Bob Vila Radio: Installing Toggle Bolts
Planning to support a heavy load, be it shelving or a framed mirror, on plaster wall? The best starting point is to install toggle bolts. Here's how.
Installing wall hooks or fasteners into plaster walls isn’t difficult—that is, if you use the right approach. Probably the best type of anchor to use is a toggle bolt; they’re the ones with the threaded “butterfly” that’s spring-loaded.
Photo: homedepot.com
Listen to BOB VILA ON ANCHORS FOR PLASTER or read the text below:
First, use two pieces of painter’s tape to mark an X over the spot where you plan to drill. That’ll help keep the plaster from cracking.
Using a drill bit that’s just slightly larger than the butterfly on your bolt, drill through the tape and the wall, then gently withdraw the bit straight out and remove the tape. Slip your fastener onto the toggle bolt.
Next, thread the butterfly onto the bolt, squeeze the butterfly, then pass it through the hole until you feel the butterfly open. Use your fingers to tighten the bolt, then finish with a screwdriver. Be careful not to over-tighten the bolt, or you could crack the plaster.
Bob Vila Radio is a newly launched daily radio spot carried on more than 75 stations around the country (and growing). You can get your daily dose here, by listening to—or reading—Bob’s 60-second home improvement radio tip of the day.
