I have a baby gate on the top of the stair. The dry wall anchors used held up for a couple of months, but now it came out loose.
What type of anchor do I need to use for this?
Drywall anchor won’t hold
drywall-anchor
Related Solutions
I almost always use the self-drilling stud solver type anchors. I find that they are tough enough to hang just about anything.
Aside from those, the only other anchors I've found that I like are the toggle-bolt type, which are more useful if you need to hang something from the ceiling.
Wood screws directly into a stud are going to be many times stronger then drywall anchors. When you have hit a stud, use a screw. When you are just in the drywall, use a drywall anchor.
Drilling out the strong wood to replace with weak plastic doesn't make any sense.
If you really wanted to just use anchors, they make metal anchors that can be driven into a stud but the description of them is:
No pre-drilling necessary - drills directly into drywall even if you hit a wood stud. Starts easier than other self-drilling drywall anchors.
I emphasized the word even.
(source: easyanchors.com)
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Best Answer
What you are using are the most basic drywall anchors available. They're inexpensive and included in many products because of that, but they aren't good for much, and wouldn't be up to the task of holding something a toddler will be climbing on (you know they will...)
Look for products that spread out or lock into place when they enter the wall. The name of the product might have the word "toggle" or "lock" or "twist". There are several brands. Here is one random example:
For the strongest hold (and also a larger hole that must be drilled in the wall) Toggle bolts are hard to beat. I use them as a last resort because I've had great luck with plastic anchors and the hole these leave is large. Of course for something as important as a stair gate, it might be worth it.