Large versions installed with an angled nail can support up to 20 lbs. It’s good to have a selection of these on hand in different sizes. Attach the item by driving a #6 or #8 screw into the anchor hole.īest for: Heavy picture frames, bulletin boards, smoke alarms, door chimes, lightweight shelving, wall-mounted light fixtures, wall-mounted mirrors on drywall. How to use it: Simply screw the anchor into the wall with a Phillips screwdriver or cordless drill fitted with a Phillips bit. These are great for light (less than 10 pounds) to medium loads (10 pounds to 25 pounds), and are available in metal and plastic. The most popular all-purpose drywall anchor. Depending on size, sleeves will take #4, #6 or #8 screws.īest for: Heavy picture frames, bulletin boards, smoke alarms, doorbell chimes, lightweight shelving, wall-mounted light fixtures, and wall-mounted mirrors on plaster walls. Fasten by driving a screw into the sleeve. You should need to tap it home with a hammer until the anchor flange seats against the surface. How to use them: Drill a hole that allows a snug fit for the sleeve. Anchors designed to spread their “wings” (right) are less susceptible to withdrawal. Anchors like the blue one don’t expand enough to grab well in drywall they work better in plaster and best in masonry. Types of Fasteners Expanding Plastic SleevesĪvailable in several varieties, these work well for light (less than 10 pounds) and medium loads (10 pounds to 25 pounds). Here are the best fasteners for common household hang-ups. Put together your own collection, and you won’t need to run to the store every time a hanging job comes up-or worry about your wall art crashing to the ground. But, fortunately, there is an anchor for just about any hanging job you can think of. These surfaces separate space, not support weight. Plaster walls and hollow-core doors are no picnic to work on either. It’s tricky to fasten something to drywall when it has to go between studs. It's also easy to paint, wallpaper or repair minor damage.There’s no doubt about it. Plaster walls have durability not seen these days with gypsum or drywall, with plastered walls outlasting their owner and beyond. Benefits of plastered walls include soundproofing not present with regular drywall. The second coat was called brown coat, then a finish coat was applied thickly and pressed firmly to form a half-inch wall of silky-smooth lime plaster. The first coat stuck to the oak strips and was called scratch coat, which was troweled carefully into the lath to form a bond. Plastering involved placing three layers on top of the other. Many new residents decide to tear down the old plaster and simply put drywall in its place as a cheap fix to save time and money. Plasterers were expensive 100 years ago now they are extremely expensive and hard to find. For this reason, many homeowners chose to wallpaper their walls so as not to ruin the plaster work by painting too early. Plaster and lath walls took 30 days to cure, although craftsmen advised waiting a period of a year before painting. Plaster was made and built to last more than a lifetime. Dampness and wetness will cause the plaster to crumble, although fresh plaster may be used to repair water damage and render it new again. Plasterers were skilled craftsmen who worked long hours perfecting interior walls. Plaster walls were smooth and silky, and when cured were paintable.
Lath was painstakingly nailed horizontally to vertical studs to grab the first plaster coat and hold it securely. Master craftsmen working on old houses around 1900 and earlier used plaster and lath to construct all interior walls. Water-damaged plaster and lath wall section.