How to hang heavy pieces of art on drywall
If your artwork is over 20 lbs, then it will need proper reinforcement. Otherwise, it may come crashing down after hanging it. Once you learn how to hang heavy pieces of art on drywall, you will also be able to add shelving, mirrors, and other heavy decorative items. There are steps to help you learn how to hang up that hefty piece of artwork.
Preparing Your Artwork
Certain hardware pieces will be needed depending on the weight of your artwork. So the first step you will need to take is weighing your art. You can use a regular bathroom scale to determine the weight.
- Up to 10 lbs = light load
- 10 – 25 lbs = medium load
- 25 – 50 lbs = heavy load
Once you weigh the art piece, you’ll be able to purchase the proper wall fasteners and tools.
Hanging Your Artwork
If you haven’t already decided on where to hang the artwork, a good rule of thumb is to hang it at eye-level. It’s also highly recommended to hand heavy artwork on a stud. You can use a stud finder to find a wall stud, but if you don’t already have one handy, you can gently tap on the wall until the hollow sound becomes a solid sound.
- If your artwork is wider than the length between two studs, you can screw a narrow piece of wood into the two studs using a level and then add picture hangers into the wood to hang the artwork.
- If your artwork is narrower than the length between two studs, you can hang the artwork from one point by using a mounting picture hanger. For extra strength, find a mounting picture hanger that uses multiple nails.
If you can’t find a stud exactly where you want to hang your artwork, there are other methods below;
- Traditional picture hangers – this works well for medium loads
- Anchor bolts – plastic bolts that expand into the drywall
- Toggle bolts – this provides the most support for heavy artwork
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