How to Hang Wall Art and Decor in Seconds

How to Hang Art and Wall Decor in Second

Most people with any handy man experience often view the task of hanging an item on a wall as an easy task. However, a lot of people don’t know how to properly complete the task and often either lack the confidence to do it themselves or don’t do it correctly. The truth is that hanging an item on a wall is relatively easy once you know how to do it properly and if you have the necessary tools.  I’ve outlined 4 different methods for hanging; from the common stud method to various ‘stud-less’ alternatives that literally take seconds to use.

1. Nail/Stud

The first step to hanging an object, whether it’s a piece of art, a clock or a mirror, is deciding where exactly in your home you want the object to hang. Once you have made that decision it is essential to locate the studs in your wall. Studs are simply vertical running 2×4’s that make up the structure and support of your home’s walls. I’m going to give you a couple of different methods for finding those studs. The first and easiest is to use what is aptly named a “stud finder” (insert egotistical joke here). A stud finder is a handheld battery operated device that when held against and ran over a wall will beep when it is in front of a stud. A helpful tip is that most studs are typically 16 inches apart, so when using the stud finder the beeping should occur roughly every 16 inches. Once your stud finder has beeped, you should mark it with a pencil and then use a hammer and a small nail to make sure the stud is in fact there. One thing to keep in mind is that if you have an older home, you may not have drywall. Instead, you might be dealing with plaster walls. If that is the case, a stud finder won’t always give accurate feedback. Without a stud finder, you may be forced to use the hammer and nail method, which is done by simply hammering the nail in until you are able to locate the stud. You will know you have located the stud because it will feel much more solid than the areas between studs when hammering your nail. Again it is best to use a small nail so that you don’t leave big holes in your wall during the process of locating your stud.

Now, if you have located a stud you can go ahead and hang pretty much anything on that stud by either screwing or nailing into it. Hanging an object on a stud is obviously pretty straightforward, where people get intimidated and uncertain of what to do is when they have a desire to hang an object in a certain location but that spot doesn’t have a stud to hang from. No worries, I’m going to give you a few easy methods for hanging without the necessity of studs.

2. Monkey Hook

A Monkey Hook seems to be a little known method of hanging items but it is probably the easiest and requires virtually zero additional tools. Monkey Hooks are essentially just a bent piece of sturdy wire. Simply take the Monkey Hook and shove the pointed end of the wire through the drywall. Once you have broken through, just feed the hook into the wall until just the hanging portion is protruding and you are done. Monkey Hooks are great but are limited to lower weights, although the heaviest duty Monkey Hooks claim to be able to hold up to 50lbs.

3. Expanding Sheetrock Anchor

Expanding Sheetrock Anchors are also an option but require a couple more tools in order to use. For these, you will need a drill, a properly sized drill bit, a screwdriver and a hammer. Sheetrock Anchors will have the weight capacity listed on the packaging and it should also list what size drill bit you will need. Sheetrock anchor packages contain the anchor and also the screw to go into the anchor so you won’t need to worry about what screws to get. Once you have everything you need start by marking where you want to hang your item. After you have marked it out, take your drill and designated drill bit and drill a hole in the wall. Take a hammer and gently pound the sheetrock anchor into the hole that you just drilled out. Once the sheetrock anchor is in, you can screw into it and you are ready to hang.

4. Toggle Bolt

Toggle bolts are very similar to sheetrock anchors as far as the tools you will need, but they are far sturdier. I would recommend these if you are hanging anything over 50lbs. With toggle bolts the packaging will tell you the weight capacity and the drill bit size needed. For hanging an item you will want to be sure to choose a toggle bolt with a hook on the end as many toggle bolts don’t have hooks on them. Just like with the expanding sheetrock anchors, you will need to drill into the wall with the desired drill bit. Once that is complete shove the winged portion of the toggle bolt through the hole, then screw the bolt in until you feel it tighten. Sometimes you need to simultaneously pull on the bolt as you screw it in, in order for the bolt to tighten.

Hopefully you should be able to tackle hanging any object in your home now but if you have any further questions we would be happy to answer them for you. Until next time, Happy Hanging!

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