How much can a drywall hold?

[Bricco]

Curious about why the molly plug is so harshly dismissed as an option?

 

[Thomas59]

Curious why the molly plug is so heavily dismissed as an option?

*It doesn't sit quite "flush" with the board surface, which often makes what you're attaching "wobble/tilt"
*It must (should!) be pre-drilled with a special tool and if not done correctly, the plug spins
*It requires a relatively long screw and should not be driven with a power screwdriver=slow
*If you're unlucky and drill close to a stud, the wings can't unfold properly and then the plug doesn't work
*The construction itself creates small fracture points on the "wings" that weaken the plug. This is of course taken into account in the load-bearing calculation but if something goes wrong when assembling the plug, the wings can break off and then you have problems, see for example below.
*It leaves large ugly holes when the plug is removed

That should be enough.

 

[Bricco]

*It doesn't lie quite "flush" with the surface, which in many cases makes what you attach "rattle/tilt"
*It must (should!) be installed with a special tool and if not done correctly, the plug spins
*It requires a relatively long screw and should not be used with a screwdriver=slow
*If you're unlucky and drill near a stud, the wings can't unfold properly and then the plug doesn't work
*The construction itself has small fracture lines on the "wings" which weaken the plug. This is indeed accounted for in the strength calculation but if something goes wrong when installing the plug, the wings can break off and that causes problems, see below.
*There will be large ugly holes when the plug is removed

That should be enough.

Snap toggle also leaves large holes. Are those Snap Toggles available in regular hardware stores then? I can hardly find them with distributors online so... The same goes for those Mini/Maxi plugs.

 

[Thomas59]

Snap toggle leaves quite large holes as well. Do those Snap Toggles exist in regular hardware stores then? Barely find them with retailers online so.. The same goes for those Mini/Maxi plugs.

Snap Toggle requires smaller holes than Molly for the same load, does not damage the plasterboard in the same way as Molly's "wings," and can easily be removed, which Molly cannot.

Trying to remove a Molly plug usually ends with a BIG ugly hole.

I cannot answer where you find Snap Toggle, but I have at least bought them in a regular hardware store. Any DIY store should be able to order them.

 

[Daniel78]

Snap Toggle requires smaller holes than Molly for the same load, does not damage the drywall in the same way as Molly's "wings," and can be easily removed, which Molly cannot.

Trying to remove a Molly plug usually ends with a BIG ugly hole.

I can't understand why people have so much trouble removing Molly plugs; I've removed plenty of them with either a side cutter or a flathead screwdriver by removing the washer and pushing the plug into the wall, leaving a hole that has the same diameter as the plug + some compressed drywall behind the washer, which only makes it easier to fill the hole.

 

[raveper]

Molly plug is really easy to remove. You just pinch the visible collar with pliers and wiggle it so it breaks off and the rest falls into the wall.

 

[Thomas59]

Well, I know how to remove a Molly, but it still ends up with ugly holes, and since there are better alternatives, I'm not going to practice either.

 

[raveper]

What does the price range look like approximately between molly and snap toggle?

 

[kitco]

I would also like to know what a snap toggle costs?

 

[Bricco]

I would also like to know what a snap toggle costs?

About 30 kronor each? http://www.vvsobadrum.se/992mm-snap-toggle-med-212557-skruv-m6x60-p-2429-c-566.aspx

 

[f91jsw]

In terms of strength, I'm wondering if it makes any significant difference whether you use molly or a more modern variant. Everything I've set with molly feels like it's as solid as a rock. The advantage of molly is that they cost just a few cents in bulk at Byggmax. The tool costs a couple of hundred, so you quickly get that cost back. If you think the screw is too long, you can easily replace it after you've set the plug.

The major disadvantage of molly is precisely if you end up right next to a stud, which according to Murphy's law, you always do when, for example, you're putting up shelf rails on an entire wall. When you get to the last rail... That's when it's not a bad idea to have another variant in reserve.

 

[Daniel78]

Strength-wise, I wonder if it makes much difference whether you use molly or some more modern variant. Everything I've installed with molly feels like it's rock solid. The advantage of molly is that they cost just a few kronor in bulk at Byggmax. The tool costs a couple of hundred, so you quickly recover that cost. If you think the screw is too long, you can easily replace it after mounting the plug.

I use one of these:
http://biltema.se/sv/Bygg/Fastelement/Skruvankare/Tang-for-skruvankare/

Works perfectly, many hundreds of plugs mounted with it.
And I always use a power screwdriver for the screw, I don't understand why you can't use it, of course, you set the torque to something suitable.

 

[Bricco]

I use one of these:
[link]

Works perfectly, many hundreds of plugs installed with it.
And I always use a screwdriver on the screw, because I don't understand why one couldn't use it, of course, you set the torque setting to something appropriate.

Not easy to know what is appropriate. Torn a couple, so I still recommend doing it by hand..

 

[raveper]

In terms of strength, I wonder if it makes any significant difference whether one uses molly or some more modern variant. Everything I've set with molly feels like it holds like a rock. The advantage of molly is that they cost a few pennies in loose weight at Byggmax. The tool costs a couple of hundred crowns, so you quickly recoup that cost. If you think the screw is too long, you can simply replace it after you've set the plug.

The biggest disadvantage of molly is if you end up right next to a joist, which according to the law of all things' perversity, you always do when, for example, you're putting up shelving rails on an entire wall. When you get to the last rail... Then it's not wrong to have some other variant in reserve.

That's exactly why you go over the wall with a stud finder first.

 

[Bricco]

That's why you go over the wall with a stud finder first.

Stud finders that work well are for example?