It can be a bit tricky to fasten pictures and shelves to your walls, particularly if the item you are hanging is heavy or needs to hold a heavy load. Drywall has limited strength and the studs in the wall just never seem to line up with the spot you want to hang something on. Fortunately there are a number of clever and useful hangers that can solve most any hanging problem. The option you choose will depend on the type of hanging and the weight involved.
Wall Anchors The best situation is to have a screw or nail firmly driven into a stud. But most of the time there won’t be a stud conveniently where you need one and you will have to depend on the drywall. Remember that hanging items like a towel bar or shelf requires much stronger anchors to prevent pullout, as opposed to pictures where the weight pulls straight down.
- For a light weight picture, up to 10lbs, the anchor can be as simple as a nail driven into the drywall. (When you use a nail be sure to angle if downward so it is less likely to tear out.) For weightier matters you will want to choose a drywall anchor.
- Another choice for lighter pictures up to 4lbs is removable adhesive like Command Strips. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes. And the best part is that when you can easily pull it off the wall later without even leaving a mark.
- Wire hangers are thin, spring steel wires with a sharpened pint that you push through the drywall into the wall cavity until it locks in place. They hold up to 50lbs.
- Expansion anchors work by expanding when a screw or bolt is threaded into them. They can hold up to 60lbs but they are only as strong as the material they are installed in.
- Self-tapping threaded anchors hold up to 100lbs. They’re suitable for attaching all but the heaviest pictures to drywall.
- Anchors that spread out behind the wall like toggle or molly bolts provide the most holding power and help keep plaster from cracking. They can hold up to 250lbs.
Picture Hangers – Traditional metal picture hooks work well and can hold up to 100lbs. Great for lightweight picture frames fitted with wire and you can use two for heavier pictures. Screws or nails are a better choice for sawtooth holders and D-rings hangers.
Routed Keyhole Slots – If you have access to a router you can route a keyhole slot in your frame and then slide it directly on a screw anchored in the wall. The weight capacity is determined by the anchor you use. One big advantage is that your picture or shelf will hug the wall.
Cleats – A French cleat uses matching moldings with a 30-45 degree slope that lock together with the weight of the object being hung. Great for very heavy items like cabinets. Easy to install and can usually be secured directly to studs. Picture rails are molding installed across a wall so hooks or wires can be used to support multiple pictures. Once installed you can easily rearrange or add pictures with making more holes in the wall.
Read the packages and do some research. With the right hardware you can hang with confidence.
