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Millvale Tool Library Workshop Series

Hanging Objects on Walls

Organizers: Alex Clark, Rayid Ghani

February 22, 2025

Workshop Plan and Handout for Participants

– Workshop agenda and handout

Workshop Recap and Additional Video Resources

Hanging Light and Small Objects

If you’re hanging something light (small photo frame for example), you can use nails or command strips.  

This video gives you a quick overview of how to use command strips to hang a photo frame.

Hanging Medium to Heavy Objects  (Heavier frames, mirrors, shelves, TVs)

 

Step 1: Mark the spots where you want the holes

You may have to figure out spacing if you’re hanging multiple objects, or centering between two ends of a wall. For photo frames, mirrors, shelf brackets, or other objects with multiple holes, you can measure the distance between the holes or use the painters tape trick (to get the distance without a measuring tape).  Make sure the marks are level. You can use a bubble level or a laser level (both are available at the Tool Library to borrow)

Step 2: Figure out what type of wall you have 

Most common walls are either drywall with studs, drywall with brick or concrete behind, brick, cinder block, concrete, or plaster and lath. You’ll need to figure out what type of wall you’re dealing with to know what kind of screw/anchor/fastener to use and how to drill holes in it. Sometimes it’s fairly straightforward because you can see the brick or concrete or cinderblock. Other times, you have to drill a small hole into the drywall or plaster to find out what you have.

Some Tips:

 – If you knock on it and it sounds hollow, it’s likely drywall with wood studs
– If it sounds solid, it’s brick or concrete
– If you have outlets in th wall, try taking the cover off to see if you can see what type of wall it is
– You may have to drill a hole with a small drill bit. Try drilling in a spot which will be covered by what you’re planning on hanging or near the baseboard so it’ll be easy to fill.


If you have Drywall with Wood Studs:

Step 1: Find where the studs are. 
You can use a strong magnet or a stud finder to help. We have a few stud finders in the library you can borrow. Here are some good youtube videos:

Easiest Way to Hang a Heavy Picture or Mirror

How to Use a Stud Finder

How to Choose a Stud Finder | Ask This Old House


Some Tips:
– Use outlets or light switches as a guide (they are often nailed to a stud on one side.
– In new/recent construction, studs are often (not always) ~16” apart, and near door/window frames.
– it’s often a good to try a few approaches and confirm that they all point to the same answer
 
Step 2: If the marks you made in step 1 land on one of the studs you’ve identified:
You can put a screw right into the stud through the drywall. 
 
Step 3: If you can’t screw directly into a stud: 

 – you’ll need to figure out what wall anchor to use [here’s a useful video]

– drill a hole that matches the size of the anchor (both width and depth). You can use a tape measure or ruler to figure out the size of the anchor (or a drill bit gauge – we have one in the library). To figure out how deep the hole should be, measure the length of the anchor and put tape on the drill bit at that depth to help you know when to stop [here’s a useful video clip]
– insert the wall anchor into the hole
– put the screw into the anchor
 
Step 4: Now you’re ready to hand on the screw(s) you’ve just put into the wall: 
 – make sure the screws are secure by pulling on them
– hang the object
– check for stability
– check for level using a bubble of laser level
 

If you are hanging in Concrete or Brick [useful video]: 

 
 –  Instead of regular drywall anchors and screws, you can use  concreter anchors (often called Tapcons).  You’ll first need to drill a “pilot” hole (the tapcon box will have the drill bit size listed (often in fine print).
– To drill pilot holes, you can try using a regular drill but it will likely be difficult to get through the concrete. We recommend using a “hammer drill” with “masonry” drill bit. Keep in mind that hammer drill don’t take regular drill bits. They take drill bit called SDS. The tool library has both hammer drills and SDS drill bits.
– It’s ideal to not drill into the mortar but into the brick. Cinder block and some bricks are hollow in the middle so you’ll need to figure out how to drill into the solid part.

 

  

Useful Video Resources