Title: Load Distribution Still Trips Me Up Sometimes
Totally get where you’re coming from. No shame in taking extra time to make sure things are solid—especially with shelves. I’ve had my fair share of “is this really in the stud or just wishful thinking?” moments. Sometimes I’ll even pull the anchor back out and poke around just to double-check. Might look like overkill, but it beats patching drywall after a shelf gives way.
Honestly, even after a bunch of installs, I still second-guess myself with heavy stuff. It’s not always as straightforward as it seems, especially when the wall construction isn’t what you expect. A few extra holes behind the scenes don’t bother me if it means I can sleep at night knowing nothing’s crashing down.
Peace of mind is worth a lot more than a perfect-looking wall, if you ask me.
Peace of mind is worth a lot more than a perfect-looking wall, if you ask me.
I get that, but honestly, I’m not a fan of poking extra holes unless it’s really necessary. If you’re using the right anchors for the job and actually hitting studs where you can, you shouldn’t need to swiss-cheese the wall just for peace of mind. Sometimes overthinking it makes things harder than they need to be. A good stud finder (and a little faith in your tools) goes a long way...
I hear you—nobody wants a wall that looks like it’s been through a BB gun fight. Still, I’ve seen a few shelves come down because someone trusted a cheap anchor or missed the stud by half an inch. I usually try to hit at least one stud and use solid anchors for the rest. It’s not about overkill, just not wanting to patch drywall later... Learned that lesson the hard way after a floating shelf disaster in my first flip.
I get what you mean about not wanting to patch drywall—been there, done that, and it’s never as invisible as you hope. I’m always second-guessing myself on how much weight a single anchor can actually hold, especially with those “universal” ones that claim to handle 50 lbs but feel flimsy in your hand. Do you ever bother calculating the total load for a shelf, or just go by gut feeling? I’ve tried looking up the specs, but between different wall types and anchor brands, it gets confusing fast.
Also, do you trust toggle bolts more than plastic anchors for heavier stuff? I’ve had mixed results—sometimes the toggle bolt just chews up the drywall if I overtighten. Wondering if there’s a sweet spot between overkill and just enough support...
I’ve definitely overthought this too, especially after a shelf in one of my rentals came crashing down—turns out those “50 lb” anchors didn’t stand a chance with uneven weight. I usually try to hit at least one stud if I can, but sometimes you just don’t have that option. Toggle bolts feel sturdier, but yeah, overtighten and the drywall’s toast. Ever tried those metal self-drilling anchors? They seem like a middle ground, but I’m never 100% sure how much trust to put in them either...
