Drywall is the most common finishing material. It is used in any building. It is clear that in order to fix it on a surface (shelves, lamps or something like that), you will need to know which fixing component will be appropriate. There are enough offers on the market, but how to make a choice?
Standard dowels are designed for stronger bases, and it will not work to securely fix in drywall, alabaster, MDF board. But how to act in this situation? The answer is simple - purchase special dowels for drywall. Such fasteners have a different design and principle of operation. Here, there is no expansion inside the hole, but on the contrary, the sheet is crimped on both sides (although the standard method is sometimes used).
What do you need to know about species?
As already noted, on sale everyone can find a large assortment of goods for their intended purpose.
But what choice to make? How to find the most up-to-date drywall dowel? Before making a final choice, you need to understand how fasteners work, find out detailed characteristics andoperating principle. This is what will allow you to correctly make your choice and purchase the right material.
Butterfly
This fastener helps to place something on the surface:
- From drywall.
- chipboard.
- Plywood.
These are not too heavy constructions. The dowel "butterfly" for drywall by name corresponds to its shape. This can be seen in the photo.
The material is polypropylene. But before installing it, you need to create a hole in the right place of the appropriate diameter. In what situations is this dowel used?
- Fixing fixtures and electrical wiring.
- Installation of switches.
- Installation of skirting boards.
In such a situation, the thickness of the material should not be more than 10-12 millimeters. It turns out that this size has its limitations.
How to install?
It is important to understand how to install the drywall dowel:
- Make a hole.
- Apply the end of the dowel to the hole. At this time, you need to hold the side elements, after which, using a hammer, upset the body with a notch until it stops.
- After an object is applied to the wall for fixation.
- Next, a screw is taken and fixed into a threaded sleeve, which is located at the end of the dowel.
Everyone can cope with such a task. There are advantages to this method - the screw is easy to put in the right place. If necessary, dismantling is easy. It is clear that there are also negative sides -if the back space is small, then the "butterfly" will be an inappropriate option.
Driva
The Driva Drywall Anchor is a hollow tapered rod with a flat head and an acute angled profile screw thread. Its head is comparable to a screw - there are slots for a screwdriver. On sale, such fasteners are available with a rod diameter of 12 to 15 millimeters. A blind or through hole is made inside to allow the fixing screw to stay in place.
On sale you can find the dowel "Driva" for drywall with a drill and its absence. But what is this design? Most often it is created in the form of a trident. Material - metal or plastic. This type of fixation is used if something else cannot be used due to limited internal space. It is important to understand how the work goes:
- A hole is made, but not in all cases.
- Fasteners are fixed with any tool. It is difficult to do this with a simple screwdriver.
- Any object is fixed with a screw. In the process, the end of the fastener will change shape and become thicker. This further complicates dismantling.
Fasteners for this purpose are used by many for its main positive qualities:
- No need to pre-create a hole because a drill is included.
- Ability to install with a small distance between the drywall sheet and the wall.
- You can remove fasteners if needed.
Anyone can handle this stuff.
Molly Plasterboard Dowel
One of the main advantages is the ability to withstand heavy loads. But what about external data? Most often, the design is close to the expansion anchor, which is used in the process of fastening to a brick or other dense structure.
What does Molly look like? This is a sleeve with longitudinal slots. A nut is fixed on one side, and a hat with cloves is fixed on the second. This design eliminates the turning process. A screw goes through the hollow dowel. It is already fixed in the nut.
How will the fastening take place?
Work is being done in several stages:
- A hole is made with a diameter that is equal to the bushing itself.
- Further, the sleeve is driven in until such a moment, until the teeth themselves “catch” the wall under the drywall.
- After that, the object is hung in its place, and then the screw is fixed on the nuts.
- The thread is mounted to the stop. At this point, the sleeve itself is obtained along the main axis. Visually, these are several reference triangles, due to which the strength and reliability of the entire installation will be achieved. Visually, it is comparable to an umbrella.
Pros, cons
One of the main advantages is the ability to withstand heavy structures. It is for this reason that the dowel is often used. There are some downsides to be aware of:
- If there is a small distance between the drywall sheet and the wall, it will not be possible to install it.
- To dismantle such a metal dowel fordrywall, have to break the finish.
It turns out that there are many options for a plasterboard dowel. From the offered on the market, everyone will always find a suitable option for themselves. Having theoretical data about each of the fasteners, it is easier to understand which option is suitable in a particular case.
Umbrella
There are also fasteners that are very reliable, and they are called "dowel-umbrella". But often builders call them a spring suspension, because any load is available for it. They are used to fix lighting fixtures to the ceiling. What does this design look like? The rod is taken as a basis, on which a thread with a nut is created. There are also two spring-loaded legs, most often located at an angle of 180 degrees. The end where the main weight should be can be straight, ring or with a hook.
Before installation, you need to make a hole in the drywall so that the paws enter there. The process of installing fasteners will take place in a short period of time. The paws are inserted into the gap in the folded state. When the drywall profile dowel is in place, the elements are straightened with the help of a spring and maximum fixation occurs.
In the process of application, such a device shows itself to be reliable, therefore it is used very often. The main plus is that it is easy to dismantle. To do this, the rod is removed from the nut, after which the remaining part is carefully removed. Although the builders say they don'talways goes out to do it. It is clear that such a dowel-nail for drywall has the ability to withstand heavy loads. But at the same time, not every drywall can be reliable. So only use it on a solid foundation.
The parasol dowel is a common fastener option that is applicable to other installations. But often there are inconsistencies in the presented materials: one fastener is described, and in the photo - a completely different one. For example, an umbrella and a "butterfly" are two dowels, but at the same time with different designs and characteristics. One is capable of withstanding heavy loads, while the other is not. Not understanding what is at stake, you can use the wrong fasteners during the repair process, which will lead to unpleasant consequences.
Besides this, people often pay attention to external data. It is for this reason that you need to understand the properties of each type of element before buying. Often the name "umbrella" can be seen in another fastener - spring. It has two spring petals. After installation, they automatically open and resemble an umbrella. Sometimes these names include simple elements for fixing the insulation. Their minimal reliability is of no use.
Basic Features
To make the right choice, you should go through the characteristics, namely the properties. As a result, it is easy to make the right choice during installation work and interior decoration.
"Butterfly" is most often used in the following cases. This is the fastening of wires, skirting boards, cornices (in the case when the wall is thin). Behinddue to axial thrust, fastening occurs. The size of the hole should be made depending on the diameter of the dowel. Withstands loads up to ten kilograms. Difficult to dismantle.
"Driva" makes it possible to mount light objects on thin-walled structures. The element is spacer, there is no need to create an additional hole. You don't need a lot of interior space. If desired, the structure is removed. Withstands loads up to 30 kilograms.
"Molly" is a great option for hanging shelves, plumbing and other structures. Installation method - using an axial thrust. The hole is made according to the diameter of the dowel.
If the screw installation method is used, there must be sufficient space under the drywall. After fixing, it will not be possible to carefully disassemble the structure. The option is quite durable and reliable - suitable for elements with a load of more than 40 kilograms.
Spring - a good option for lighting fixtures. The free way of fastening is applied. It turns out a large hole. Before installation, make sure that there is enough space. The element is easily dismantled. It is difficult to find information on the carrying capacity, but according to experts, this figure is high.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are enough dowels for drywall, so if necessary, you can easily choose the right option. Do not use simple screws or bolts, as they will not withstand the given load. Going to the store, it is better to stock up on useful information so as not to be deceived. If you need to fix somethinginsignificant (for example, lighting), you should not purchase an installation that can withstand the maximum load. The presence of free space in the wall of the room is also important. Knowing these nuances, it is very easy to make a choice.
