Will drywall hold

[Eigenvector]

I'm planning on mounting an oak DVD rack on my wall, 3 studs wide - about

36" assuming 18" centers. This is just guesswork for now so the numbers aren't that important. Anyway, so I'm going to hang a single shelf 36" oak DVD rack, assume it will be filled with DVD's. The plan is to mount it directly to the studs, but that's not something I can necessarily count on in case I move the rack in the future. So I'm wondering whether or not drywall will be able to hold that much weight if I use drywall anchors. I actually don't know how much it will weigh I'm guessing less than 50 lbs.

[willshak]

on 7/22/2007 4:28 PM Eigenvector said the following:

Where do you live? Here in the US, studs are usually 16" on center (or

24") which would be 48" for three studs (48" for 2 studs 24" OC).

[Abe]

If you use molly bolts or toggle bolts you'll be fine.

[Eigenvector]

That's kind of what I was thinking, but I wanted to check first.

[Eigenvector]

Well like I said the numbers aren't important, besides the stud spacing in my house isn't consistent enough to rely on. It'll all get measured out when I build the rack.

[BobK207]

EV-

IMO molly toggles & molly bolts suck. They're a PITA to work with, I hatethem, never use them.

I think your weight estimate (< 50 lbs) is good. SO even if you only use three screws the withdrawl load on the center screw (worst case) is less than 25 lbs.

I would use plastic wall anchors, I know they&#39;re not all that strong but the loads in your situation are pretty low.

OR

use threaded drywall anchors (plastic or zinc); quick, easy, strong

Mollys are overkill for you application; too much work & harder to remove & patch

cheers Bob

[EXT]

Personally, I find most plastic wall anchors are made of cheap slippery plastic and easily slide out of drywall. Anchors that spread the load behind the drywall, I find best for taking weight.

[Eigenvector]

I&#39;ve never actually used a moly bolt. I can see how they&#39;d be a bear to patch and use, but my experience with plastic anchors is pretty ugly. I can try what you have there, also perhaps may try those drywall toggles - they seem a bit more solid - but probably won&#39;t work as well if there&#39;s insulation behind the wall.

I know it&#39;s not a lot of weight per screw - I&#39;m thinking 4 holes myself - so that&#39;s less than 15 lbs per hole

[Oren]

Try using a French cleat (old thread I&#39;ve read).

Building a French Cleat Simple, Strong and Cheap

-- Oren

"If things get any worse, I&#39;ll have to ask you to stop helping me."

[Eigenvector]

Hmm, that&#39;s an idea. May be able to incorporate it into the design too. That would also eliminate the need to put a hole in my nice oak boards too!

[Oren]

Enlarge the pictures for the cabinet back

The cleat only needs two holes (1/4 X 3 1/2") lag bolts. And you can move it with "minimal damage".

That site limits the cleat to 36".. bottom of page...

-- Oren

"I didn?t say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you."

[BobK207]

Plastic anchors are indeed made of "cheap slippery plastic"

but they do not easy slip out of drywall IF the correct drill size is used AND the correct screw size is used.

Correctly installed, the anchor spreads & grips the drywall...never had pull out problem with them as long as the loads were reasonable.

cheers Bob

[Jon Danniken]

If you take care to drill the right size hole with a new bit, insert the insert flush with the wall, and use the right size screw in the insert (with enough penetration), they hold well. You have to go by the numbers, though, but if done right they are pretty sturdy.

Jon

[mm]

You would actually use a new bit in plaster? Doesn&#39;t that dull bits faster than almost anything else?

I use the bits I paid 69 cents for 14 of them, and I don&#39;t think my hole is any different in diameter or smoothness than any other bit would make.

Comments?

Plastic wall anchors may be cheap, but that&#39;s because plastic is cheap and anchors are easy to make.

They may be slippery, but they have little teeth that imbed themselves in the plaster and the question is whether those teeth are sufficient and whether they loose their corners so easily that the anchors slide out. I don&#39;t think they do at low weights, but I&#39;ve never weighed things or compared them with the promised capacity so I don&#39;t know.

I don&#39;t know why the OP is asking about the NEXT time he hangs this shelf, when he says that this time, he is putting the screws in studs.

I also don&#39;t know why it can&#39;t always be mounted on studs, since the screws don&#39;t have to go through at the ends of the rack. If the rack is 36 inches wide and 16" spacking, the left screw can go through the rack say 8 inches from the left end, the next screw aat 24 inches from the left end (and 12 from the right), and that is 16 inch spacing.

If there are holes from the previous mounting, one can put screws in those too, even if those screws don&#39;t hit the studs and might bear no weight.

[Jon Danniken]

The point is that the bit is straight, and makes a hole the correct diameter, which the "use a new bit" recommendation will provide for.

Jon

[<kjpro]

Yep, these will do just fine. The holding strength is 50 lbs per anchor.

They also make ones like these that have swing out hangers in the back that hold 90 lbs per anchor.

[<kjpro]

The OP stated &#39;drywall&#39; not &#39;plaster&#39;.

[<kjpro]

I would use the "Threaded Drywall Anchors" or the "Threaded Drywall Toggles" from the above link.

I have never had one come out...

[dadiOH]

You and just about everyone else. Specifically, molly bolts, not toggle bolts. A couple of those should easily hold your shelf with a

50# load.

[dadiOH]

One doesn&#39;t - can&#39;t - remove them if they have been used properly. All that is necessary is a swipe of spackle or DW compound over the slightly sunken collar/flange.