Resources: Installing Wall Hardware on Any Surface

Choosing the right wall hardware is half the work. The other half is installing it without damaging the wall — and the right method depends on what your wall is actually made of. This guide covers the four substrates we're asked about most often: drywall, brick, stone, and plaster.

Drywall

Drywall is the most common wall surface in modern homes. It's straightforward to install into, but the technique depends on whether you can hit a stud.

Should I install into a stud or use an anchor?

Always prefer a stud when one is available. Locate it with a stud finder, then drive a wood screw long enough to pass through the drywall and bite at least an inch into the framing. No anchor is needed.

If the hardware doesn't land on a stud, you need a wall anchor. The choice depends on the weight you're hanging.

Which drywall anchor should I use?

Match the anchor to the load. Plastic expansion anchors handle light items up to about 15 lbs — small hooks, picture frames, lightweight decor. Self-drilling threaded anchors work for items up to roughly 50 lbs, like curtain rods and small shelves. For mid-weight pieces (towel bars, coat hooks, around 100 lbs), use a metal screw-in anchor — sometimes sold as a Molly bolt — which mushrooms behind the drywall for a stronger grip. For anything heavy — large mirrors, weight-bearing shelves, items up to 300 lbs — use a metal toggle bolt, which spreads behind the wall and provides the most secure hold available without a stud.

For all anchor types, drill a pilot hole slightly smaller than the anchor itself, tap or thread the anchor in until it sits flush, and avoid over-tightening — drywall compresses easily and a too-tight screw will dimple the surface.

Brick

Brick is harder than drywall and behaves differently. You'll need a carbide-tipped masonry bit and a regular drill for light items; for heavier loads, switch to a hammer drill. Wear an N95 mask and goggles — masonry dust is fine and abrasive.

Should I drill into the brick or the mortar?

Brick if it's sound, mortar if it isn't. Intact brick supports more weight and holds anchors more reliably than mortar. But if the bricks show cracks or spalling, drill into the mortar joint instead — the expansion forces from a masonry anchor can split fragile brick, and mortar at least lets the anchor push against fully intact material on either side.

How do I drill into brick cleanly?

Mark the depth on your bit before you start. Hold the drill level and perpendicular to the wall, two hands on the tool. Begin with a smaller pilot bit at low speed, then swap up to the final size and drill to depth using steady pressure. If the bit "walks" off the mark, restart — a hole drilled in the wrong place is harder to fix on brick than on drywall.

For the anchor itself, a masonry screw threads directly into the brick once a pilot hole is drilled. For heavier loads, a sleeve anchor expands across a wider surface area and works in both solid and hollow brick.

Stone & tile

The technique is the same as brick — hammer drill, masonry bits, slow steady pressure to avoid cracking the surface. Use a concrete screw to fasten, or a toggle bolt if the stone is thinner than the screw is long.

One caveat: holes in stone and tile are not always patchable. If the install is into a finished surface where mistakes will show, a tradesperson is the right call.

Plaster

Plaster looks like drywall but installs differently. It's harder, more brittle, and usually thicker — anywhere from three-quarters of an inch to over an inch on heritage homes. Behind the plaster is a layer of lath (wood, metal mesh, or rock), which adds support but makes stud-finding unreliable.

How do I find a stud in a plaster wall?

Magnetic and electric stud finders both struggle on plaster. The reliable method is geometry: studs sit 16" or 24" apart, and there's always one in the corner of a room and beside every door, window, and outlet. Start at one of those known points and measure outward in 16" intervals. Drill a small test hole with your thinnest bit — if it passes through plaster and lath into solid wood, you've found the stud. Misses are easy to fill with paint.

Which anchor works in plaster?

Use anchors designed for plaster — never self-drilling. Plaster's brittleness means every hole has to be pre-drilled, and the hole has to be sized correctly. Too small and the plaster crumbles around the anchor; too large and there's nothing to grip.

For light to medium loads (under 20 lbs), a 2" screw driven directly into the lath holds without an anchor. For mid-weight items, install into a stud with a #8 screw — its narrow threading suits brittle plaster well — or use an expansion anchor where a stud isn't available. For heavy items, use a metal screw-in anchor or toggle bolt long enough to clear the lath, at least 2".

Shelves are a common edge case: they rarely hit a stud on both sides. Anchor one end into the stud and use an expansion anchor, Molly bolt, or toggle on the other, sized to the load.

Wood

Wood is the simplest case. Drive wood screws directly into solid wood — no anchor needed, and adding one usually weakens the hold. The exceptions are very thin wood, where a toggle screw helps, and very heavy items, where a metal hollow self-drilling anchor is appropriate. Use purpose-made wood anchors only when the hardware will be removed and reinstalled repeatedly, like a door hinge.

When to call a professional

Heritage surfaces — original plaster, vintage brick, stone, tile — and heavy or delicate hardware are worth a tradesperson's hour. Mistakes on these surfaces are visible, sometimes irreversible, and the cost of professional installation is small compared to repairing a damaged wall.

Browse the full range of hardware in the wall hardware collection.