Installing a wall plug is easy, and requires very little prior knowledge. But you do you need to know what kind of wall you are working with. Its characteristics - brick, hollow, paneled, concrete - will determine what kind of wall plug we use. These small devices are used to hang just about anything around the house: clotheslines, paintings, venetian blinds, cabinets, shelves, wall lamps in the bathroom and kitchen, lamps, flowerpot stands. Learn to distinguish one kind of plug from another.

Nature of the plugs
o�The most common wall plugs are made of plastic or high-resistance nylon. They are used for most jobs around the house. The way the plugs expand or fold determines when we use one or another.
o�There is also a large variety of metal plugs. They are very resistant, and recommended for walls that are highly resistant to pressure. They can withstand a lot of weight.
o�With all of these plugs you can use screws, nuts, eyebolts and hooks.

Kinds of wall plugs
- Expanding plugs
o�The most common kind for jobs around the house. They have common characteristics, whether they are made of plastic or fibers like nylon. These are the popular white plugs or the gray Fischer type.
o�Both can be used in walls made of brick covered in cement or plaster, and in masonry materials in general.
o�With walls tile-covered walls it is better to use Fischer plugs because they have small flanges that rub against the walls of the opening and keep the plug from moving.

Installing expanding wall plugs
o�After drilling a hole, insert the plug by hitting it gently with a hammer. When you insert and tighten the screw, its wings expand against the walls of the hole, pressing so that the plug does not move. Remove dust from the drilled hole.
o�Expanding plugs made of metal come in many sizes and withstand a lot of weight. They are installed in similar fashion, but the wall must be solid and resistant. They are used in marble, granite and thick ceramics. These plugs are perfect for installing rails, antenna dishes, awnings, hammocks and pipes.

Installing plugs in paneling
o�The kind of paneling does not matter. They can be solid wood, laminated plaster or fiber-style plaster like pladur, DM boards or plywood. Once set up on a metallic or wooden structure, they leave a hollow space. It is best to use this kind of plug in walls that are at least 6 mm thick.
o�In all of these you can use wing plugs or something similar. They are generally made of plastic or fiber.
o�When use insert the screw and turn it, the plug unfolds against the inner wall. They withstand a fair amount of weight, but you must take certain precautions. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Plugs for mounting pictures
o�For frames, moldings or baseboards made of thick wood, you can use two kinds of plug: they have screws or nails incorporated in them, and both pieces are inserted at the same time.
o�The screw-style plug is installed with a screwdriver, and the nail kind requires a hammer. Beforehand you must drill a hole in the object you are going to hang on the wall. As you insert the plug and either the screw or nail, the wood piece is attached to the wall.

Ceilings
o�You can use any kind of plug but you need to know what the ceiling is made of.
o�If it is hollow, plaster or laminated plaster, you can use wing plugs. If the ceiling is solid, concrete, brick or something similar, the rest of the expanding plugs will be adequate so long as they withstand the weight of what you are trying to hang.
o�If you are hanging a lamp, the best are metal fasteners or turning plugs. You insert them straight or pressing the wings. You then pull, and the wings spread out against the inner base of the double ceiling.

Screw plugs
o�These are commonly used dry wall, wood, particleboard, plaster, laminates etc.
o�The plugs itself, made of metal, is screwed into the material and attaches firmly. The screw or hook is that inserted right into the plug. You need to know the weight of the thing you are going to hang.