Wall anchor weight chart
Rated capacity, one common size of each, hung flush against 1/2" drywall. One representative product per category — the number on the package you buy governs over this table.
| Anchor | Rated load (shear) | How it grips |
|---|---|---|
| Plastic expansion anchor | 10 lb | Pilot hole, then the anchor taps or screws in flush before the screw goes in it. |
| Self-drilling anchor | 50 lb | Driven directly into the drywall by hand, point first, no pilot hole. |
| Spring-wing toggle bolt | 70 lb | Wing folds flat to pass through a drilled hole, then springs open behind the drywall. |
| Heavy-duty strap toggle | 265 lb | Channel folds through the hole, locks flat behind the wall, then the strap snaps off flush. |
Reading it
- Shear — something hung flush against the wall, like a picture or a shelf bracket, which is the load direction almost everything on a wall actually puts on its anchor. A straight pull-out, like a hook something hangs from and swings under, holds noticeably less on every one of these and has no figure here.
- Manufacturer-published ratings for one widely stocked product per category, not a laboratory ultimate with a safety factor still to subtract. Treat the gap between the rating and what you are hanging as the margin, and keep it comfortable — doubling it is worth a second anchor.
- A stud beats every anchor here and does not depend on the drywall staying sound around it. See the screw and nail holding strength chart for what a stud itself holds.
For the case this table does not cover
- Wall anchor weight calculator
How much a plastic anchor, self-drilling anchor, toggle bolt or heavy-duty strap toggle holds in drywall, and how many it takes.
- Screw and nail holding strength
What a screw, nail or lag holds before it pulls out, by species and by how deep the thread goes.
- Concrete screw length
Length and embedment for a concrete screw, the bit that goes with it, and how deep to drill.