heavy duty wall hooks

To secure most things to a wall when a stud is not available, I use the outstanding Alligator wall anchor from Toggler. It is ideal for drywall or solid surfaces like concrete and plaster, simple to install, and very strong for its diameter size. The only downside to the gator is that it requires you to drill a rather significant hole (1/4” or more).

Picture hooks are satisfactory for light duty jobs (less than 30 lbs.) but larger art or mirrors require multiple hooks that can be hard to align or anchors like the Alligator. Fortunately, there is a new solution that Bill discovered: the Heavy Duty Wall Hanger. Made in the USA by NB Industries of Golden, Colorado, the HDWH is an ingenious invention that requires no tools for installation and only leaves a tiny hole behind. Better still, each HDWH can support 150 lbs.

The front of the pack illustrates how it works. The top end has a chiseled point, and the anchor is inserted by pressing this point through the drywall or plaster with a twisting motion. Once through, the hook is turned to push the anchor all the way into the wall cavity, leaving only the small hook at the bottom end visible. Easy enough for a CEO to install, and re-usable for when you move. Brilliant! Look for them at your local home supply store.