Home Improvement : Hanging Out With Mollys, Toggles

Ever since some unknown cave dweller painted the first saber-toothed tiger, humans have had an irresistible urge to put things on the walls of their homes. Really heavy objects such as wall-hung cabinets should always be secured with heavy screws driven through the finish wall and right into the two-by-four studs behind it.

If the object you wish to hang is relatively light--say up to about 10 pounds--you can usually use ordinary picture hangers. These come in various sizes, and the bigger they are, the more weight they can support. The typical hanger can handle about 10 pounds. Weights between 10 and 15 pounds can usually be safely supported by using two hangers.

But once you get much over 15 pounds, what can you use?

Plastic anchors. A lot of people use these although they are not ideal for use in drywall or thin paneling. They’re really at their best in masonry or solid plaster.

Even so, plastic anchors are OK for light loads, up to 15 pounds or so. To use one, just drill the appropriate sized hole in the wall (drill size should be listed on the anchor package), slip the anchor into the hole, and tap it gently in place with a hammer if necessary.

You can now hang your lightweight object using a sheet metal screw. Drive the screw home, but don’t overtighten it or you may twist the anchor loose from its hole in the wall.

E-Z Anchor. A new idea, easier to install and with a greater load capacity is the E-Z Anchor. This consists of a metal body with deep, sharp threads that bite into the wall to get a good grip. The inside of the body is threaded to take a machine screw, and the tip has its own built-in bit. To install one, just drive it into the wall with a Phillips screwdriver. The bit at the tip will make the pilot hole, and the threads in the body will bite into the wall.

For heavier weights than plastic anchors or E-Z Anchors can handle, turn to toggle bolts or molly bolts. Which is better? That depends.

Toggle bolts. These come in two types: “gravity” toggles, and regular “spring-loaded” toggles. The spring-loaded type is more common, but both work in pretty much the same way. Their arms fold up parallel to the bolt so you can push them through a hole drilled in your wall. Once through the wall, they spring open (or fall open in the case of the gravity toggle) and provide a wide gripping surface that will lock up securely against the back side of the wall when you tighten the bolt.

Toggle bolts will hold 15 or 20 pounds, depending upon size, and you can often use two or more to increase holding capacity. To use a toggle bolt, you drill a hole in the wall. Then thread the wings off the bolt, slip the bolt through the object you wish to hang. Next, thread the wings back on the bolt, slip the wings through the hole in the wall, and tighten the bolt.

This last operation can be a bit clumsy if you are hanging something heavy, because you have to support its weight while you are screwing the bolt down tight. Until the bolt is tight, the toggle bolt offers very little support of its own.

Note: If at any time you remove the bolt from a toggle bolt, the wings will fall down inside the wall. This is okay, even if you want to permanently remove the toggle bolt, but otherwise it means you need to buy a new one.

Molly bolts. These provide an even greater bearing surface than toggle bolts, so they can support more weight. They can also be set in the wall before you actually hang something, so they are easier to work with than toggle bolts if you want to hang a large, clumsy object.

To use one, drill the appropriate hole size (this should be stamped on the side of the molly). Slip the molly into place and tap it in to make sure the little spurs under the head engage the wall. They are there to keep the body of the molly from twisting as you tighten the screw, which is your next step.

Tighten the screw down all the way. At first the screw will be relatively hard to turn until the arms of the molly start to fold. Then things will go fairly easily until the arms start to engage the back of the wall. When you feel that rise in tension, it’s time to stop driving.

Problems. Sometimes when you drive the screw, those little spurs mentioned above will tear loose, the body of the molly will twist, and you’ll get nowhere.

To prevent this you can do two things: First, put a drop of oil on the threads of the screw where they enter the threaded part of the body.

Second, put a drop of instant-bonding glue under the head of the molly before you tap it in place. Then let the glue set about 15 seconds before you tighten the screw. Once the body of the molly is set, remove the screw, slip it through the object you wish to hang, and thread it back into the wall.