# Mount 10-15 lbs. on a drywall - what screw anchors to use?



## williamwiens (Nov 13, 2010)

Is it on the ceiling?
If so, is the box that houses the wires attached to a stud? (should be)
In the light fixture packaging and instructions, does it screw tot he junction box in the ceiling? If so the box attached to the stud should support it just fine.


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## Mr Chips (Mar 23, 2008)

we need a little more info on this. do you have any picts of what you are trying to mount. 10-15 lbs isn't very heavy. A single 1/8 toggle bolt will hold more than that in 3/8" drywall


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## Wek (Mar 1, 2011)

The lamp would be on the side wall, the ceiling is concrete and has that "popcorn" surface.

Here's a picture of what I would be mounting:









I would be converting the light fixture into a pluggable lamp. The lamp is 4 feet long and about half a feet wide.

If you need more info just ask, I have never done this so I'm not sure what kind of info you might need.

Thanks

Btw, how many screws do you think it I would need to safely mount this? 2?


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## Mr Chips (Mar 23, 2008)

if it's going on the wall horizontally and is 40" long, then just figure out where your studs are and drill two holes in the sheetmetal so that they fall over the two studs it will span and screw it on into the studs. Simple and sturdy

EDIT: if your ceiling is concrete then there is probably concrete behind drywall (assuming it's an exterior wall). do you know what is behind drywall? that thing can't weigh much, two fasteners should be plenty regardless


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## Wek (Mar 1, 2011)

What id I can't locate the stud? I don't know where they are or how to locate them. 
What if I drill anywhere and just use the toggle bolts? Would the drywall rip over time?


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## Mr Chips (Mar 23, 2008)

Wek said:


> What id I can't locate the stud? I don't know where they are or how to locate them.
> What if I drill anywhere and just use the toggle bolts? Would the drywall rip over time?


No, the drywall won't rip unless you are trying to sit on the light fixture.
The only problem you might have is depending on how it's framed, there might not be enough of a void for the toggle wings to open ( if it's an interior wall you should be fine).

here's what I suggest: hold the fixture against the wall EXACTLY where you would like to put it. Take a pencil and poke it through the screw holes in the fixture, so you make a mark on the wall. Put the fixture down, then take a 3" nail and LIGHTLY tap it through the drywall at each of your two marks. Once it goes in about 1/2", see if you can easily push it all the way to the head. Then kinda wiggle it around on an angle to make sure you aren't too close to anything. If you can't feel anything inside the wall and the nail goes easily into the wall the whole length you should have a big enough void and should be just fine using a 3" toggle bolt. Use the nail holes as your pilot holes and drill out to the correct size. Two 1/4" toggles will easily hold 10 of those fixture up with no problem in even the thinnest drywall

Oh, and to answer your question, yes, you could just grab a drill and bore a couple holes "anywhere" , but you won't know if you drilled into an electric wire or water pipe until it's too late!


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