Exterior wall screws

[Monique D]

What kind is best? Ez Ancor Hollow Door and Drywall anchor? Trying to hang shoe rack on wall, which will be heavy with lots of shoes. Even though it says “hollow door”, it really is a drywall thing. (my RV Dealership service department man says I can’t use anything for drywall, even though he knows there’s thick Styrofoam behind the paneling. He insists on an expandable anchor, but one that is 1 inch does not exist anywhere.). Conflicting views online. Thanks for help. Btw I have a 2024 Keystone cougar 29RLI

[BerninNH]

Word of caution when using any fastener into the wall is to be CERTAIN there are no electrical wires nor plumbing where you will be penetrating the wall with a fastener.

Your best bet is a self-drilling drywall anchor. These are the type where the anchor portion is a coarse thread screw itself. They come in short lengths but with relatively decent diameter which will work well for your requirement. This anchor will bite into the Styrofoam insulation in the wall providing for the most strength.

[Squantobon]

I used some brass hook and nail hangars I bought from Walmart. That was when I found the plastic stick on hooks couldn't handle the load.

[Monique D]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I need to pin a fabric shoe rack on the exterior wall that is exactly a few inches below where the ceiling and wall hit. Sounds denser up there. How do I know if there’s electric wiring there? From what I understand, it’s better to use no pre-drill ahead of time so that I can manually do it and hopefully hear something that I am accidentally poking.

[tap4154]

I just dealt with this with the cord rollers on each side of the two pull-down blinds in my back bedroom. They were just screwed into the thin paneling and styrofoam, and they were all loose. Previously I just reattached them near where they were when I was out camping, just to get by. However at home I tried expandable anchors, that didn't work, and I ended up getting 1/8" toggle screws (that fit through the rollers) and was able to secure them with those. A problem is, after drilling the holes for the toggles to go through the paneling, then I had to use a small screwdriver to clear out some of the styrofoam so the toggles could expand. I also had to get just the right length screw, so when it was fully tightened it wouldn't hit the outside portion of the wall. It's a PITA, but they're all pretty secure now.

[CecilD]

Search well nuts on Amazon or ask for them at your local hardware store. They are essentially a rubber sleeve with a metal nut cast in one end. When you tighten it up the rubber will bunch on the back side of the face panel and push the Styrofoam aside. Well nuts work particularly well with parts that vibrate or stripped sheet metal screws. I've used plenty on my trailer for various applications.

[d23haynes57]

Maybe something from here. The flanged threaded inserts hold well on softwood and composite materials.


https://www.amazon.com/s?k=threaded+...f=nb_sb_noss_1