A Guide to Installing Toggle Bolts in Your Ceiling

There are several ways to install toggle bolts in your ceiling. The major factor is the amount of weight you plan on hanging from your toggle bolts. Choosing the method to use is very important and can keep you from having a bigger problem later. If you do not choose the right method for the load weight, the drywall on your ceiling will break, and whatever you are hanging will come crashing down. Therefore, before installing the toggle bolt consider the weight of the object you plan to hang, the thickness of the drywall on your ceiling, and the weight limit of the toggle bolt. Here are a few different methods you may want to consider.

1. Hang the Bolt from the Drywall

This method is the easiest. It is also for only very light objects. This method also depends on the thickness of the drywall. The thicker the drywall the more support it will allow. Putting your toggle bolt on the drywall is simple. Drill a hole where you want your object to hang. Then pull the wings of your toggle bolt to the bolt body and push the entire piece through the hole. Make sure to push the bolt head all the way through the drywall before you release the wings. Once the head has cleared the opening the wings are able to spread out. Pull gently on the bolt to give a little pressure to the wing, and then tighten your bolt. These same steps will be used to install the toggle bolt in all methods, however, the medium you are passing through will be different.

2. Support the Outside of the Ceiling Drywall

Putting support on the outside of the drywall is not the most popular method. However, it gives you the option to be creative. You can create your own design to act as a ceiling base for your hanging object. It is also the method for those who do not have an attic. The best way to complete this installation is to find your ceiling joist and attach the support system to the joist. You can then drill a hole in the support and install the toggle bolt.

3. Support the Inside of your Ceiling

This is the most popular method for installing and supporting a toggle bolt. It gives great support and allows you to hang heavy objects. To complete this method, go into the attic. Next, find the joist located above the area where your item will hang. Finally, place a small piece of 2-by-4 between the two ceiling joists directly over the area where you are hanging the object. Once again you will drill a hole and install the toggle bolt as in the first method.

4. Install your Bolt in the Joist

While this method would give you the most support, it is the hardest to get right. In this method you would drill a hole all the way through your ceiling joist and push your toggle bolts through the joist. This is the hardest method due to the fact that you have to find the center of the joist before you drill. In addition, you will need a toggle bolt that is long enough to pass through the entire joist.

As you can see there are many different ways to install toggle bolts.However, the size of the object you want to hang will determine the best method to use.