Yeah, I hear you on the command hooks—tried them for a bathroom shelf and it was a disaster after a week. Those self-drilling drywall anchors are my go-to now. Haven’t tried the removable ones yet, but honestly, patching tiny holes isn’t that big a deal if you’ve got some spackle lying around. For renters, though, I get why they’d want something less permanent.
patching tiny holes isn’t that big a deal if you’ve got some spackle lying around
Yeah, I’m with you there—spackle’s a lifesaver. I’ve patched so many walls after moving shelves around, it’s almost routine. Ever tried those toggle bolts for heavier stuff? I swear by them for floating shelves, but they do leave a bigger hole. Curious if anyone’s found a solid way to hang cabinets or heavy mirrors without making a mess of the drywall.
Curious if anyone’s found a solid way to hang cabinets or heavy mirrors without making a mess of the drywall.
I ran into this exact issue hanging a bathroom cabinet last month. Toggle bolts did the trick, but yeah, the holes are no joke. I tried using a stud finder and just anchored into studs wherever possible—definitely less patching later. For spots without studs, I’ve heard those metal wall anchors (the kind that expand behind the drywall) are a bit cleaner than toggles, but I haven’t tested them myself yet. Honestly, patching after toggle bolts isn’t my favorite, but it’s better than having a cabinet rip out of the wall...
Honestly, I’ve never been a big fan of toggle bolts either—those holes are massive, and patching them is a pain. I get why people use them, but for heavy stuff like cabinets, I usually go a different route. If you can hit at least one stud, that’s gold, but sometimes the studs just aren’t where you need them. In those cases, I’ve actually had good luck with those GRK cabinet screws (the ones with the washer head). They’re pricey compared to regular screws, but they bite into the stud like crazy and don’t need a pilot hole in most cases.
For drywall-only spots, I’ve used the Snaptoggle anchors. They still make a decent-sized hole, but they’re a bit less destructive than old-school toggles and feel way sturdier than the cheap plastic anchors. One trick I picked up—if you’re worried about patching later, put a little painter’s tape over the spot before drilling. It keeps the drywall from crumbling as much around the hole.
I’ve also seen folks add a horizontal 2x4 between studs behind the drywall if they’re doing a bigger reno. More work up front, but then you can screw in anywhere along that line and not worry about anchors at all... kind of overkill for a quick project though.
I hear you on the toggle bolts—patching those craters is never fun. I’ve actually had to get creative in older homes where studs are all over the place. One time, I used a scrap piece of plywood as a backer behind the drywall for a heavy shelf. Cut a hole just big enough to slide it in, anchored it to the studs, then patched around it. Not pretty behind the wall, but it let me use regular screws and saved a bunch on fancy anchors. Definitely not something I’d do for every project, but in a pinch, it worked and kept costs down.
