What Are Wall Anchors, and How Are They Used for Retaining Wall Repair?
Do you have a retaining wall on your property that’s in need of repair? Are you wondering what the best course of action is to ensure the longevity and stability of the wall? If so, then it’s time for you to learn about wall anchors! Wall anchors are an incredibly effective way to perform retaining wall repair, as they provide additional support and strength where needed.
In this post, we’ll take a closer look at what exactly wall anchors are, how they work when it comes to repairing walls, and why they’re such a great choice for long-term maintenance. Read on to discover everything there is to know about these helpful devices!
What are Wall Anchors?
Have you ever noticed a retaining wall that seems to be leaning or bowing outward? This can be a dangerous situation, as the wall may collapse and cause harm to people or property. That’s where wall anchors come in. These long rods are designed to strengthen and stabilize the wall, preventing it from shifting, cracking, or collapsing.
By driving the anchor deep into the earth and tightening it to the wall, the anchors act as a support system, keeping the wall upright and secure. It’s amazing what a small piece of hardware can do to protect us and our surroundings!
When to Use Wall Anchors
When it comes to retaining walls, it’s critical to maintain their structural integrity. However, retaining walls are still susceptible to various problems that can arise over time. This could range from soil pressure to water damage, which could potentially lead to wall deterioration in the long run.
Fortunately, wall anchors are an effective solution to these issues. Usually, we recommend wall anchors and helical tiebacks for concrete retaining walls, as they provide the necessary strength and stability to overcome any problems. With the help of wall anchors, you can ensure the longevity of your retaining walls and avoid costly repairs in the future. As experts in the field, we often recommend our customers use wall anchors when faced with any retaining wall issues.
Common Types of Wall Anchors
Within the hollow and expansion categories lie many different types of wall anchors. Here are just a few of the most common kinds:
Plastic Expansion
Plastic expansion anchors are the most common type of wall anchor sold today. They typically come packaged with hardware for any wall hangings over a pound or so. As with all expansion anchors, they are only as strong as the installation material they are anchored to, making them only a slight upgrade over screws alone. For this reason, they are not a good fit for drywall and similar materials.
Threaded
For a little additional strength over what plastic expansion anchors provide, threaded wall anchors are a good option. While similar in shape and function, these anchors are a much stronger, more robust option.
As their name suggests, these wall anchors have large threads around the outer surface. Along with the pointed tip, these threads grab into the surface material to create a secure attachment point. These elements make the anchors self-starting, so no drilling is necessary to install.
Available in both nylon and metal, these anchors work well in drywall, though they do not provide the results achieved with winged and toggle anchors.
Toggles
When you need the strongest anchor possible for drywall, you can look to toggles for help. They provide the most holding strength out of the options available. There are many different types of toggle wall anchors, including:
- Traditional
- Snap
- Threaded drywall anchor
Designed for use in hollow walls, these toggles have spring-loaded metal wings or a solid bar that spreads the weight of your item across the backside of the wall material. As the toggle element needs room to spread out, these wall anchors cannot be used in solid materials.
Winged
Winged anchors function similarly to toggle bolts, but without the bulk and cost. These plastic wall anchors have wings on each side of the mounting point that fold inward for easy installation. Due to the way they are manufactured, these wings hold tight once installed, resisting folding that could allow the anchor to pull out of the wall.
How Do We Choose the Right Wall Anchors?
When we’re repairing your retaining walls, we will choose the appropriate wall anchor for your home. Based on the stability of the wall and other factors, we will decide on an anchor that will provide the best results.
Retaining Wall Repair, Made Simple
To learn more about how we utilize wall anchors to repair retaining walls, contact us today. Atlas Piers provides the most reliable residential and commercial retaining wall repair services in the industry, so you can count on us.
