What are some ways to appropriately hang things on a wall?

Question

I just moved into a new house and am at the point where I need to start hanging stuff on the walls. Most of the stuff I want to hang is around the size of a picture frame, large mirror, or diploma frame.

What are some useful tools and tips to help make sure I hang these items appropriately?

This is my first house, so I really don't know what I am doing and would like to avoid putting unnecessary holes in the wall or having my pictures fall down while I'm asleep.

I am not opposed to using nails, but am open to other options as well. Also, I am willing to invest in various gadgets, etc... that will help me do this job better.

Answer 1

Basically you need to look at two things:

1. What you are hanging (how heavy, will it sway, is it a vertical load or does it have a horizontal component)
2. What are you hanging it on (wallboard, plaster, old crappy plaster, stud wall, concrete wall, brick, stone, solid wood...)

Then you pick the right fastener at the intersection of these two.

Assuming you have a newer house, and are mostly hanging pictures, the old "nail into wallboard" will work okay. Just tilt it downward so the picture wire slides toward the wall, not toward the nailhead.

You can also use things like the 3M "command" strips, which work great if you follow the instructions and don't exceed the load. Don't be stingy with them.

Hanging heavier things like mirrors or glass picture frames, use the appropriate wall anchor for the wall, and/or nail or screw into the studs. With the right wall anchors, or rails or other structure attached to the studs, you can put an enormous load on the wall (tons) without problems.

If you have an old house like mine, don't even bother trying wall anchors into ancient crumbly plaster...find the studs. Hard-won lesson. ;)

Using a stud finder can be a bit of an art, so practice on a wall you don't care about. (Mark the edges of the stud, then drive a very fine nail into the wall board and see if you were right. Then, pull the nail and spackle the hole.) Also note that they read differently depending on what kind of wall it is.

Answer 2

This page shows a variety of options, tested for their strength and listed by the size of the hole you must make in the wall. I don't want to steal the full content of that page, nor leave you with only a link, so here's a summary of the results:

Fastener Type                Price     Hole Size    Pound Limit
---------------------------------------------------------------
Toggle Bolt (1/4" bolt)     $ 0.75       3/4"           300+
Threaded Toggle             $ 1.50       3/8"           200+
Molly Bolt (1/8" bolt)      $ 0.50       1/4"           170
Threaded Anchor (brass)     $ 1.20       3/8"           130
Threaded Anchor (plastic)   $ 0.45       3/8"           110
Plastic Anchor (medium)     $ 0.20       1/4"            80
Picture Hanger (large)      $ 0.50       1/8"            80
Picture Hanger (medium)     $ 0.20      3/32"            70
Picture Hanger (small)      $ 0.15      1/16"            60
Picture Hanger (WallBiter™) $ 0.80      3/16"           100
Wire Hanger                 $ 0.75      1/16"            50

Answer 3

People will tell you:

There are no hard and fast rules to hanging pictures.

But I think it's wise to impose some order on the items that you hang on your walls.

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Here is the best compilation of rules that I've found on the subject.

And here are some highlights:

1. Hang things where they are easiest to see and appreciate - Lower in a dining room or family room where people are usually seated and higher in a hallway where people usually stand.
   1. If you're hanging at eye level, position the center of the picture about 5’ 6” above the floor. This is the most common eye level position.
   2. The most common mistake people make is hanging their pictures way too high.
2. Get Rid of Visual Clutter - Instead of displaying every piece of art you own, ask yourself if each piece still holds the magic it once did. Think minamalist (i.e. less is more.)
3. Odd Numbers Are Even Better - For greater visual interest, show only odd numbers of pictures on a wall or in a given room...one, three, five, etc.
4. Do not saturate your public spaces with pictures of people.
   1. Stairways are a particularly good place for pictures of people.
   2. Further commentary on Yahoo! Answers.