Want to hang a wall fixture onto drywall to elevate your home’s appearance? You can use molly bolts to mount decorative shelves, picture frames, and other light- to medium-weight fixtures to drywall.
A molly bolt is a drywall anchor with a metal or plastic casing and a hollow middle. Its hollow middle allows you to insert and remove a screw without damaging the molly bolt. In this article, we’ll discuss how molly bolts work, when you should use them, and how you can choose the right molly bolt for your home improvement project.
How Molly Bolts Work
The molly bolt’s hollow middle expands as it is inserted into a wall with a screw. You’ll need to insert a screw into the hollow middle to install a molly bolt onto drywall. As you drive the molly bolt into the wall, the middle expands to help the metal casing grip the drywall. This prevents the molly bolt from slipping from the wall once inserted.
When to Use Molly Bolts
If you want to mount objects onto the wall or ceiling, here’s when you can use molly bolts:
- You want to hang a light- to medium-weight object onto drywall without drilling into wall studs.
- You want to mount objects onto hollow walls without damaging the wall.
- You want to hang objects on a ceiling, such as smoke alarms.
Always check the manufacturer’s instructions on the packaging to find out the weight limit of the molly bolts.
Types of Molly Bolts
Molly bolts are also known as hollow wall anchors. When buying molly bolts, check the packaging to ensure you get ones for drywall. Additionally, you can use other types of molly bolts for different surfaces, including hollow core doors.
When choosing the right molly bolt to mount an object, you’ll need to consider:
- The material and thickness of the wall or ceiling (e.g. drywall, hollow blocks, etc.)
- If there is already a drilled hole on the surface
- The length of the screw and the bolt
- The materials needed to install the molly bolt
Classic or Standard Molly Bolt
The classic molly bolt has a blunt tip and can be installed in a wall that already has a hole in it. If you need to tighten the molly bolt once it is inserted in the hole, you can adjust it using crimping pliers. If you’re mounting coat hooks and other medium-weight items to a hollow wall, this is a great choice. You can also use these to mount a smoke detector on a ceiling.
Thread-Cutting Molly Bolt
A thread-cutting molly bolt has a metal casing and a pointed tip that looks like a pen. Holding its tip against the wall and lightly tapping it with a hammer allows you to drill the hole more easily. You can hang mirrors, decorative shelves, and other objects to drywall using thread-cutting molly bolts.
Eye Hook Molly Bolt
If you want to mount objects to a ceiling, consider using an eye hook molly bolt. Like other molly bolts, they expand once inserted into the ceiling. The hook makes it easier to hang potted plants and other objects that need to dangle from the ceiling.
You can add decor and wall fixtures to your home using molly bolts to elevate your personal space.
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Main Photo Credit: Smial / Wikimedia Commons / Free Art License 1.3
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