Handyman Loves Toggle Bolts
To a handyman, toggle bolts solve many problems. They are fantastic for holding things to drywall where there is no wall stud to mount into. Ideally, you want to install into a wall stud, but if none exists where you need it, a toggle bolt is just the ticket.
Toggle bolts are perfect for jobs like installing toilet paper holders, towel bars, and towel rings to the wall. Really most things that need to stick to the wall, but don’t require a stud to support weight. Things that support some weight are not good candidates for toggle bolts as theoretically, they could pull out of the wall under those conditions.
You will need to select the right size of toggle bolt, and that usually means looking at the holes in the bracket and considering the function.
Remove the toggle from the end of the bolt and push it through the bracket you are installing. Place the toggle back on the end, but thread it just enough that it stays on the end of the bolt and doesn’t fall off. If you screw it too far onto the bolt, the wings of the toggle may not open far enough for the toggle to engage. Drill a hole large enough for the toggle to fit through. If the hole isn’t quite big enough, you push and twist it through.
You should hear the wings of the toggle spring open once they clear the back of the wall. Now you have to tighten the bolt and draw the bracket to the wall. It helps to pull the bracket away from the wall as you tighten the bolt. This will keep the toggle engaged to the back of the wall and make securing it easy.