If you prefer to get your information in video format, please see the links to my video explanations on this topic included at the end of the article.
So you have an adobe home, and you’re wondering: how do I hang anything on my walls? Adobe is so crumbly! Is it even possible? The answer is yes, it is certainly possible to hang even heavy items like a microwave or a TV! This article assumes you know the general process used to hang the items you need to hang - below I detail the tweaks to that process to ensure your attachment is secured properly into adobe specifically.
Please note that this method is specifically geared towards mud adobe homes, the traditional adobe that typically comes to mind when you think “adobe house”. However, the same steps should work for burnt adobe as well, the type that looks more like regular brick. For more on the difference between these two types of adobe, check out this explanation from Adobe Masters.
The first key to mounting anything in mud adobe is to use a specific type of anchor: the one pictured below. I’m not exactly sure what the official name of it is. “Plastic expanding screw anchor for masonry” is what I would tell the person at Ace Hardware if I were trying to locate it. We’re going to call them adobe wall anchors.
These are the best anchors I have found for attaching anything to an adobe wall.
You can find these at any Ace Hardware in Tucson, in the loose hardware bins section. The anchors come in a variety of colors, which indicate the diameter size and therefore what size screw you would use with the anchor. At Ace they will either have the recommended screw size indicated on the bin label, or an associate there can help you. They come in different lengths as well, but can be trimmed to the length you need with a sharp utility knife. I have not had success locating these at Home Depot or Lowe’s, but I also have not looked very hard. Amazon also carries them here if you would like to purchase them online.
Below is a photo of a variety of wall anchor types. On the right is a selection of the adobe wall anchors, and on the left is a selection of traditional wall anchors. The reason the adobe wall anchors are superior for crumbly adobe is because as you drive in a screw the anchors expand radially, rather than in just two or three directions like the traditional wall anchors. This ensures that the anchor has the largest surface area in contact with the hole you’ve made, thus providing the most friction and best prevention against pull-out. (I majored in physics in college if you can’t tell!)
Traditional wall anchors on the left, and a selection of adobe wall anchors on the right.
The second key to successfully mounting to your adobe wall is the size of the hole. Manufacturers of wall anchors often tell you what size hole to drill so that the anchor slides easily but snugly into the hole. Ignore that information. You want to make the smallest hole possible and tap the anchor into place with a hammer or mallet. The more crumbly your adobe is the more important this step is. Start with a drill bit that you think will be too small, as you may be surprised how much extra material comes out when you drill.
By the way, I would use a masonry bit since adobe is a type of brick. However, in a pinch you could probably get away with a standard spiral drill bit if you have fairly soft adobe. Once you’ve drilled the hole, I recommend vacuuming out the dust in the hole before tapping in the anchor. Or you can do what I do if it’s just one or two holes and blow out the dust with a sharp breath, but be prepared to taste and spit some adobe dust if you go that route.
The final piece of advice I would give you, if you are trying to hang something heavy, is use the largest anchors you can find, with appropriately large screws, and as many as possible within reason. My local Ace carries gray adobe wall anchors about 3 inches in length, which are the largest I could find. When mounting my microwave I believe I used about 9 of these anchors in a grid. For my TV I used 3 anchors, per the mounting plate I had. The Amazon link above says they sell anchors for use with screw sizes #4-#16. I would try to use at least #12 screws if you are mounting something very heavy.
Video Links: I hope this article was helpful to you. If you would like to see a short video of this process, please see this clip on my Instagram or Facebook. If you would like to see the process with the in-depth explanation as detailed in this article, check out my longer video on Instagram or Facebook.
Thank you for being here! If you have further questions on this topic or others, feel free to email me at mira@mfcustomworks.com. I would be honored to help you succeed in making your adobe house a home. If you would prefer to hire someone to tackle this project for you, please reach out to us.
