Shelving disaster, need hanging techniques.

So... I put up 9 shelves in my bedroom. Four 7 foot shelves, two 2 foot shelves, and 2 wall to wall 11 foot shelves. They basically hold anything from books to board games to camera equipment. So my miscellaneous. First the bottom shelf fell because I basically just screwed all three screws into drywall with no real supports or anything. And when I say fell I mean the top part came forward, the shelf still hung there with nothing on it. The 11 and 2 foot shelves are fine, but I took down all the shelves to be safe. Now the 7 foot shelves hold A LOT of books... let's guesstimate 28 large books (Harry Potter hardbacks) or 40 small books (Steven King paperbacks). Which for the large books is about 140-200 lbs. (5-7 lbs. per book) resting on the whole 7 foot shelf. Yet that does not seem that much because the shelving brackets (4" x 6") should be able to hold 300+ lbs. on that sort of span with proper mounting! So while going around organizing my room for FiOS installers I stepped on something sharp (a Bruce Campbell signed chainsaw, lol) while moving around ol' destroyed shelf pile. Now my foot hurts like crazy... SO it is really important I get this crud back up there! So here are a few ideas I had: 1) 2 Toggle Bolts per bracket into the sheet rock. 2) Use ferring strips around the entire wall and ask my maintenance where the studs are. I'll be waiting , thanks!

 

First I want to point out the second pic in your post is incorrect.The pictured item is a toggle bolt NOT a molly.A molly is a different type of wall anchor.That said both types of wall anchors will work for you and both hold lots of weight.Both involve drilling holes but the toggle will have a larger hole than the molly.Both can be had in a sizing that will work with the brackets you show.

The best choice if possible is to screw directly into studs if you can find them.You can buy a relatively cheap stud finder and do it yourself or let your maint. men help.Having maint means you must rent so you should run everything by your landlord etc to make sure it's ok with them to do this and they know exactly what you are doing.

If you do use anchors you need to make sure you get the right size.Go to a hardware store with knowledgeable saleshelp to assist you.If you go to a big box store you are on your own.

In a toggle bolt you'd probably use what is called a 1/8 inch and in a molly it would be a 1/8 short or hammer drive short maybe 1/8s or ds.Terminology varies and mollys are often just called a drywall anchor.

Toggle bolts require a drill sized for the head folded up to pass through.The drill size for all types of anchors is on the package or on the bin it comes out of.Use a masonry drill bit.Drywall is a form of masonry and will dull regular bits quickly.Also pay attention to how the anchor is installed as incorrect installation will cause failure.Again saleshelp can show you how to install the anchors.

 

I know the molly and toggle are different, the picture is just a random picture from Google Image Search that already had text on it. LOL, the dudes at Home Depot called it a Molly.

I know how to install the Toggles correctly and have done it before, but now I have to install SIXTY of them to hold the THIRTY brackets I have to hold all 9 shelves. So it is a lot of pressure.

I am mainly wondering, if I do not have studs that I can use, do you think the toggles could hold up my shelves and books without pulling out my whole drywall? ALSO, what would you do if starting from scratch?

 

Toggle bolts will hold tremendous amounts of weight.As for the drywall you should be fine and toggle bolts tend to distribute weight better by design than a molly.Yes you would need two per bracket.Get 1/8 inch by two inch long.Buy a box versus packages as it will be far cheaper.Forget the dudes at home depot,they obviously don't have the experience you need.I've been in retail hardware for 30 years and calling a toggle bolt a molly is a hardware 101 mistake.Find a real hardware store.

If I were doing this from scratch I'd take a stud finder and locate the studs then try to screw directly into them as much as possible using toggle bolts as the anchor where there were no studs.I'd use as many brackets as possible though I would not go overboard and put them everywhere.I'd get a masonry bit the right size for the toggles.Usually it's 3/8 for 1/8 toggles but I have seen 1/2 in.I'd use a variable speed drill and go slow with the drilling to lessen rough or damaged holes.

I'd plan on distributing the items so weight was evenly spread over these shelves as much as possible.

 

Thanks, that is pretty helpful. I called my maintenance and my building was built 40 years ago so he is not sure what the stud placement should be... probably 16 or 24 inches from the adjacent walls.

For some reason my stud finder, a really good one I guess, isn't picking them up... I see some edges here and there, because it says "edge", but I never find the other edge... like the wood is only an quarter inch thick or something crazy like that.

So, for the easiest plan I am just going to drill the holes I already have bigger/wider and pop in the toggle bolts.

The bolts I got are 3/16 and 2 inches long... the next size up from 1/8 as you suggested.

 

Darn, I am an idiot. I just used a stud finder that can go various depths and the studs are 1" deep.. SO I have studs!!! What would my best option be now? Use the old brackets and two inch screws into the studs and use toggles where the studs are not available?

 

This would be the way to go with using studs with screws as much as possible and for all if possible.No wall anchor will hold more than the right screws in studs.

Many use drywall type screws for this however my preference is phillips pan head sheet metal screws as they do not taper and are full thread screws with an aggressive thread pattern.Drywall type screws do have good thread and can be drill driven.That said as long as they are fully threaded into the studs you should get good holding power with most any type.

 

Thanks, you've helped me a great deal. I am going to start this Saturday. Tell you what happens.