are an easy to install and durable solution to anchoring in drywall.

Good luck,
Tony