Molly bolts can hold up to 75 pounds per pair on drywall, plaster and other hollow walls. Expansion anchors can hold up to 100 pounds per pair on concrete, brick and masonry walls. Self-drilling anchors can hold up to 150 pounds per pair on drywall, plaster and other hollow walls.
Drywall anchors can hold anywhere from 10 to 200 pounds, depending on the type and installation. Always choose an anchor rated for more than the weight of the item you are mounting.
not always stated in the vehicle or car seat owner's manual. If the manufacturer offers no weight limit, do not use lower anchors or the tether anchor if child + car seat weight is more than 65 pounds.
Typically, drywall can support between 5 and 10 pounds with a simple nail, but anything heavier requires additional support. For heavier objects, using drywall anchors or finding a stud to screw into will provide a much more secure hold.
Theoretically drywall anchors will hold a TV, provided it's a modern one of light construction.
Mounting a TV with drywall anchors or bolts is a great option if you can't drill into a stud. You'll need to use a hollow wall anchor that looks similar to a regular screw, with a butterfly toggle at the end. Once they're placed in the wall, they'll attach to the back.
The type of fastener you use can also influence the amount of weight the drywall can hold. If you opt for picture hangers or simple nails, then stick to objects that are less than 20 pounds. Flat mounted hooks and anchors may be able to hold up to 50 pounds, while drywall screws can hold about 20 pounds of weight.
If your ceiling is supported with joists, attach the heavy object directly to the ceiling joist to provide extra support. If your ceiling is hollow, you can use toggle bolts to support your heavy object instead.
Drywall Anchor Types for Heavier Items
Expansion anchors can hold up to 100 pounds per pair on concrete, brick and masonry walls. Self-drilling anchors can hold up to 150 pounds per pair on drywall, plaster and other hollow walls.
One of the primary factors in determining anchor size is the size of your boat. It's important to remember that larger boats require larger anchors to provide sufficient holding power. As a general rule of thumb, the anchor should weigh at least 1/10th of the boat's weight.
You definitely want to hit a stud for heavy-duty loads like a TV bracket, a handrail, or a grab bar. Hollow wall anchors won't cut it. And for that, you first need to find the studs.
How much weight ceiling joists hold depends on their size and spacing and what they're made of. Wooden joists can support 50 to 100 pounds per square foot. Steel joists are more common in commercial buildings and can handle higher loads. Joists are spaced at regular intervals of 16 or 24 inches apart.
Threaded Drywall Anchors:
While they don't include the attaching screw, these are also good for ceiling and overhead hanging. These are secure, and are labeled as self-drilling, which means you don't need to pre-drill a hole to install them, unlike every other type of drywall anchor.
Ceilings are another matter, though, thanks to the direct downward pull of gravity. The average 2×4 ceiling joists can't safely hold more than around 15 to 20 pounds regardless of the hanging hardware you use. A 5-inch flower pot with the combined weight of soil, water, and a plant can easily reach that weight.
If you want to create more reliable strength for hanging something heavier, hang from a Joist. Joists are the actual framing of the house, and they're very strong. You can hang really heavy weight weights from a ceiling joist with the right hardware—over 100 lbs.
Hollow-wall drywall TV mount installations are limited to total weights (TV, peripherals, and mount) of about 100 pounds. You'll be able to attach fixed or tilting TV mounts but not full-motion mounts, as they can pull out of the drywall. Toggle bolts are the best way to mount heavy objects like TVs to hollow walls.
Use a toggle bolt or anchor to hang the piece on areas with no studs, This Old House says. The weight of the piece, and the thickness of the wall, will dictate the toggle size. The typical metal toggle bolt can hold 25 to 50 pounds on plaster, according This Old House. A plastic one can hold 10 to 25 pounds.
Toggle bolt
These are considered the strongest option. Metal toggle anchors are also the only wall anchors recommended for concrete or plaster walls. Best for: Shelving that will bear weight such as pantry shelving. Ratings vary, but some can hold as much as 300 to 350 pounds.