Having a 1/4 inch masonry bit for molly bolts and plastic anchors might be worth the trouble. They are so cheap it is almost not worth buying the carbide unless you have a number of holes to drill. The problem is they are often difficult to find in sizes below about 1/8 inch.Ī plain old steel twist bit (even the cruddy soft Chinese drill bits) will for a while before the edge is shot. Very heavy items should be fastened into the stud using at least 3 inch screws (since there is around 3/4 to 1 inch of plaster before you even get to the stud).Īny carbide tipped masonry bit will go through plaster like butter and last a long time. Molly bolts can help spread the load out for more moderate weights. It has a rather nasty habit of suddenly cracking and letting things fall.
![picture hooks for lath and plaster walls picture hooks for lath and plaster walls](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/9b/2b/da/9b2bda65c40b27101b51e9f63feb845c.jpg)
I would never rely on just plaster to hold any significant load. for the little hangers you could use a 5/64ths bit.įor deep holes that go through the plaster and lathing, you may need one type of bit to get through the plaster and another to get through the wood lathe. Oh, and for drill bits, you need a specialized plaster bit. Still, for anything over 10 lbs., I'd use an anchor. There's a special kind (perhaps the Oooks mentione above) that has coated nails with knurled heads to (in theory) avoid cracking. I've never been able to accurately locate the studs.įor pictures and lighter things, I've had pretty good luck just tapping the hangers in. Plaster is incredibly strong our utility room shelves probably have 500 pounds of stuff on them and they're suspended from 6 lag bolts.įor things like pot racks etc., i used smaller plaster anchors.
![picture hooks for lath and plaster walls picture hooks for lath and plaster walls](https://images.bonanzastatic.com/afu/images/dc87/502a/cca7_7121084720/41p4ue72rpl.jpg)
I've hung huge elfa shelving with plaster anchors and 2" screws, and even lag bolts that go into the space behind the lathe.