How to Hang Things on Hollow Walls For Dummies, by fordummies on YouTube. 2 min 37 s.
- Video length
- 2 min 37 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Weigh the item in your hands and sort it as light, medium or heavy. A small framed print is light, a large mirror is heavy. The weight decides the hardware.
Hold the item on the wall and mark the top corners with a pencil. Check the marks are level, then mark the hanging point on the back of the frame.
Run a stud finder over the spot in metal and live-wire mode. Keep away from the line straight above or below sockets and switches, where cables usually run.
For a light item, tap a picture hook into the plasterboard at a downward angle with a hammer. Adhesive strips also work if the paint is sound.
For a medium item, drill a hole the same size as your hollow-wall anchor. Push the anchor in until it sits flush with the wall.
Drive the screw into the anchor, leaving a few millimetres proud. Hang the item and check it with a spirit level.
For a heavy item, find a timber stud and screw straight into it with long screws. If there is no stud, use a heavy-duty toggle anchor.
Load the hanger gently and watch for movement. If the anchor turns or the plaster crumbles, stop and move to a stud.
Tips and common mistakes
Never drill blind above a socket or below a radiator, since pipes and cables often run in those lines.
Hollow-wall anchors hold far more in plasterboard than a plain nail, but they still fail in crumbly old plaster.
Use two hooks spaced apart for wide frames so the picture cannot swing and drop.
Switch off the power at the fuse box before drilling anywhere you suspect cables.
Questions
How much weight can a plasterboard wall hold?
A single hollow-wall anchor usually holds around 10 to 15 kg in good plasterboard, but the plaster itself is the weak point. Spread heavy loads over two anchors or fix into a stud.
How do I find a stud without a stud finder?
Tap along the wall and listen for a dull, solid thud instead of a hollow one. Check for a line of screw fills about 400 to 600 mm apart, which usually marks the studs.
Can I hang a heavy mirror on a hollow wall?
Yes, but use a timber stud or a heavy-duty toggle anchor, not a simple hook. Two fixings are safer than one for anything large and fragile.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
