Drywall Anchors and Wall Plugs: Plasterboard, Masonry and Concrete Fixings

What drywall anchor holds the weight?

It depends on what is behind the surface as much as the anchor. A self drilling anchor spreads the load across hollow plasterboard and suits light fixtures. Heavy fixtures belong on a stud, a noggin or a backing sheet. Rated loads come from the manufacturer's data sheet for that anchor and wall, and we publish none that are not on one.

Plasterboard is a thin gypsum sheet between two layers of paper. It resists a screw pushed straight in but has little strength to hold a load pulling away from the wall. An anchor does one job: it turns that pull into a spread of pressure across the back of the board. The thicker the board, the more it can carry, which is why the sheet thickness on your wall matters before you pick an anchor.

For a mirror, a light shelf or a towel rail, one well placed anchor per fixing point is the usual answer. For a wall-hung cabinet, a television bracket or a heavy shelf, the trade view is to find the stud or add timber backing before the lining goes up, and to use the anchor only for the light fixing points that fall between supports.

Which anchors suit plasterboard?

We hold one plasterboard anchor: the ICCONS Toggle-Bite self drilling wall anchor, supplied with screws in a 25 pack blister. It drills its own hole in the board, so no pilot hole is needed.

People searching for drywall fixings, plasterboard plugs or plastic wall anchors are usually after this type of product. A plug pushed into plasterboard has very little to grip, so the self drilling anchor is the product made for the job. The code to quote is PBTBNYLON-WS.

We list only what is stocked. If your job calls for a different hollow wall anchor, such as a spring toggle for a heavier load or a particular size, call the trade counter and we will confirm what can be supplied before you commit to a design.

Which anchors suit masonry and concrete?

Brick and block take nylon plugs for light fixings and masonry screws for firmer ones. Concrete takes a metal anchor: a pin anchor or splice anchor for services and light structure, and a Thunderbolt screw bolt where the fixing carries more.

The nylon range is round head and mushroom head plugs in lengths from 25mm to 75mm. The masonry screws include three Grabcon sizes and the Firefly 75mm box, and they screw straight into a drilled hole. The pin and splice anchors and the screw bolts are listed in the concrete table above, with the Thunderbolt Pro range running through hex, countersunk and seismic variants and 316 stainless countersunk screws.

Concrete and masonry anchors only perform as the data sheet describes if the hole is drilled to the right diameter and depth and cleaned out. The masonry drill bits we hold run from 5mm to 6.5mm in diameter, so the bit can go on the same order as the anchor.

How do you choose by wall type and load?

Start with the wall, then the fixture. Identify whether the wall is plasterboard over studs, hollow plasterboard, brick, block or concrete, then match the anchor type and check the data sheet for the load.

A guide to the families we hold. The anchor data sheet sets the drill size, embedment and rated load.

Load is the part to be careful with. Rated loads are tested on specific substrates, in specific hole sizes, with specific fixture thicknesses, and they are not interchangeable between anchor types. If a fixing matters for safety, such as a handrail, a bracket carrying a person or anything overhead, use the engineer's or manufacturer's specification rather than a general rule.

What do you order with anchors?

Order the anchors with the screws that go in them, a drill bit sized to the hole, and the board or cornice the job needs. All of it can travel on the same truck or be collected from one counter.

The Toggle-Bite comes with its screws. Nylon plugs need a screw sized to the plug and the fixture. Masonry work needs a masonry bit and a hammer drill. For plasterboard repairs and fit-outs, the plasterboard screws and the range of plasterboard types are on the same page of the catalogue, and the fixings and fasteners range shows everything else we carry for fixing off the finished wall. Our guide to plasterboard screws and fixings covers how screw length is chosen for the layers it passes through.

Where can I buy drywall anchors near me?

Bayside Plasterboard supplies wall anchors and plugs through four trade yards across South East Queensland: Morningside in Brisbane, Chandler in the Redlands, Caboolture on the northside and Carrara on the Gold Coast. Collect from the counter or add them to a board delivery. Call (07) 3245 4488 to confirm what is on the shelf.

What drives the price of drywall anchors?

Trade pricing is per pack and moves with the anchor type, the size, the pack quantity and the brand. Stainless and seismic screw bolts cost more than galvanised ones, and larger concrete anchors cost more per anchor than light nylon plugs. We do not publish live trade rates because they move with volume and account terms. Send the anchor codes and quantities and we will price them with the rest of your order.

Have the sizes, quantity and delivery suburb ready. Request a quote or call (07) 3245 4488.

Last updated: 25 October 2026