Before you drill the second screw's anchor hole, place a level on the line between the first screw and the spot where you want the second one to be. For more tips from our Home Improvement co-author, including how to install shelving in a plaster wall, read on! This system works by simply installing a rail along the wall, and pictures then hang from cables attached to the rail, and are fastened with hooks. Since most of the houses that have this in them are more than 100 … Use a level to fine-tune the placement of your object. Or how it’s impossible to hang anything heavier than a cheapo 8×10 frame. You ll know this is happening if the anchor flange starts to depress the surface of the plaster or drywall. It’s a little tricky to coordinate all four at once, so I found the easiest way was to do the top ones first, then the bottom ones. This hasn't been used for a number of years now, as the new products on the market are more durable and less subject to cracking. FYI, this next part was totally impossible to photograph “live” because even with two people there were just not enough hands to shoot and install at the same time. Along that line, mark the height where you actually want to hang the object on a piece of painter's tape. However, you should use screws with anchors to be more secure. It's actually not too hard to hang things on plaster walls, however, as long as you use screws and work slowly and carefully. (TMI?). The smallest nail hole could crack the walls, crumble the plaster and break off little chunks. Use your bubble level to make sure it’s straight before moving on to the next step. Ok, I probably could have managed a photo of drill holes. When you go to hang something on a plaster wall, as opposed to a wall made from drywall, you will notice that it is not as easy. step three: Attach four toggle bolts to the wall upright. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Horsehair plaster is usually on wood lath, narrow strips of wood applied horizontally on the studs, and when you put in the anchor, you hit an area between the lath. Screws (and screws with masonry anchors for heavy items) are your best choice for hanging things on plaster walls without picture rail. Early birthday gift, Alan? Easy, right? Put the hole over the x that you ve marked on the wall. Cracking is the general complaint about this type of plaster. step five: Drill the next set of holes just like you did in step two. Yes, I know, the upright is already hanging behind me. As horses , and subsequently horsehair became less available, plentiful coconut fibre (coir) was substituted. Even so, it is possible hang numerous pictures throughout the house. Hanging things on plaster walls is easy if you have a drill and screws. I’m so close to done that I’ve been salivating with anticipation. But with the arrival of COVID-19, the stakes are higher than ever. Horse hair was spread in a very large flat tray and wet, liquid plaster poured in and, when semi dry, the sheet was removed (my dear old Dad had a job doing this at one stage) . For instance, a screw that is 0.25 inches (0.64 cm) wide may have an anchor that is 0.3 inches (0.76 cm) wide. Raise or lower the second screw's spot to make things even. Drive in the regular screws in the remaining holes for extra security. Plaster is a hard, durable material, but it's also resistant to penetration. If you want the objects to sit at the same height, put a level on the line you measured out to ensure the screws are even with each other. But if you’ve ever lived in a pre-1950s home, you know the agony of those crumbly plaster slabs masquerading as walls. Of course, this practice of hanging pictures is no longer done. step seven: Triple-check that the uprights are level from top to bottom, and hang up those two shelves again so you can make sure they are level from left to right. But first, everything you need to learn how to hang heavy shelves on horsehair plaster walls: IKEA ALGOT components for my corner workspace layout: Ok, first we need to learn how to install a toggle bolt. View all posts by Marlene @ Idle Hands Awake. You can hang it by a wire or string or by a mount on the back of the frame. For instance, if you want the second object to sit 4 inches (10 cm) higher and 18 inches (46 cm) to the right of the first one, measure out 18 inches (46 cm) to the right of the first screw. Required fields are marked *. Even so, it is possible hang numerous pictures throughout the house. Though it may not be the same technique, it is still easy enough to hang things on a plaster wall, so don’t give up too easily. How to hang heavy things on plaster walls easily with simple instructions and the exact tools you need to do it successfully. *Note: if you are installing your ALGOT shelves in a corner configuration like I did, hang the shelves for one of the walls completely before starting on the corner. Important things to keep in mind. So excited for you about your new house! Then measure 4 inches (10 cm) up from there and put the second screw in. Some plaster used in older homes contains horsehair, which was added to give it greater resistance to cracking. Attach one end of a wire to the screw, and the other end to the hook on the back of the picture. Hit me with your horsehair plaster woes! Once you get the room down to the studs, cleaned up and ready to drywall, hanging new sheetrock over older uneven framing is seldom successful. Thank god for Google, right? All you need is a little piece of hardware you’ve probably passed a million times while bee-lining it for the copper pipes in the plumbing aisle: the toggle bolt. Tip: Leave the plastic cover on the shelves while you’re installing them (just expose the bracket tabs on the ends). Learn how your comment data is processed. Check the placement of your object with a level to make sure it's even. This is brilliant. Every dollar contributed enables us to keep providing high-quality how-to help to people like you. You should also use screws with plastic anchor attachments if you can. Hangers for pictures on plaster walls. Your email address will not be published. Now we’re ready for the real thing. Box of screws that are 1.25 inches (3.2 cm) long, or 2 inches (5.1 cm) long for hanging heavy objects, Roll of wire for hanging the object (optional). Here we go: Grab your drill, a small drill bit, a spade drill bit that’s big enough to fit the toggle, your toggle bolt, and whatever it is you’re hanging up (in this case, ALGOT wall uprights). If you are moving into an older home, you will likely be dealing with a product called horsehair plaster. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 54,267 times. Or how the cleanup from that tiny hole fills an entire vacuum cleaner cup with dust and bits of horsehair (ew ew ew ew ew). Screw the bracket into place. Hanging things on lath and plaster walls is a tricky business. I live in an old flat in SF, so all of my walls are plaster! Some plaster used in older homes contains horsehair, which was added to give it greater resistance to cracking. The plaster itself is constructed of thin fibers that peel open over time. step four: Hold up the next upright and have your helper friend attach brackets and shelves towards the top and bottom — this makes it super easy to know exactly where that second upright should go. Set a level on the line made by your tape measure to make sure the second anchor will be even with the first. Click through to learn how to hang heavy shelves on horsehair plaster walls. If you have a magnetic stud finder, you can also use this to locate the wooden studs behind your plaster wall and screw directly into those. This way you can line the brackets up as closely as possible to make a proper corner. Then use a measuring tape to make a straight line going up the wall from this spot. Horsehair plaster, also known as lath and plaster, is typically found in older homes and homes of significant historical value.This practice is not commonly used today. Install the screws as you did for the first anchor. This kind of plaster was implemented in the 1800s and was used in homes up until the 1950s, when drywall became the wall medium of choice because it is sturdier than plaster. Move the stud finder about 16 inches (41 cm) to the side of the first screw and try to locate another stud. Shall we trade for a week? Thanks for visiting Shrimpy! ", When asked, "How does a drywall anchor work? I’d be happy to answer any questions you have about this tutorial! To show you just how the toggle bolt works, I photographed a short demo using a bit of scrap wood. Try again up an inch or … Scandinavian workspace inspiration for renters, Scandinavian workspace makeover — The Reveal, Maker, baker, cat momma, total nerd, perpetually covered in glitter/sawdust/paint. I m trying to hang two small floating shelves on a section of plaster wall. Horsehair plaster was applied in the interior partition walls, together with an ornamental texture on the surface of homes built in the U.S. prior to the late 1950s. For lighter items, simply screwing into the plaster with a 1 1/4” drywall screw is usually enough to get the job done. Which is how I found myself trekking over one morning, chai soy latte in hand, to watch a demonstration on plaster walls. Apparently plaster walls are not as riveting to my neighbors as they are to me. step one: Hold the first wall upright in place on the wall where you want to install the shelves, and ask your helpful friend to mark all the holes with a pencil. tighten the bolts all the way to secure the uprights to the wall. step eight: Finally (finally!) Most stud finders will light up when they find a stud. However, lath and plaster has its downsides. Old houses are the best…as long as you know how to make do, lol! Jeff Huynh is the General Manager of Handyman Rescue Team, a full service solution in home services, renovations, and repair in the Greater Seattle area. Make sure you leave half an inch out of the wall so you have space to hang your artwork. . This article was co-authored by Jeff Huynh. Every attempt to hang a picture was a nightmare. Plaster is hard, so you will feel some resistance. Check out the classic vintage grain on these photos! Work carefully, holding the drill at a right angle to the wall. Don’t forget to drill a pilot hole with a regular drill bit first, then widen the holes with the spade bit. Have someone help you with the hanging if the object is very heavy or cumbersome. Hanging things on plaster walls is easy if you have a drill and screws. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Your email address will not be published. the basics: Hanging ART. In fact, drywall began replacing the process in the 1950s. Tighten the bolt with the power drill as far as you can until it stops. (Since the bolts are slightly loose, you can wiggle the upright around until it’s level). Boston-area readers, I know you’ve been there: how hammering a tiny nail hole turns into spackling a tennis ball-sized gash. Some objects (like many picture frames) will have a hole in the back that you can set directly on the screw to hold it in place. It’s super easy as long as you know how to use a drill. The plaster dented and cracked easily. You can raise or lower the wire to get the picture to the correct height. Hanging things on plaster walls is easy if you have a drill and screws. <3. I’ll note that my experience is specifically with hanging things in drywall. % of people told us that this article helped them. I was the only person who showed. This article has been viewed 54,267 times. a helpful friend, unless you have eight arms, in which case please can I hire you to help me with my next project. If possible, drive the second screw into a stud. Ripe off a slightly longer strip of painters tape and fold it in … Make sure you leave half an inch out of the wall so you have space to hang your artwork. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Then, insert the toggle bolts into the pre-drilled holes by closing the toggles and then pushing them through until they pop open inside the wall, just like in the piece of scrap wood above. I am super impressed with your skills, our house is olllllld and we have plaster walls, too. This is the standard distance between studs, but it can vary widely. The laths are usually 2 inch by 4 foot long wooden strips that are usually 1/4 inch thick; these are nailed to a wall frame. step six: Attach the toggle bolts into the upright, pop them through the wall, and loosely tighten. Just tighten them enough that it will loosely hold the upright in place. That’s right, you can hang up stuff in your charmingly impractical turn-of-the-20th-century home. They're installed first, then plaster or drywall is applied on top. "Studs are the framing that hold the wall up. Great tips, I know where to come if I needed to install heavy shelves in the future! Before you start any kind of mounting work on your wall, take a second to look over the things mentioned next. They seem difficult to work with: they're thick, hard, and brittle. You can install drywall over the plaster or … Re-attach loose plaster. I’ll address that below, though, so no stress! Even so, it is possible hang numerous pictures throughout the … This is because of the materials that make up a plaster wall. However, you can still find a lot of homes with horsehair plaster. He has a BS in Business Administration from the San Francisco State University and his Certificate in Industrial Electronics Technology from North Seattle College. The other four holes can be made with a regular bit for the screws. Now that you know what tools are good to have at your disposal, let’s dive into the specifics! Use a drill bit that is no larger than 0.25 inches (0.64 cm). And that secret has allowed me to finally, finally have the modern, open, bright white Scandinavian workspace of my dreams. This will provide more security for heavier items. 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. Many older homes (and some modern ones) have plaster walls. Then make the hole bigger with the spade bit. ***Don’t completely tighten the bolts at this point! Direct Bond. Go shop IKEA and then come back here to hang those heavy shelves. That friction creates holding force once the screen is installed, provided there's enough support behind the wall.". The ideal solution for hanging pictures on plaster is to use a picture hanging system like the all-in-one click rail cable hanging kit. Well, my home repair nerdiness has paid off, because I have learned a secret. Don’t tighten it — you want it to be able to push all the way through the thick wall, so it needs to be on the end of the bolt as pictured. Thread the bolt through the hole in the bracket, and attach the toggle from the other side. If you find a stud, mark the spot on the wall. If you do end up with a crack or small hole in your wall, you may be able to. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. If you try to hammer in a nail to hang a picture, the nail might actually bend in half. If you haven’t already, check out my super cute curtain tiebacks! Aww, thanks, Amy! That way they won’t get scratched while you’re putting them up and down and finding just the right spot. We've been helping billions of people around the world continue to learn, adapt, grow, and thrive for over a decade. Please go to the Instagram Feed settings page to connect an account. Hanging (light) things on plaster walls is not nearly as difficult as I was imagining; the lath makes things so much easier! Fast forward to living in the Boston area. step one: Hold the first wall upright in place on the wall where you want to install the shelves, and ask your helpful... step two: Drill your holes! After moving into a "new" home you might realize that the walls are made of plaster and not drywall. If you have plaster, brick, or other types of walls you’ll have a slightly different experience. For more tips from our Home Improvement co-author, including how to install shelving in a plaster wall, read on! {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/25\/Hang-Things-on-Plaster-Walls-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Hang-Things-on-Plaster-Walls-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/25\/Hang-Things-on-Plaster-Walls-Step-1.jpg\/aid9511241-v4-728px-Hang-Things-on-Plaster-Walls-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"