Plaster walls have a tendency to crack and crumble if you try to nail them directly. Using adhesive painting hooks is the best way to prevent damage when hanging paintings, but punching holes in the wall first will also prevent cracks and debris from forming. The best choice depends on the weight of the relevant painting.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Light Weight Painting
Step 1. Weigh the painting
For this purpose, a painting is considered light if it weighs 2.25 kg or less.
Also consider the standard humidity of the room when choosing this method. If the room is often damp and the walls are often wet, then this method will not work well, as the moisture will cause the adhesive to break down faster
Step 2. Clean and dry the walls
Before applying the adhesive to the plaster wall, you need to clean the surface of the plaster wall to remove oil and dirt. Dry the plaster wall completely when you're done.
- Adhesive glue won't stick to rough, dirty, or damp surfaces.
- Drying the walls completely is important for adhesives, but plaster walls are also somewhat absorbent, so mold and similar problems can occur if you leave the walls damp. So, drying the walls after washing them is just as important.
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There are several ways you can do to clean plaster walls, but the simplest way is to use warm water and mild liquid dish soap.
- Soak a soft washcloth in warm water, then apply a small amount of mild dish soap to the rag. Rub the soap so that a little foam appears on the rag.
- Scrub the wall with the soapy rag. Gently rub in a circular motion.
- Rinse the cloth in warm water, then use it to wipe off any soap residue on the wall.
- Use a soft, dry washcloth to wipe the moisture off the wall, using a circular motion. Do it thoroughly as much as possible.
Step 3. Choose a self-adhesive hook
A simple self-adhesive painting hook is enough to hang a light painting, but these hooks come in different shapes and sizes. If you choose one, look at the front or back of the package to see if the hook you choose is strong enough to support the weight of the painting.
- Pay attention to the side of the knot or painting wire hanging from the back of the painting frame. You should try to choose the thickness of the hook so that it fits snugly through the knot or wire.
- A very light painting without a frame hanging on the wall is nothing but a piece of painting with double-sided adhesive tape. Similarly, a rather light painting without a frame can be hung directly with a rectangular adhesive (adhesive square) instead of using a hook. However, if you want to be safe, using a painting hook is still the thing to do for most conditions.
Step 4. Attach the self-adhesive painting hook to the wall
One side of the adhesive rectangle is labeled “wall side”, while the other side is labeled “hook side”, “picture side,” or something similar. Adhere the adhesive part with the wall-side label to the wall, then press the hook against the hook-side label.
- Attach the hook to the wall at the location of the knot or wire painting to be attached.
- If the painting hooks are too thick to fit through the knots hanging from the back of the frame, then consider installing two hooks on the wall where the bottom edge of the painting will rest. These two hooks need to be positioned horizontally, and the distance between them should be slightly narrower than the width of the bottom of the painting.
Step 5. Hang the painting
If the hook is in place, then all you need to do is attach the painting knot that is on the back of the frame on the wall hook.
- If you use two hooks instead of one, you will use the two hooks like a shelf by leaning the bottom of the painting on top of the hooks.
- This step should complete the whole process.
Method 2 of 2: Medium to Heavy Painting
Step 1. Decide where to hang the painting
If you're hanging a heavy painting, you'll need to locate the bolts on the wall and hang the painting there. However, for most medium-weight paintings, you can use almost any space on the wall.
- If you already know where to hang the painting, use a tape measure to determine where to place the bolts. Measure where the knot of the painting is behind the frame, then measure the same size on the wall.
- After determining where the bolt is located, mark the location with the letter “X” using a pencil.
Step 2. Adhere the painter's tape to the mark
Tear off some of the mural adhesive and make a hole in the center using the tip of a pencil. Tape the tape to the wall so that this hole is at the “X” mark on the wall.
The mural adhesive will provide additional guidance when you drill holes in the wall
Step 3. Glue a small amount of adhesive under the hole
Tear off the mural adhesive slightly longer and fold it in half, with the non-stick side folded. Glue half of this tape to the wall, slightly below the “X” mark.
- The other half of the adhesive should be perpendicular to the wall, with the sticky side facing up. The adhesive on these fake shelves should catch the dust and debris that builds up when you punch holes in the wall, making the cleaning process much easier later on. Actually, this step is not completely necessary, but it can be a big help.
- This adhesive rack is 10 cm long and is positioned about 5 cm below the wall opening.
Step 4. Carefully punch holes in the plaster wall
Check the instructions on the back of the bolt and nut package to determine how big the drill bit is. Then, use this drill bit on an electric drill to make a hole at the “X” in the wall.
- For an average set of wall nuts, you will usually need 1 4,763 mm drill bit.
- The drill bit usually needs to be smaller than the nut to be used. Again, though, it's best to follow the recommendations on the back of the wall nut package when choosing the right drill bit.
- The drill will stop moving on the inside when it hits the back of the plaster wall. If the drill starts to move slower somewhere, it's likely that you hit the wood slats under the plaster. You can drill into this layer without causing any damage, but you should stop drilling when you feel it.
- Make the hole as straight and smooth as possible. The side of the hole must be the same size as the drill bit and cannot be larger.
Step 5. Attach the nut with a hammer to the wall
Place the nut directly into the hole in the wall. Insert the nut into the hole, simply using a push to insert it without bending the bur or cracking the wall.
- Remove the adhesive covering the hole before screwing the nut into it.
- If the hole is not large enough, the plastic nut will warp. If the nut starts to warp, you'll need to remove it and make a slightly larger hole. The nut needs to be screwed tight and straight inside the wall.
- Note that the nut must also be flush with the wall.
- A wall nut consists of a sleeve that expands inside the wall when you screw it into it. As a result, the bolt will be installed more securely in the wall. This sleeve also minimizes the amount of stress on the plaster wall.
- Plastic nuts are one of the most common and are usually sufficient for this job. Note that there are also nuts made of fiber, wood, and metal, so you have a range of options to choose from.
Step 6. Install the bolt into the nut
Insert the bolt into the nut hole and use a screwdriver to turn and tighten it. However, do not let the bolt head flush with the wall. Instead, let a bit of the bolt stick out.
- Since using a screwdriver requires a lot of force, you can use a drill instead. Make sure you have the right size drill bit and go slowly so that the bolt doesn't go too deep into the wall.
- The bolts should protrude from the wall about 1.25 cm.
Step 7. Clean the area
Gently fold the adhesive rack to collect the dust, then throw it all away. Wipe dust off walls or floors.
- Most of the dust and debris should stick to the adhesive. Fold the adhesive inward, so that the dust is covered by the sticky side of the adhesive. If you work carefully, you can avoid splintering all over the place.
- Use a dry cloth to wipe the dust off the walls and use a broom or vacuum cleaner to clean the dirt on the floor.
Step 8. Hang the painting
The bolts should be able to support the painting by now. Rest the wire or knot at the back of the frame against the attached wall bolt.
