How To Hang Heavy Pictures On Lath And Plaster Walls

If the pictures are small and equipped with a wire on the back use a small picture hook and nail.

How to hang heavy pictures on lath and plaster walls. Hanging things on plaster walls is easy if you have a drill and screws. How to hang heavy things on plaster walls using a wall stud. Plaster walls have a tendency to crack and crumble if you attempt to hammer a nail directly into the wall. Hanging pictures on plaster walls with picture rails standard picture hanger hooks also known as j shaped metal hooks work well when hanging pictures on plaster walls.

Even more so if you live in an old house with plaster and lath walls. Simply hanging something heavy on a plaster wall can result in damage to the wall and the object if you don t tap into the supporting structure behind the plaster. Though there are several methods of locating studs or supports behind the wall the most reliable is using a magnetic stud finder. You may not notice the damage but as plaster comes loose from the lath it will eventually begin to sag and soon fall off the wall if the sagging continues unchecked.

Make sure you leave half an inch out of the wall so you have space to hang your artwork. Screws and screws with masonry anchors for heavy items are your best choice for hanging things on plaster walls without picture rail. Adhesive picture hooks are the best way to prevent damage when hanging a picture but pre drilling the hole will usually prevent cracks and chips from forming as well. They come in various sizes and can hold up to 100 pounds.

The best option mostly. Therefore it s the strongest part of the wall and the ideal place to hang pictures from. Generally speaking it s best to hang heavy pictures on a wall stud. As mentioned earlier the wall stud is where the wooden lath attaches to the wooden frame behind the plaster.

Hanging heavy objects on the wall can be tricky and with all the options available out there downright confusing. All you need to do is pre drill a hole slightly narrower than your screws then use the drill to drive a screw into the hole.