Why does load distribution always trip me up?

I get where you’re coming from—plaster can be a nightmare. But I’ve actually had decent luck with toggle bolts for medium-weight stuff, even on old walls. Not for a 65” TV, but smaller sets or shelves? They’ve held up for years.

“Magnetic stud finders are my go-to now; they’re simple but at least they don’t give me false hope like the digital ones.”

Load distribution trips up a lot of people, honestly. It’s not just you. Plaster especially can be unpredictable—sometimes it’s rock solid, other times it crumbles if you even look at it wrong. I’ve seen toggle bolts work wonders for medium shelves or art, but yeah, I’d never trust them with a big TV either.

I totally get the stud finder debate. I’ve had digital ones beep at random spots and make me question my sanity, but then again, magnetic ones sometimes miss the mark if there’s old lath or weird nails in the wall. It really does come down to matching the anchor to the job and being patient with the install. Sometimes I’ll even pre-drill a tiny hole just to check what’s back there before committing.

Don’t beat yourself up over it—these walls have been around for decades and they all have their quirks. If you’re careful about spreading out the weight (like using more anchors than you think you need), you’re already ahead of the game.

Title: Why does load distribution always trip me up?

Man, you nailed it with the unpredictability of plaster. I’ve been in houses where the plaster is so dense it’ll eat through drill bits, and then two rooms over, it’s like drilling into a stale cracker. I’ve learned not to trust any wall until I’ve poked around a bit. One time, I was hanging a pot rack for a client in a 1920s kitchen—looked solid, but as soon as I started tightening the anchor, the whole section just spiderwebbed. Ended up patching and moving the whole thing over a stud.

I hear you on stud finders too. I’ve got three different ones in my toolbox and none of them are perfect. The digital ones are supposed to be fancy, but sometimes they just beep for no reason, especially if there’s old wiring or metal mesh in the wall. The magnetic ones are hit or miss with lath and plaster—sometimes you’re just chasing phantom nails. I’ve gotten into the habit of tapping along the wall and listening for that change in sound, then confirming with a tiny drill bit. It’s not high-tech, but it works more often than not.

One thing I’d add about load distribution—sometimes people get hung up on using the biggest anchor they can find, but spreading out the weight is way more important. I’ve seen folks hang a heavy shelf with two monster anchors right in the middle, and it still sags or pulls out over time. If you can use four or even six smaller anchors spaced out, you’re way better off. And if you can catch even part of a stud, that’s gold.

Honestly, even after years of doing this, I still get surprised by what’s behind some walls. There’s no shame in taking your time or over-engineering things a bit. Better safe than patching a big hole later...

I get what you’re saying about spreading the weight, but honestly, I’ve had more luck just going straight for the studs whenever possible—even if it means the shelf isn’t perfectly centered. My first attempt at hanging a coat rack, I used six “heavy-duty” anchors in plaster and it still started pulling out after a month. Maybe my coats are heavier than average? Either way, now I just aim for solid wood and call it a day.

Also, about stud finders—I swear mine is just trolling me. It beeps everywhere except where there’s actually a stud. Ended up using the “poke and pray” method with a tiny nail. Not elegant, but at least I know what I’m hitting.

I’m not convinced more anchors always equals better. Sometimes it just means more holes to patch when things go sideways. Maybe I just have terrible luck with old walls...

Studs over anchors, every time—especially in old plaster. Anchors just don’t inspire much confidence for anything heavier than a picture frame, honestly. I’ve seen more “heavy-duty” anchors fail than I care to admit, and patching up six holes after a coat rack disaster is just adding insult to injury. Sometimes you’ve got to sacrifice a bit of symmetry for peace of mind.

Stud finders are their own special kind of joke. I can’t count the number of times I’ve ended up with a row of tiny test holes because the thing keeps beeping at random. Tapping and poking with a finish nail is old-school, but at least you know what you’re dealing with. For plaster, sometimes even the stud is half crumbled away, so it’s a bit of a gamble no matter what.

Load distribution makes perfect sense in theory, but in practice, nothing beats hitting solid wood. Anchors have their place, but for shelves, racks, or anything you actually use, I’d rather have ugly spacing than ugly repairs.