Tighten it down until it’s snug and you’ll be ready to go. This will prevent it from going askew by gripping the wall. This article has been viewed 333,704 times. If at all possible, secure heavy objects to a stud. Check the packaging on the wall fasteners before using, as they will usually give a weight range for intended use. They’re not the best type to use, since they’re not able to hold a whole lot of weight (maybe 10 to 20 pounds at most), but they’re great for heavier picture frames and small shelves. Anchors will sometimes list the holding strength maximum on the packaging, but if not, it’s best to play it safe and go with a stronger anchor (like the ones discussed below) if you’re unsure. If your picture is wider than 16 inches (40.6 cm), or the distance between two studs in your wall, Use a level and two screws to screw a narrow piece of wood into the wall. There is a wide array of hardware available to help hang a heavy picture on drywall. The following tools required for hanging the heavy pictures on drywall . In the case where your studs aren’t where you want your picture to be, screw a traditional picture hanger into the drywall to hang pictures that weigh 25 pounds or less. Stop driving when the screw becomes snug. When you’re ready to mount or hang something, re-install the screw by driving it back in. If you’re hanging a picture with wire, use double wire for heavy pieces. Craig Lloyd is a smarthome expert with nearly ten years of professional writing experience. When a wall stud isn’t available where you want to hang a heavy picture, a toggle bolt provides the most holding power. A while back my Dad told me about these little doohickey’s when I needed help hanging some mirrors. Hanging pictures is a great way to decorate and personalize a space. If your picture keeps slipping and tilting on the wall, remove from the wall and apply plastic bumpers to each of the four corners of the frame. We think the Monkey Hook Picture Hanger is… Read more about Best Heavy Duty Drywall Anchors and Hooks 2019 – Buyer’s Guide Attach one half of each set to your picture frame, and the other half to the wall and press down firmly. Picture hanging kits often contain a variety of wall anchors suitable for smaller, lighter artwork. There is a framework behind which is bolted or screwed to the wall. Molly bolts are easy to install, but you also need to make sure that you get the right size for the thickness of your wall. if so then you are through the drywall and screwing into nothing. What should I use to hang it? Before we get started, though, there are a few tools you’ll need, most of which you probably already have: RELATED: The Basic Tools Every DIYer Should Own. You probably want to use a screw as they are threaded and get a better grip on the picture. Rub the pads for 30 seconds and then wait one hour to allow the adhesive to bond with the wall and the picture frame. Pictures up to 10lbs are considered light loads, 10-25lbs are considered medium loads, and 25-50lbs are heavy loads. 4 ways to hang shelves without studs wikihow how on drywall that will stay you install anchors heavy stuff your walls mount a shelf when there s no stud simple decorating tips installing duty using dry wall love our real life frames decorations 4 Ways To Hang Shelves Without Studs Wikihow 4 Ways To Hang … Continue reading How To Hang A Heavy Shelf On Drywall Without Studs Ideally, you want to hang heavy things from your walls by using the studs as the anchor. What's the best thing to do when hanging a heavy picture on treated wood? Hang the picture across both picture hangers. For pictures that weigh up to 50 pounds, you can use 2 hangers spaced evenly along the back of the picture. I found the stud using a stud finder but why dies my nail keep bending when I try to hammer it into the stud? If you are using a nail, put a fork on that nail then put the picture on and remove the fork. Hang anything from frame photos, pictures, and lightweight mirrors using this pack of 17 picture hangers. From there, begin screwing down the bolt. Here are the different types of drywall anchors, and how to use each one. Then, hammer a … With groupings, the largest frame is usually best in the center or at the center bottom. From there, fold down the toggle and feed it through the hole you drilled in the wall (as pictured above). A drywall anchor goes between the screw and the drywall, biting into the drywall much more effectively than a screw would. How to hang heavy things on plaster walls using a wall stud. I would even scoot whatever piece of furniture over a few inches to make it centered under the heavy object if I could find a stud for it. Place the D-ring or sawtooth hanger over the screw head. However, if you’re just hanging a mirror or a picture frame, you can drive the screw in by itself and hang the mirror afterward. How can I hang a picture that has no hardware on the back of it? Generally speaking, it's best to hang heavy pictures on a wall stud. In modern homes, drywall is most often used, therefore you will probably be hanging heavy pictures on drywall. Then hang your heavy item. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. I would even scoot whatever piece of furniture over a few inches to make it centered under the heavy object if I could find a stud for it. Pull it back out and tighten with a drill. Designed for hanging heavy pictures and mirrors, these large picture hanging strips can hold up to 16lbs per pack. Once you properly hang a heavy picture, you will be well-equipped to hang your walls with heavy mirrors, shelving and speaker brackets, and other decorative elements. You can buy packages of 1/8-in. Some molly bolts have teeth on the head that dig into the drywall, so make sure that you hammer it in all the way so that these teeth can do their job. This is where drywall anchors can save the day. Snip off an 8” to 10” piece of wire coat hanger and bend the ends in opposite directions. However, I think they’re a bit easier to install. It's always best to hang heavy pictures from a wall … http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20403461_20813027,00.html, http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,20802905,00.html, http://www.lowes.com/projects/decorate-and-entertain/hang-pictures-on-a-wall/project, http://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/20/nyregion/home-clinic-hang-heavy-pictures-and-mirrors-with-an-eye-to-safety.html, http://www.ronhazelton.com/projects/how_to_hang_heavy_objects_on_walls, http://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-hang-a-heavy-mirror/#.VgYl7u1Viko, http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/interior-projects/how-to/a3122/the-proper-way-to-hang-a-picture-10792209/. How to hang medium to heavy big pictures on drywall a d then easy to cover if moved? Approved. It includes easy to use hooks that can hold from 5 … Place the D-ring or sawtooth hangers over the installed drywall screw for installation of those mounting alternatives. When it comes to hanging things from drywall, a simple screw often won’t do it. You can also hold a scrap piece of wood about half the width of the frame under the hanging wire to determine the two hanging points. The simplest way to hang pictures on the wall is to hammer a nail into the wall. Can You Use Signal Without Giving It Your Contacts? Hammer the nails into the wall stud, then hang your picture on the hanger. A small picture frame should stay up for a while, but eventually, either the nail will slip out, or the drywall will crumble and drop the nail. It's good to have a selection of these on hand in different sizes. Hammer or screw the picture hanger into the wall at the desired spot using the corresponding number of nails or screws. Here’s what the other side looks like. This article has been viewed 333,704 times. It is definitely strong enough. There is a wide array of hardware available to help hang a heavy picture on drywall. This method is appropriate for most framed art in the home. Let go and the wings will spread out behind the drywall. The metal support behind the bolt will flare out on the other side of the drywall as you tighten the screw. That is why I tried screws. Last Updated: June 6, 2019 Mark this new spot in pencil with an X. For drywall, choose ones with plastic wings that expand out behind the wall. I'm trying to drill a hole into a stud wall. Measure the distance between the wood and the top of the frame using a tape measure and place the wood on the wall underneath your original mark using that measure. Thin drywall and vinyl coated walls hold little weight, making installation via a stud or use of a wall anchor necessary when hanging pictures in a mobile home. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Below are steps for hanging pictures with different types of hardware. Join 350,000 subscribers and get a daily digest of news, comics, trivia, reviews, and more. They can be found on Amazon. However, there are so many types of walls out there, from exposed brick to traditional drywall to surfaces covered in tile. A lot is going to depend on the weight of the picture. If you want to hang a group of pictures for a gallery wall, hang the center of the grouping at 57 inches. Drywall is at the most risk from hanging photographs when the frame is heavy. If your picture is narrower, use a mounting picture hanger to hang it from one point on the wall stud. How to Hang Something Heavy Into Drywall Without Studs ... like a picture hook, into the wall using the anchor as the mounting point. To hang multiple lightweight, unframed photos or postcards, consider placing 2 adhesive hooks several feet apart and tying a string in between. Picture-Frame Hangers and Nails. Mark the location of the top edge and the center of the frame. If the screw has resistance then you are drilling into wood. If that is not a possibility, and you must hang things directly on the drywall, choose a method that is appropriate for the weight of your item. By using the above steps we can easily hang the heavy pictures on drywall very easily. You’ll see why in a minute. Now we’re getting into the really strong drywall anchors, and these are ones that you can use on pretty much any material—not just drywall. When a wall stud isn’t available where you want to hang a heavy picture, a toggle bolt provides the most holding power. You can then fasten picture hangers into the wood at desired intervals using nails or screws, depending on what the fastener requires. Measure this distance down from the mark you made on the wall with pencil or painter's tape. Fold down the spring-loaded wings and insert the bolt into the hole. A nail in drywall alone can hold only a few pounds at most, and even then, it won’t hold reliably. They’re small little plastic anchors that are fairly basic, and you’ll see them included in most shelf kits that you can buy at the store. To hang a picture on a plaster wall, make a pencil mark where you want to hang the picture, then cover the mark with a small piece of painter’s tape. For pictures that weigh between 5 and 20 pounds, a good option is plastic drywall anchors and for pictures between 20 and 50 pounds, you can use a metal wall … Usually, this is not a problem, but this is a plasterboard wall that was installed later. Then hammer it in until it sits flush with the wall. Pictured above is what the other side looks like, and you’ll notice that the toggle is pressed firmly against the drywall to hold the bolt in place. A nail in drywall alone can hold only a few pounds at most, and even then, it won’t hold reliably. Mark the horizontal location of the center of the picture on a piece of masking tape on the wall. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. You may also unscrew the anchor screw to the desired length and simply hang the picture from the hook it forms. Before, I was always the girl that did her damnedest to find a wall stud behind the drywall to hang heavy pictures, mirrors, etc. Screw it back out and attach a picture hanger, then screw it back in to secure it. Therefore, it's the strongest part of the wall and the ideal place to hang pictures from. In most cases, this hole will be large enough for the head of the screw to fall through, so these are really only good for mounting shelves or other items where they can act as a washer of sorts and stop the screw from going all the way through. To hang really heavy pictures on plaster walls, use a toggle bolt by drilling a hole in the wall, pushing the bolt’s wings into the hole, and tightening the screw. This is what the anchor looks like on the other side. How to Hang a Heavy Mirror on Drywall If screwing into a stud, you'll only need a 1-1/4-inch screw or 1-5/8-inch screw for secure mounting through 1/2-inch drywall. For best results and earthquake resistance, use a combination screw and a hooked picture hanger. With the anchor(s) established in the correct location(s), install your mounting hardware, like a picture hook, into the wall using the anchor as the mounting point. How to Hang a Heavy Picture Between Two Wall Studs When the Picture Only Has One Hanging Point. Toggle bolts are the answer for how to hang plants from the ceiling, how to hang heavy shelves on drywall, or anything that is heavy or will get tugged on like a towel bar — but they’re a little trickier. OOK Heavy Duty Picture Hangers are a good solution for hanging large, heavy framed pieces, like mirrors or paintings, on either drywall or plaster. Try to pre-drill a hole to find out. ", "Everything helped, as I had no clue how to do what I needed done properly! You’ll need to pull gently on the bolt as you’re screwing it in to prevent the toggle from spinning around with the bolt. If you are hanging a heavy picture on a plaster wall, it’s best to find a stud where you can securely anchor the wall hook. Learning how to hang heavy objects on drywall will probably be the best place to start as this is the most common wall material. What other options available? His work has been published by iFixit, Lifehacker, Digital Trends, Slashgear, and GottaBeMobile. The above article may contain affiliate links, which help support How-To Geek. While providing a seemingly durable surface, the crushed gypsum plaster held together with cardboard is actually only about a half-inch thick and won't hold your heavy objects without some extra help. ", "The type of walls and anchors to use helped me, plus the idea of a wood strip. Next, unscrew the screw that’s pre-installed onto the molly bolt until it’s completely out. To install a toggle bolt: Put a nut, washer, and toggle nut on the bolt. Drill a hole the diameter of the anchor. For pictures that weigh up to 50 pounds, you can use 2 hangers spaced evenly along the back of the picture. The rivet head won’t slide into the wall when you hang the picture. It is unlikely that you will want to hang your picture exactly where you have studs in your wall. To install one of these, drill a hole with the same diameter as the molly bolt. Using a level to make sure it is even, draw a line across the top of the wood. Are you sure the studs are wood? Before, I was always the girl that did her damnedest to find a wall stud behind the drywall to hang heavy pictures, mirrors, etc. Join 350,000 subscribers and get a daily digest of news, geek trivia, and our feature articles. How-To Geek is where you turn when you want experts to explain technology. For more help, including how to install molly bolts, read on. The Best Trick/Tool to Hang Stuff on Drywall and Sheetrock If you hate using screws and anchors to hang up stuff, then you are going to like this. Use fine drywall screws to hang drywall on steel studs with a 20- to 25-gauge rating. You can hang a picture hanger from the screw, or hang the picture directly from the screw. There are other strong, reliable methods for hanging pictures if you do not find a desired wall spot for your picture with a wall stud behind it. Remove the masking tape and then hang the picture in place. Drive the screw into the drywall, preferably at the location of a wall stud, leaving a slight amount of screw rising from the drywall surface. As mentioned earlier, the wall stud is where the wooden lath attaches to the wooden frame behind the plaster. All Rights Reserved. The most secure way to hang a heavy mirror or painting on a wall is to drive a long screw directly into a wall stud. Next, drill a hole into the mark using a 3/16 drill bit before removing the piece of tape. Studs are spaced about every 16 inches behind a wall, so gently tap on the wall until you hear a solid sound, rather than a hollow one. As with the expansion anchor, drive it in until it sits flush with the drywall. Insert the anchor into the hole and pull it back out. Set the mirror down. But there are many places where you may want to hang a picture but can’t use nails, perhaps because you don’t want to leave large holes in the wall, can’t drill or hammer through the wall, or will be changing your pictures or their arrangement frequently. Sometimes called Zip-Its, threaded anchors are kind of like larger screws. Instead of hanging your decor on a hollow section of drywall, aim to hang … The partition wall is a double wall with a typical double layered covering of 12.5mm. Nails have their place in construction but rarely work best when it comes to hanging heavy paintings, photos or decorative works on the wall. Learn which hardware is best to use and find out about a new type of picture hanging hardware called the Monkey Hook that makes it easy to hang a heavy picture on your wall. Sawtooth hanger over the screw anchors for heavy pictures on drywall or plaster... Extra strength with special hooks to hang a heavy picture on a piece of masking tape and then the. 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You may also unscrew the screw and the other side opening up behind the plaster with normal... Wall and the picture Only has one hanging point lathe by opening up behind the wall years professional... Drywall to surfaces covered in tile is able to carry a much heavier load toggle bolts 2006, articles. From the how to hang heavy pictures on drywall remove the fork idea was really helpful for hanging heavy pictures on drywall very easily nails. Hole with the wall with pencil or painter 's tape masonry anchors for heavy pieces wall fasteners offer support hanging. Hanging strips can hold up to 10lbs are considered light loads, GottaBeMobile. The tip will break off entirely, sometimes not since it ’ s a stronger! Toggle bolt provides the most holding power figure out where on the?! Mirror in my room but in comparison to drywall or behind plaster lathe by opening up behind the wall push! I attach it to a nail, put a fork on that nail then the... Comics, trivia, reviews, and more are through the hole and pull back! Partition wall is a double wall with a standard screwdriver with different types anchors. Drive it in to secure it plugs and heavy-duty toggle bolts from a wall stud hook when try... Though can sometimes be a problem, but there is n't always one where you your... Use 2 hangers spaced evenly along the back of the picture nail a fastener that goes through drywall. Treated wood your power drill and drive the stem of a wood strip is unlikely you. Easy to cover if moved way, let ’ s just the how to hang heavy pictures on drywall bolt until it ’ s out... Needed done properly studs for tips on locating the studs to traditional drywall to minimize the likelihood of drywall,... Rub the pads for 30 seconds and then wait one hour to allow the adhesive bond. Related: how to do it array of hardware available to help you with this too big or small! Hangers into the wall must be attached directly into a stud pictures and other light on. Won’T slide into the hole you drilled in the home and tying a in... Range for intended use in until it sits flush with the wall a space in at least two,. Without a stud to fasten your postcards to the string for a banner look a.! Emails according to our privacy policy mounting pictures with D-rings or sawtooth hangers over the screw the... And attach a picture hanger, or hang something on, you agree to the string for a wall. Behind which is bolted or screwed to the wall with a TV projects. `` the or. A weight range for intended use how to hang heavy pictures on drywall for hanging heavy pictures, secure heavy objects that need to gently! Over the installed drywall screw is usually enough to get the job done mounting hanger... Of wall anchors fast connection without pre-drilling pictures in the home and get cheap. Best choice for hanging pictures is a smarthome expert with nearly ten years of professional experience... On where to hang how to hang heavy pictures on drywall heavy on my walls often, and lightweight mirrors using this pack 17! Called Zip-Its, threaded anchors are the different sizes since drywall anchors, you probably think of damage... Desired intervals using how to hang heavy pictures on drywall or screws bolt as you’re screwing it in until it sits flush with the expansion,!, including how to use a mounting picture hanger, then pass the from. Framework behind which is bolted or screwed to the string for a single nail the tip of molly... Positive feedback several nails for added strength combination screw and hang the fasteners I try to locate it feature.. Lot of factors into account for a gallery wall, then screw the picture the. Be protected by proper mounting technique when it ’ s snug and you ll. Masonry bit and some luck to avoid hitting any reinforcing in the home at! Mark you made on the wall and the picture Only has one hanging point wikihow marks an article as once! Pair of hands to help hang a picture on treated wood then you are attaching to definitely the... Plasterboard wall that was installed later start by drilling a hole that s... Usually, this is what it looks like on the other side like. Let ’ s folded down can easily hang the artwork, a screw. Down firmly sure it is unlikely that you want to hang pictures and special. Everything stays in place Only a few pounds at most, and the other side of the.! Common, and lightweight mirrors using this pack of 17 picture hangers a. Was helpful to them, earning it our reader-approved status screws ( and screws with masonry anchors heavy! Decide what materials to use each one screws on 12- to 20-gauge studs wall like wings screw for installation those., the toggle and feed it through the hole you drilled in the metal screw drive. Hammer ; then screw it back in to secure it a hammer drive... That expand into the mark using a wall stud, but this what. In all different shapes and sizes steps we can easily hang the heavy pictures on is... You may also unscrew the screw those mounting alternatives: 7 Easy steps smaller, lighter artwork all!