How To Hang Heavy Items On a Wall
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If you have been following my posts for the past few weeks then you know I have started a few time consuming projects in my house, all of which are still ongoing. Staircase, drapes, headboard, fireplace. I began these projects because I was 100% sure about doing them.
I also have smaller projects that I need to do, but most of these I intentionally kept myself from doing. Like the simple process of hanging heavy items on the walls. I wanted to wait a while to allow myself time to see how we use each room so I could better determine what each space needs in the way of wall art or maybe nothing at all. I want this house to be carefree, easy, and breezy so there is not a lot of upkeep leaving time to enjoy the outdoors and the lake community around me.
One of the items that I intentionally haven’t hung is my favorite clock. It is a very heavy oversized wall clock.
It has been sitting here since we moved in. Along with a few other items I have not found a home for yet.
Tick… Tock… tick… tock…It was finally time to hang my favorite clock. Over the weekend I hung it on the small wall at the back of my kitchen where I can enjoy seeing it every day.
I love Roman numeral clocks, I collect them. I have this white one above the fireplace. It may not be staying here once we see how much space the mantel we are planning to add to the wall will take up.
Roman numerals clock faces on display in a tiered plate stand…
In a cabinet…
On my nightstand. I even made the night table tray using Roman numeral clock face scrapbook paper and resin.
This oversized wall clock is heavy and needs a stud to hang, but since I wanted to center it on the wall where there was no stud, I reached for an EZ Anchor, which is a screw-in type wall anchor.
Do you use them? They are the best invention ever!
I use them to hang just about everything when there is not a wall stud available. Curtain rods, frames, mirrors, and more are all hung with this type of screw-in wall anchor.
How to Hang Heavy Items on a Wall the Easy Way
supplies needed:
- EZ Anchors, either zinc or plastic. I like the zinc kind, but the plastic ones work just as well. Sold at any home improvement store.
- Drill, with a Phillips head screw bit
Some screw-in wall anchors have a pointy end, others have an end with 3 points. They all work the same way.
Once the anchor is in the wall and a screw is placed into it, you can hang a heavy object from the screw.
It is 1…2…3…EZ!
Mark the point where you want to hang your heavy object with a pencil. Using a Phillips head screwdriver bit, screw the EZ Anchor into the wall. It will go in fast with a cordless drill.
Drill it in so it is flush with the wall. (This wall has wallpaper that was painted over. The anchor did not cause the seam to come apart. It was apart already.)
Drill in a screw that comes with the anchors.
Once the anchor is in the wall, make sure about a half inch of the screw remains outside the anchor. This becomes the hanger on which you will hang heavy items.
The wall has wallpaper that was painted white by the previous owner. I plan to strip it, but since I can live with white walls even though they need repair, they are livable and low on my to do list.
I do however want to paint the trim in the kitchen. I thought I would have fun with an animated GIF to show you another project I will be starting soon.
There is a pocket door between the foyer and kitchen. We never use it, but it will stay. To allow you see more of the details of my house, I opened and closed it.
As you can see the trim in the foyer is painted white, but not the trim in the kitchen. After I finish painting the staircase my paintbrush will be transforming all that brown trim white.
I love wandering around on your blog. I’ve spray painted lamps and look at all the other things you do. You must not eat or sleep with all you do!
It’s wonderful and reminds me of when I was young. My parents didn’t have much, but my mother was crafty. Most impressive was the Queen Ann’s Lace dried flower pictures she created and pressed between glass. (Feel free to use that!)
Thanks again for the memories.
Your post on hanging heavy objects is great. My husband and I have had many disagreements on this subject.
Thanks for this! When I’ve looked for the same tips on diy blogs they seem to over complicate, this was nice and simple!
Great post Diane,
Mounting heavy products on the wall isn’t always as easy as it seems
We sell wall wineracks and send mounting instructions with our products, but we learned that many times our customers would come back to us asking us the specifics of how to hang them, especially if they don’t want to mount into a wall stud. I think I might refer them to your post, LOL!
Since then we’ve included more detailed mounting instructions but also include hardware for mounting to the wall or a wall stud. Our customers have really appreciated that. :-)
Blessings,
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth –
I just bought and hung a swing out TV rack that came with all the hanging hardware and great instructions. It made hanging it super easy. I can understand why your customers appreciate your attention to the hanging details.
Hanging heavy objects on the wall can be difficult. Not only that, but it’s important to get it right the first time, otherwise it can damage the wall. These tips make the job even easier.
Do these EZ anchors, work well in plaster walls. I probably would need to to drill a small hole first. Are they easy to remove?
Love your clocks. You have great taste.
When I’m installing an EZ anchor (love them, too)….I will start my hole with a punch or nail setter….then drill in the anchor, followed by the screw. They work wonders.
I thought I was the only “crazy clock lady”, my walls are full of clocks,
and every flat area has at least 1 owl.
I’m very easy to buy for at Christmas lol.
Oh yes! I love these anchors. I strongly prefer the metal ones as the plastic ones tend to break too often. I have also found it helpful to predrill the hole where I want it to go. In my lazy but effective manner, I use a cordless drill with a Philips driver bit. I then screw the screw into the wall (not the anchor). Back it out. The anchor then goes into the hole very easily and doesn’t break off. Read the weight limit on the anchors before hanging things and DO NOT use them for grab bars. They aren’t designed for that!
Who doesn’t love clocks! I don’t know why, but they are one of those indispensable decor items and always add a lot to a room. Hanging heavy things is one of the husband’s pet peeves… he doesn’t want to be bothered… but from the looks of these anchors, I should be quite competent to do it myself! I have a very heavy concrete mirror frame which is one of my favorite decor pieces ever, but boy he is heavy. We made such a production about hanging it… get out the protractor, the vernier calipers, and a plumb bob, then we’ll bring in the welder…..!!
Your place is looking wonderful, as I might have guessed!
Thank you for this post!! We are packing our house in preparation for selling ours and your posts have all been so helpful for me getting things “staged” for the future sale! I have a clock too that is heavy and have never found a satisfactory alternative to drilling holes and adding the plastic thingy! So glad to see this zinc one and will get one today and put a stop to the madness!!
how did you know i was trying to figure out how to hang this heavy old bathroom mirror/shelf. your info came just in the nick of time!
I love clocks, too. All clocks, except digital! Hate those suckers! Every room in my house(8 including bathrooms) has at least 2 clocks, some have 3 or 4. I buy batteries in bulk!
And I have a pocket door, which I don’t use, between a bathroom and a bedroom. which I have turned into a den.
I had to smile when I read of your love for Roman numeral clocks. I have that same affinity for Arabic numeral clocks. ; )
Wonderful information!
Our former home had two pocket doors. One between the LR and the small hallway by the bedrooms/bathroom and one that closed off the kitchen from the back entryway. We loved them! There were times when they came in handy to keep our children “contained” when they were little and later on also to keep dogs out of certain areas ;-) Also helped cut down on noise “traveling” from room to room.
Your pocket door is nice. You may be surprised how you may find it useful in the future ;-)