Things You'll Need:
- Joint compound
- 6-inch drywall knife
- Drywall sandpaper
- Paint the same color as the wall
- Electronic stud finder
- Pencil
- Mounting screws
- Awl
- Molly bolts (Bolts with hollow metal sleeves around them.)
- Hammer
- Screwdriver
- Electric drill
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Step 1
Remove the loose fixture by unscrewing it from the wall or just pulling it off if the screw holes are stripped. Use your drywall knife to dab joint compound over the holes and then smooth it out. Sand the area smooth after it dries (consult the compound container for drying time) then touch up with paint.
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Step 2
Adjust the position of the mounting so it's at least 2 inches from the previous screw holes. Use the electronic stud finder to locate the stud nearest to the area of the fixture. If possible, place the mounting so that at least one screw, or set of screws, will go into a stud. Hold the mounting on the wall and use a pencil to mark the position of the screw holes.
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Step 3
For screws going into a stud, drill holes slightly narrower than the screw and not quite as deep as the screw is long. For any screw holes that aren't on studs, push a hole through the drywall with the awl, then tap the Molly bolt anchor into it with the hammer. Larger molly bolts used to hang heavier items will require drilling a hole before inserting the anchor. Follow the directions on the package of molly bolts to determine the diameter of the hole.
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Step 4
Tighten the bolt at the center of the anchor. This will cause the sides of the metal sleeve to collapse and compress against the inside of the wall, pulling the flange on the outside flush against the wall. Don't overtighten. Once the anchor is secure, remove the bolt from the center, leaving the anchor in place.
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Step 5
Set the mounting in position over the holes in the wall. Insert any screws going into studs first, tightening them enough to hold the mounting in place.
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Step 6
Thread the molly bolts through the mounting and into the metal sleeves. Slowly tighten them until they are snug.
