A wall plug (UK English),[notes 1] also known as an anchor (US) or "Rawlplug" (UK), is a fibre or plastic (originally wood) insert used to enable the attachment of a screw in material that is porous or brittle or that would otherwise not support the weight of the object attached with the screw.[1][2] It is a type of anchor that, for example, allows screws to be fitted into masonry walls.
There are many forms of wall plug, but the most common principle is to use a tapered tube of soft material, such as plastic. This is inserted loosely into a drilled hole, then a screw is tightened into the centre. As the screw enters the plug, the soft material of the plug expands conforming tightly to the wall material. Such anchors can attach one object to another in situations where screws, nails, adhesives, or other simple fasteners are either impractical or ineffective. Different types have different levels of strength and can be used on different types of surfaces.
Expansion Anchors,
These are often called "lead anchors" or "plastic anchors", and are used as follows:[6]
Drill a hole the same size as the anchor body.
Push the anchor to its full depth in the hole.
Insert the screw through the item being fastened and screw it into the anchor tightly.