wall anchors in sheetrock on metal studs
 

I have to mount a heavy wooden plaque on a sheetrock wall with metal studs
underneath. The holes in the plaque are predrilled, so the wall anchors have
to go where they have to go. What if I drill into a metal stud? If it were a
wooden stud, a wood screw would go in place of an anchor, and it would be no
problem. So what do I do if I hit metal? With the right kind of fastener,
maybe I should Try to hit the metal for extra strength? Thx.
-B

B wrote:
I have to mount a heavy wooden plaque on a sheetrock wall with metal
studs
underneath. The holes in the plaque are predrilled, so the wall
anchors have
to go where they have to go. What if I drill into a metal stud? If it
were a
wooden stud, a wood screw would go in place of an anchor, and it
would be no
problem. So what do I do if I hit metal? With the right kind of
fastener,
maybe I should Try to hit the metal for extra strength? Thx.
-B

A fine thread sheet rock screw will hold into the stud fairly well, but
it must be the fine threads as opposed to the typical coarse threaded
screws. Specifying the weight would make this a bit easier to suggest
an option, but going with the largest toggle bolt you can work with
would give you the best option and the most steadfast. Alternately
there are special sheet rock ancors that are about 1/2" in diameter,
very coarse thread, plastic body with screw, no pre-drilling needed.
They are rated to hold 50 pounds. I put in closet organizers in my
wife and my own identical closets. One I used toggle bolts (a bit of a
pain) and the other the sheet rock anchors. Both are holding several
hundred pound of weight (of course this is over many anchors), and are
still holding fast. Personally I would go with the anchors.

wrote:

Alternately there are special sheet rock
ancors that are about 1/2" in diameter, very coarse thread,
plastic body with screw, no pre-drilling needed. They are rated
to hold 50 pounds. I put in closet organizers in my wife and my
own identical closets. One I used toggle bolts (a bit of a
pain) and the other the sheet rock anchors. Both are holding
several hundred pound of weight (of course this is over many
anchors), and are still holding fast. Personally I would go
with the anchors.

I've used these big plastic screw-in anchors, and just wanted
to vouch for them. They work!

--
The real Tom Pendergast [ So if you meet me, have some courtesy,
aka I-zheet M'drurz [ have some sympathy, and some taste.
Accept no substitutes! [ Use all your well-learned politesse,
$1 to Mick for the .sig ---[ or I'll lay your soul to waste.

Just as I-zheet said, go find some whirl-in anchors. The plastic
will do as well as the metal ones and will tolerate more sizes of
screws.

Here is Powers brand version, they call theirs ZipIt.
http://www.powers.com/plastics_hollowwall.html

If you happen to hit a stud you will need a drywall screw. They
are mighty easy to strip out, so go slow

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"B" wrote in message
m...
I have to mount a heavy wooden plaque on a sheetrock wall with
metal studs
underneath. The holes in the plaque are predrilled, so the wall
anchors have
to go where they have to go. What if I drill into a metal stud?
If it were a
wooden stud, a wood screw would go in place of an anchor, and it
would be no
problem. So what do I do if I hit metal? With the right kind of
fastener,
maybe I should Try to hit the metal for extra strength? Thx.
-B