It’s an exciting time when you move into a new house, and most people can’t wait to start designing! You have a brand-new painting that you got for a steal and commemorative frames that you want to hang, but you can’t simply place a nail in the wall like you normally would.
But, how much weight can drywall hold? Your keepsake will fall on the ground if you drive a little nail into hollow drywall since there is no board behind it to support it.
The amount of weight that drywall can support is contingent on the method that is used to hang the item as well as the angle at which it is positioned on the wall.
It will be essential to search for the wall studs, which are blocks of wood measuring 2 by 4 inches. You can hang up to one hundred pounds if you have the right kind of gear.
Let’s have a look at the many techniques for hanging objects on the drywall as well as the reasons why these techniques are so vital. We do not want to let the goods and mementos that we have go to waste because of our carelessness.
Fixings for Bearing the Pressure of Drywall
If we could just hang things on the wall wherever we want them to remain in place, life would be a lot simpler. In most circumstances, however, attempting to hang anything on hollow drywall will not be successful.
Consequently, making use of a stud finder is essential to the process of locating the wall stud. This particular kind of wood is spaced anywhere from 16 to 24 inches apart (depending on your location), and it is necessary for hanging your cherished possessions.
If you don’t have a stud finder, don’t worry! You may also tap on the drywall, and when you no longer hear the hollowness, it is a good indication that you have identified the wall stud.
Drywall is held together by screws, which help support its weight.
When used in a wall stud, several screws with a size of four or bigger may support up to one hundred pounds or more. For them to be secure, you need to make sure that they can go at least an inch into the stud.
This is the ideal hardware to use if you are going to be hanging a shelf that will be used to store books. There is also a range of sizes available for the screws that are needed to hang a mount for a flat-screen television.
Components used to support the weight of drywall
·       Supports in the ceiling
These are attached to the drywall and support lights that are hung from the ceiling. Blocking is the placement of 2x4s to offer support to the ceiling and to have a location to enable things to be attached.
The joists are typically spaced between 16 and 24 inches apart and often need blocking for additional support. Blocking is defined as the installation of 2x4s.
No matter what kind of gear is used, the maximum quantity is usually somewhere between fifteen and twenty pounds. It is not the wall or the hardware that is to blame for this; rather, gravity is to blame.
This weight restriction is equivalent to a light ceiling fan, the weight of a plant if it is hung from the ceiling, or a larger ceiling fan if blocking is not employed.
·       Anchor
When weight is applied to drywall, additional support is provided by an anchor. After being positioned against the wall, the screw that will secure it there is next hammered in. Because the weight restriction is printed on every anchor package, you should choose the one that is appropriate for your needs.
Both a lighter image weighing between 5 and 20 pounds and a heavier picture weighing more than 20 pounds can employ an anchor. Be sure that the one you choose either corresponds to the weight of the thing or is heavier than it. This is a crucial point.
The expansion anchor is the hardware that is used to keep the weight on the drywall. These are also known as drywall plugs, and in comparison, to other anchors, they are far weaker.
There are occasions when they are created on the cheap. In addition, they have a weight capacity that ranges from 5 pounds, like that of a small display cube, to 20 pounds, like that of a bigger display cube mounted on a wall.
·       Anchors with Simple Threading
Simply threaded anchors are stronger and sturdier than expansion anchors, and they can support between 25 and 75 pounds on a wall. A substantial graduation frame that displays your freshly minted degree would be an excellent example.
·       Anchors Made of Straight Plastic
The screw has a cylindrical form, and it is installed by going through the middle hole, which is hollow. When using this to hang anything on the wall, such as a shelf, be sure to use the anchor that is rated to support the required amount of weight.
Plastic Wings Boost Drywall’s Supporting Load
Extremely sturdy in position and designed with a wing-like form that, when inserted through a hole in the drywall, extends outward in the shape of a “T.” It is necessary to drill a hole in it so that it may be inserted, and after that, a screw should be placed within the aperture.
To prevent the screw from being pulled out of the wall, reinforcements have been added. It works well as a towel bar, as a curtain rod, and as a holder for toilet paper. Watch this video to learn how to properly install and make use of this particular kind of drywall anchor.
- Door with a Hollow Core
Compatible with doorbell chimes, smoke detectors, and light shelves due to its capacity to hold up to 50 pounds. Drywall can support weight when toggle bolts are used.
They are excellent in holding items on the wall and are also known by the name butterfly anchors. Plastic can support up to 20 pounds, but metal can support up to 100 pounds. Plastic can be used to make things like drawers, while metal can be used to make floating shelves.
Additionally, they are an excellent choice for usage on the ceiling, but only for loads of no more than 15 pounds. They are trustworthy in terms of their holding capacity, even though they are more difficult to install.
Accessories to support the weight of the drywall
- Molly “Bolts”
These anchors, which are also known as sleeve-type anchors, may be used on both the ceiling and the wall. They are powerful because they can hold between 25 and 50 pounds on the wall and up to 10 ounces on the ceiling. On the other hand, getting rid of them might be challenging.
Towel racks and other forms of heavy-duty storage are ideal applications for these bolts. It doesn’t take too much time to drive a pointed Molly into the wall with a hammer and a mallet.
Many different kinds of mounting hardware may be used to hang a mirror.
- Sleeves made of Expanding Plastic
These sleeves have a weight capacity of 10 to 25 pounds and are suitable for hanging picture frames and mirrors.
Drywall can support weight with the use of hangers and nails. Picture hangers are used to secure artwork of varying dimensions to walls.
With the appropriate nail, for example, the one that comes with a standard diploma frame, they can support up to 20 pounds. The hook and anchor that is flat installed may support up to fifty pounds.
- Mirror Clips
Retainers made of plastic may be used to hold mirrors even if they do not have frames.
Conclusion
Many homeowners are unaware that for things to be hung on a wall, wall studs are necessary to support the weight of the goods.
If you put the advice from up above to use in your decorating efforts, you should have a much easier time preserving those priceless remembrances on your walls.