- I get the pain with patching toggle bolt holes, but honestly, I’ve had drywall anchors pull out on me more than once—especially with heavier stuff. If you’re on a budget, sometimes it’s worth the hassle for peace of mind. Guess it depends how much you trust your walls...
I hear you on the drywall anchors—I've had a couple of those fail on me too, especially when I tried to hang a big mirror. Ended up with a mess and a lot of patching. But then toggle bolts leave those huge holes, which is its own headache.
Do you think it makes more sense to just try and find a stud every time, or is that overkill for lighter stuff? Sometimes I wonder if I'm just overthinking it and should trust the anchors more, but then again... I've seen what happens when they let go. Curious how folks decide when to go with an anchor vs. hunting for a stud, especially in older houses where the studs never seem to be where you want them.
Studs are my best friends in this 1920s place—anchors just don’t inspire much confidence when the walls are basically plaster and hope. For lighter stuff, I’ll risk a good anchor, but anything heavier? I’m hunting for wood, even if it means weirdly off-center art.
- Couldn’t agree more about the studs. Old houses have a way of making you second-guess every anchor you use.
- When I’m rehabbing a property, I treat plaster like it’s made of eggshells—there’s just no room for error with heavy shelves or cabinets.
- If the studs aren’t where I want, sometimes I’ll add a horizontal piece of wood between them (blocking) behind the wall. It’s a pain, but worth it for peace of mind.
- Art being off-center? That’s just “vintage charm,” right? Sometimes you gotta embrace the quirks of these older places.
- For lighter stuff, I’ll use anchors, but only the metal toggle kind. Plastic ones just make me nervous.
- Load distribution’s tricky—especially when you realize not all studs are created equal in these old walls. Some feel like solid oak, others… not so much.
- Totally get what you mean about studs being hit or miss. In my last place, I swear half the “studs” were just old lath and plaster pretending to be solid.
- Blocking is a lifesaver, even if it’s a hassle. I’ve done the same, especially for kitchen cabinets—worth every minute crawling around in the dust.
- For load distribution, I try to spread weight across at least two studs if possible. If not, I’ll use a French cleat or a rail system so the load isn’t all on one spot.
- Metal toggles are my go-to for lighter stuff too. Plastic anchors just chew up old plaster and make a mess.
- Sometimes you just gotta accept that nothing’s perfectly straight or centered in these houses... adds character, right?
