If you’re hanging TVs, radiators, or shelves on plasterboard, you'll need the best plasterboard fixings to ensure they stay in place. Choose the wrong fixing, and you could be heading for disaster. No one wants to see their brand new big screen TV take a nose-dive or a shelf collapse under the weight of their favourite books.
Plasterboard isn’t as strong or secure as fixing into masonry. There is less to work with, which means it will struggle to hold heavier loads. This is where plasterboard fixings, specifically designed for the job, come into play.
Here, we look at a range of plasterboard fixings that provide heavy-duty solutions, quick, easy-to-install options, and budget-friendly alternatives.
The Quick List
Toggle bolts are a popular and easy-to-install plasterboard fixing. This set includes well-built items and a selection of popular sizes, allowing you to choose the right one for the job at hand. Depending on the size you choose, a bolt can hold up to 30kg or more.
Designed for very heavy loads in plasterboard and sheet materials, this extra-large hollow anchor has a claimed capacity of 270kg. They are slightly more expensive than others in this guide and take longer to install, but you do get the extra strength.
For affordable, versatile everyday fixing, these hollow wall anchors are ideal. They are easy to install, widely available, and suitable for most plasterboard. However, correct sizing is essential; 12.5mm boards typically support loads of around 30kg.
For heavy loads in narrow cavities, reusable Gripit fixings install quickly, use flat wings, need 18–25mm holes, come in colour-coded sizes, and support 20–113kg, though higher ratings need thicker boards only.
Need a quick way to hang pictures or fit light switches and sockets in plasterboard without drilling? Use self-drill fixings: mark, screw in, avoid overtightening. Ideal for light loads under 10kg, so choose something different if you have a big-screen TV.
This repair kit quickly fixes failed plasterboard fixings. It includes a 20mm spade bit, heavy-duty anchors and a drill guide. Easy to install, it suits shallow cavities and securely supports cabinets, shelves, and bathroom suites.
Best all round plasterboard fixing
Toggle bolts – also known as spring toggle fixings amongst other names – are a popular and easy to install plasterboard fixing. They consist of a screw and a set of wings which are spring loaded. They open up after being pushed through a drilled hole then you simply need to tighten.
This set from Glarks is reasonably priced, well built and contains a selection of popular and commonly used sizes allowing you to choose the right one for the job at hand. Depending on what size you choose a toggle bolt can happily hold around 30Kg, more if you choose a larger size. But you need to take note of the screw length. These come in various sizes and you'll need one that fits a cavity to get a tight fit.
Best large heavy duty plasterboard fixing
If you’ve got something really heavy to hang on plasterboard – or hardboard, plywood, MDF – then this extra large hollow anchor fixing is a great choice. The manufacturer claims a load capacity of up to 270 kg, but we don’t have anything that heavy to test it with. But it can easily accommodate heavy items, such as a radiator or a large TV.
However, these are the most expensive plasterboard fixings in this guide, and while not difficult to install, they do take a little longer to get used to. It takes a bit of wiggling to get into place in small cavities, and in some cases, it's far more than you'll need.
To install, drill a 25mm hole to get started, then thread a cord through two small holes in the fixing. This helps keep the fixing from sinking into a cavity, and two small teeth are embedded in the back of the board to prevent movement. Then a large screw and 25mm plug bring everything together before adding two more small screws to hold the plug in place. Now you’re ready to go.
Best budget plasterboard fixing
If you are looking for a cost-effective solution that can tackle most everyday hanging jobs, then these hollow wall anchors are the answer. They are produced by a myriad of manufacturers with slightly different designs and come in a range of sizes. This makes them very common, versatile and cheap.
They are easy to install – drill a hole, push the anchor into it (you might need a setting tool for easier insertion), tighten, then remove the screw, ready to put up the fixing.
One thing you will need to make sure that you are getting the right size. If you are drilling into 12.5mm plasterboard, you need a hollow wall anchor with a collar that matches that size. Get one too big, and it won’t hold. Loads are dependent on size, but you can expect a fixing for a 12.5mm plasterboard to hold at least 30kg.
Here, we have chosen standard hollow wall anchors that should fit your plasterboard. But check the thickness of your board; you might need a larger one if it's thicker.
Best for shallow cavities
If you’ve got a heavy load that needs fixing but you only have a narrow cavity to work with then these Gripit fixings are a quick to install option that can be reused if needed. Available in a variety of sizes and colours, the Gripit range claims to handle loads from 20 kg to 113 kg.
To make selection easier, each colour gives a recommendation on what it is good for. But note that, as a general rule, the upper loads are tested on thicker plasterboards and use more than one fixing to spread the load.
You will need to drill an 18-25mm hole to insert the fixing, but this is nice and simple. Push the fixing into the hole and use a screwdriver to open the wings. These are flat, which makes them good for narrow cavities. Don’t panic if you drill and fix in the wrong place; you can simply close the wings and pull out the fixing, ready to use again. But they are not always the easiest to hide on small fittings.
Best for quick installation
Need a quick fix for hanging a picture, or for installing a light switch or plug socket in plasterboard without any drilling? Then you need a self-drilling plasterboard fixing. These are the perfect solution for quick installation of a fitting.
You simply mark where you want the screw to go, get a screwdriver and screw in the fixing. Just make sure you don’t over-tighten, as you can compromise the integrity of the plasterboard. As soon as that happens, the fixing will need to be removed and placed elsewhere.
But these fixings are not a good choice for heavy loads, they are very much for light loads, in reality less than 10 kg. If you’ve got a nice new, big-screen TV, try a different plasterboard fixing.
Best plasterboard fixing repair kit
If your current plasterboard fixings have failed, this repair kit is a top choice for quickly fixing them. Included in the set are a 20mm flat spade bit, four heavy-duty fixings, and a metal drill guide to help ensure clean holes for the plasterboard fixing.
They are really simple to install with the included tools. Simply remove the old fixing, drill a new hole with the supplied bit and guide, add the collar and fixing, and screw the object in.
They are designed for smaller cavities, typically found behind dot-and-dab plasterboard. You’ll never need to worry if the wings have fully opened thanks to the Bullfix design. You won’t be able to screw into the fixing until the wings are fully open.
It can handle loads up to 116 kg on 12.5mm plasterboard, but less on 9.5mm board. This makes it a good choice for kitchen cabinets, shelves, bathroom suites and radiators.
How to choose plasterboard fixings
The type of plasterboard fixing you need depends on what you are putting up on the plasterboard. If it's something small and lightweight, like a shelf that will hold pictures or other lightweight objects you can use a basic plasterboard fixing. However, if you want to add books to a shelf, you will need a different type of fixing.
Check the weight limits
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The most obvious thing to do when purchasing plasterboard fixings is to check the claimed weight limit. This helps determine whether the fix is suitable for the task at hand. It makes sense that if you are installing an object that weighs 30 kg, you don’t use a fixing with a 10 kg weight limit.
But there are a few caveats when choosing. First, check the manufacturer's guide/instructions to note how the fixing should be used. For example, if the claimed limit is 80kg, you might need four fixings evenly spaced to support that weight. And, they may not be recommended for certain types of objects, such as tilt-and-swivel TV brackets.
Look for cavity depth
Lightweight fixings typically fit directly into the plasterboard, but heavy-duty or more sturdy plasterboard fixings commonly have wings that open behind the plasterboard to provide added strength. As a general rule, the higher the weight limit, the larger the fixing.
So you need to check the size, or more precisely, the depth of the fixing to make sure that it will fit. Typically, dot-and-dab plasterboard has a smaller cavity than plasterboard on timber frames. To judge the depth of the cavity, drill into the plasterboard and note when the bit hits resistance. Take away 12.5mm for the plasterboard to help determine an approx depth and decide if the fixing you want will fit.
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Homebuilding & Renovating is not given any compensation for our reviews, but may be allowed to keep the products for long-term testing, meaning we can test over a greater length of time, and update this review if required.
