Dowel "butterfly" For Drywall (23 Photos): Metal Fasteners And Fastening Dimensions, Anchor And Nail On Drywall

For many years now, drywall has been one of the leading wall cladding materials. And for the finish to be of high quality, it is important to choose the right fasteners for such material.

There is a huge selection of self-tapping screws on the modern market, but the butterfly dowel is especially popular among them.

Features of the

The butterfly dowel is a fairly simple device that used for fixing curtain rods, skirting boards, brackets, wall cabinets or lamps on a drywall sheet.

It is a self-tapping screw, supplemented with a plastic element that looks like butterfly wings. It is thanks to this that the fasteners got their name. When twisting the dowel, the "wings" are spread and pressed tightly against the back surface of the drywall sheet. Due to this, the load on the sheet is distributed more evenly. This significantly reduces the risk of material damage during installation work.

Specifications

The design of the fastener assumes the presence of a ribbed surface, which prevents the dowel from twisting and folding. And the inner lugs located on the head of the fastener give the finished structure additional stability and strength.

By the way, "Butterfly" is used for work not only with drywall, but also with sheets of chipboard and gypsum fiber board … However, most of all, such an element is suitable precisely for working with drywall. The thickness of the sheet can be single - 10-12 millimeters or double - 20-24 millimeters.

The main types of fasteners

Consider two types of butterfly dowels, depending on the material from which they are made:

Metallic … This type of fastener is the strongest, most durable and practical. The dowel is able to easily withstand huge loads (hundreds of kilograms). Do not be afraid that the part will rust over time. After all, manufacturers treat the product with a special composition against corrosion. However, the metal version still has one drawback. This is its rather high cost. But if you compare the price with all the advantages of such a purchase, then it no longer looks so big.
Plastic or nylon … These are the most modern options for dowels today. They are also durable, but lightweight. Fasteners made of plastic joints are easy to find on sale, and their cost is affordable for everyone. However, resistance to heavy loads and mechanical damage is undoubtedly lower than that of metal counterparts.

There are several more types of such fasteners, depending on their size and purpose.

Dowel "butterfly" 8x28

This is the smallest type of fastener, which is characterized by good quality, availability and budget cost. Suitable for lightweight structures and light loads.

When using such elements, it should be remembered that self-tapping screws do not come with them, they will have to be purchased separately.

Get the 3.5x35 mm version. The self-tapping screw can be galvanized or not. The choice depends on whether the element will be placed in a conspicuous place.

For work, use a drill with a diameter of 8 millimeters.

Then squeeze the “butterfly” with your fingers and place it in the prepared hole until it stops. Next, fasten the self-tapping screw of the required length. As a result, you will have a reliable design that can withstand a load of no more than 16 kilograms.

Dowel "butterfly" 10x50

This version of the fastener differs markedly from the previous one. Its spacer parts are much larger, and there are also a pair of special "tongues" inside them, which provide additional reliability when attaching the anchor. This is the most common type of butterfly dowel available on the market today.

It is made from nylon, polypropylene, and even polyethylene. It is important that the fasteners are not too rigid, but rather resilient.… So it will definitely not break during the installation process.

This type of dowel can easily withstand a load of 24 kilograms, so it is perfect for fixing wall cabinets and shelves.

The installation method of this element is similar to the previous version. However, larger screws should be purchased for it. By the way, if you need a smaller dowel, try to order a 6x40 part.

Universal dowel

Also such fasteners are called - dowel-nail "butterfly" for drywall. Similar items can be used not only for sheet materials, but also for solid materials … Since this type of anchor is versatile, it has earned great popularity. Nylon options are especially in demand due to the elasticity of the material. The length and diameter of the universal dowel can be different. This means that you can easily find a suitable option for yourself.

However, you should not use this fastener for heavy overall structures.… If you need a secure fit, we advise you to purchase more durable elements, such as metal. But it is also extremely important to choose the right length of the self-tapping screw so that it does not damage the material and ensures maximum structural strength.

What is the maximum load?

According to the promises of the manufacturers, the dowel-nail "butterfly" withstands a maximum load of 28 kg … However, the recommended load for the fasteners is approximately twenty kilograms.

Benefits

The popularity of this fastener in modern finishing works is explained by its several advantages:

Versatility … Today in any store you will find a dowel as an independent product, as well as an addition to a self-tapping screw. This means that, if necessary, you can easily replace the threaded part with hangers or a ring.
Fixing reliability … This quality is achieved by the design feature of the fastener, which implies the presence of a ribbed surface. There is no doubt that the dowel will be securely fixed in the gypsum board.
Providing extra rigidity … If you screw in the butterfly anchor, its legs will spread apart. Due to this, additional rigidity of the entire structure is achieved, which is especially important when working with gypsum board from two layers.

Simplicity of installation work … You can easily cope with this type of fastener, even if you do not have a lot of experience in construction and finishing work.
Long period of use … The 12mm plastic dowel can be used several times. It is very convenient and saves time and money.
Availability … You do not have to search for the required anchor for a long time. "Butterflies" today are easy to find in any hardware store.

disadvantages

Usually, among the minuses of this type of fastener, in comparison with others, there is a small load that the "butterfly" can withstand.

Tips & Tricks

If you have never encountered installation and finishing work, then it is best to entrust this work to professionals. They get the job done quickly and you don't have to redo anything. And for those who decided to install the fasteners on their own, it is important to know a few basic points that will significantly affect the efficiency and the final result of your work.

Hammer in the butterfly dowel. It is not enough to simply screw in the anchor as it can dangle in the hole without being secured tightly enough.
Observe optimal dimensions. If you make too large a hole in the drywall sheet, then the fasteners will not hold well and will not bring the necessary benefit.
Keep track of the thickness of the sheet. "Butterfly" works great on products with a thickness of less than five millimeters. For larger structures, a different fastener should be selected. At the very least, it should be longer.
Leave enough space behind the plasterboard. Remember that there must be at least thirty-five millimeters of free space behind the drywall sheet. Only in this way will you be able to optimally tighten the anchor by pressing the stop.
Use a regular screwdriver. Take the time to put the powerful drill aside. Since high turns of technology can easily damage the plastic edges of the stop. While a screwdriver will not harm them at all.

The "butterfly" dowel for work on drywall is one of the most effective and modern types of fasteners. Experts note that this type of anchor can compete with reliable metal fasteners. And in some cases even surpasses them.

In the next video, see how to use the butterfly dowel.