I get wanting to hit a stud, but in these old houses, sometimes you’re chasing your tail. I’ve hung some heavy reclaimed windows with just toggle bolts and never had an issue. If you overdo it, you’re just patching more holes later. Just match the anchor to the weight and call it good.
Yeah, I hear you—finding a stud in these old walls is like a treasure hunt that never pays off. I’ve leaned on toggle bolts plenty, especially for those chunky, leaded glass windows. Just gotta be careful with plaster... sometimes it crumbles if you get too ambitious. I usually test the weight with a gentle tug before calling it good. Ever had a toggle bolt fail on you? I’m always a little paranoid, but so far, so good.
finding a stud in these old walls is like a treasure hunt that never pays off
Totally agree—my 1920s place has walls that seem to eat screws for breakfast. I’ve had mixed luck with toggle bolts, but never a full-on fail, just a couple scary creaks. I’m always thinking about insulation, too—ever worry about making extra holes and losing a bit of that draft protection? Not that these old houses are airtight to begin with...
I get what you mean about the insulation, but honestly, I’m not sure a few extra holes make much difference in these old places—at least, not in mine. The drafts seem to find their way in no matter what I do. I tried being careful once, patching every tiny hole after hanging shelves, but I can’t say it made the room feel any warmer in winter. Maybe if you’ve actually got some insulation in your walls, it’s a bigger deal? Mine are mostly air and wishful thinking anyway.
One thing I will say: toggle bolts are great in theory, but I’ve had a couple go sideways and make a much bigger mess than I planned. Ended up with a hole the size of a golf ball just to hang a picture frame. Sometimes I wonder if it’s better to just stick to lighter displays and avoid the headache. Anyone else get tired of patching up after “creative” wall projects?
I hear you on the toggle bolts—tried to hang a reclaimed window frame last month, and it felt like the wall just crumbled around the hardware. Is it just these old plaster walls, or am I missing a trick? I’ve started leaning toward command strips for lighter stuff, but I’m never sure how much weight they actually hold. Anyone else just leave the holes and call it “character”?
Old plaster can be a real pain—sometimes it’s like drilling into chalk, and toggle bolts just make a bigger mess. I’ve seen plenty of folks try command strips, but honestly, I wouldn’t trust them with anything heavier than a picture frame, especially if the window’s got some heft. Personally, I hunt for studs behind the plaster with a good magnet and anchor into those when I can. As for the holes, I just patch ’em when I get around to it... or call it “historic charm” and move on.
I hear you on the plaster—my 1920s place is the same way. I tried hanging a window frame with those heavy-duty command strips once... lasted about a week before it crashed down. Ended up just finding a stud and using a big wood screw. Not pretty, but it’s still up. Sometimes you just gotta embrace the patched-up look.
I get the appeal of those command strips—no mess, no tools, seems like a win. But honestly, I’ve never had much luck with them on plaster. Maybe I’m just paranoid, but the idea of a heavy window frame crashing down in the middle of the night is enough to make me reach for the drill every time. I’ve patched more holes than I care to admit, but at least I know it’s not going anywhere.
That said, I’m not convinced the patched-up look is always a bad thing. There’s something kind of charming about a wall that shows some history, right? Still, I do wonder if there’s a better way. Has anyone tried those French cleats or any other mounting systems on old plaster? I keep hearing mixed reviews, and I’m a little skeptical about putting even more holes in these crumbly walls... but maybe I’m overthinking it.
I’ve been down this rabbit hole with old plaster walls too, and honestly, I get where you’re coming from. Command strips have never inspired much confidence for me either, especially with anything heavier than a picture frame. I tried French cleats once for a salvaged window display—looked great, but getting them into the wall was a bit nerve-wracking. Even with a stud finder, I was never totally sure if I’d hit solid wood or just more of that mysterious crumbly void behind the plaster.
What I did end up doing was using toggle bolts, which spread the load out a bit more and seemed to disturb the wall less than big screws. Not exactly zero-impact, but at least I wasn’t patching up massive craters afterward. Still, I do wonder if all those extra holes are hurting my insulation or creating little air leaks. Anyone ever measure that? I’m probably overthinking it, but with old houses, every little draft adds up.
Toggle bolts are a solid choice for plaster, especially when you’re not sure what’s lurking behind that wall. I’ve patched up my share of Swiss cheese plaster, and honestly, a couple of small toggle holes don’t usually cause major drafts unless you’ve got dozens. If you’re worried, you can dab a bit of caulk in the hole before installing the bolt—just helps seal things up a bit. Ever try those plastic anchors with the little wings? I’ve found they’re hit or miss depending on how crumbly the plaster is. Curious if anyone’s had better luck with those?