How to Hang Heavy Pictures on Drywall

Our Answer

There is a wide array of hardware available to help hang a heavy picture on drywall.  However, there  are so many types of walls out there, from exposed brick to traditional drywall to surfaces covered in tile.  The materials you are attaching to definitely affects the hardware you choose to hang the picture.

The first step is to choose the right anchor.  Each type of anchor has strengths and weaknesses, but they boil down to two types: expansion anchors or hollow-wall anchors.

Expansion anchors expand when a screw or bolt is threaded into them, and they work best in thick, solid materials. Hollow-wall anchors are best used in thin materials or hollow walls, they spread in various ways once inserted – and can’t be pulled back through.

Here’s how to combine the fastener with the wall material:

• For drywall, nails are ok they should go in at a 45 degree angle.  Screws are better and should be used with a plastic anchor.  For anything heavier than 20 pounds, the fastener must go into a stud.
• For plaster, you’ll need to be careful because plaster walls can crack easily when separated from lath.  Keeping vibration to a minimum is key.  Metal toggle bolts are the wall anchors of choice for plaster.  They expand once they’re pushed through the plaster, adding support from behind.  Just like for drywall, for heavier items, drill into the stud.
• When attaching to brick or mortar walls, be sure to choose a spot in a mortar joint – the space between the brick or stone. You’ll need to use a drill with a masonry bit, and then drive a wall anchor into the hole for a screw.

The best hardware for heavy objects are molly bolts.  These combine the ease of installation of a plastic expansion anchor with much greater strength.  The largest mollys can hold up to 50 lbs.

In addition to the hardware highlighted above, one relatively gadget I really like is The Monkey Hook, an easy-to-install wall hanger that supports art weighing up to 50 pounds and can be doubled up for even heavier pieces. It was created with both residential and commercial drywall in mind, and designed to work in wall locations where there is no wall stud to latch into.

The Monkey Hook looks is a hook shaped piece of strong wire. One end is sharpened and can be easily driven into the drywall with a few twists. It then is locked in place and this heavy-duty helper is ready to display your favorite framed art and photos.

The other nice feature is that when you change your mind and decide to move your art around (and you KNOW that will happen!), The Monkey Hook leaves only a very small hole in the wall that’s easily covered with just a dab of spackling compound.