Asked on Jan 18, 2015

How much weight can drywall hold?

Julie
by Julie
I hung up a 21lb mirror with just two screws and no anchors on drywall. Is this ok or should I get some anchors?
  5 answers
  • Joanmarie Joanmarie on Jan 18, 2015
    We hug a 100 lb mirror with two screws into drywall, no problem. They sell a thing called "monkey clips" which are angled, just so they don't rip out of drywall (that's the only catch), and they come up to 150 lbs, so its not the weight, its more the angle. I think your okay if its staying.
  • Shari Shari on Jan 18, 2015
    I think the answer depends on how important this mirror is to you, or how expensive it was. If the screws rip out of the drywall, the mirror will surely break when it falls. If you would be upset the mirror broke, well then it would be better to be err on the side of safe rather than sorry and add anchors.
    • Lori Lori on Jan 18, 2015
      That is a very good answer Shari. That's how I feel as well.
  • Cathi Cathi on Jan 18, 2015
    Regardless of the weight, I always use mollys and anchors for Anything I hang on the walls. Lesson learned many years ago, several irreplaceable antique pieces destroyed...
  • Mcgypsy9 Mcgypsy9 on Jan 19, 2015
    Hubby used to hand everything with small nails and I was never happy when the things fell to the ground. I lost some nice things so, YES get anchors!!
    • Shari Shari on Jan 19, 2015
      @Mcgypsy9 Your comment made me laugh. My husband is just the opposite of yours. He insists on hanging even the lightest thing with heavy duty screws and anchors. I sometimes get frustrated with his over-kill approach when I feel a nail is adequate for something small but I have to admit I've never had anything he hung fall off the wall! :)
  • Mcgypsy9 Mcgypsy9 on Jan 19, 2015
    LOL actually my husband still tries to get away with ways to get around not having to hang with anchors. He bought some of those things that you just stuff in the wall, just a wire thing that says it holds like 500 lbs. or whatever. Maybe they work maybe they don't but the problem with them is that the pictures never hang straight and it drives me insane!!!! SOO I throw a fit every time he goes to use one. Well, actually unbeknownst to him, I have thrown most of them away : ). Sorry dear, but they don't work for me!