How to Install Picture Hooks for Plaster Walls, by ExpertVillage Leaf Group on YouTube. 1 min 25 s.
- Video length
- 1 min 25 s
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Weigh the frame and check the hook packet. Pick a hook and nail rated for at least that weight. Thin picture nails suit plaster, thick screws and plugs can crumble it.
Work out the height. Aim for the centre of the picture at roughly eye level, about 145 cm from the floor, or match the other frames in the room.
Pull the hanging wire tight and measure from the top of the frame to the wire's highest point. Add that distance to your chosen height to get the nail position.
Mark the spot with a pencil and hold a spirit level against the wall to check it is level with nearby frames.
For a heavy frame, run a stud finder over the wall and mark the timber studs. Fix the hook into a stud or use a hollow wall anchor drilled through the plasterboard.
Hold the hook flat against the wall with one hand. Tap the nail through the hook's top hole with short, light hammer strokes, angling it slightly downwards.
Keep the nail about 5 cm away from the ceiling, corners and any cracks so the plaster does not blow out.
Hang the picture on the hook, step back and check it sits level. Slide the wire or add a second hook if it tilts.
Tips and common mistakes
Blunt the nail tip with a file or drill a thin pilot hole first, so the plaster is less likely to crack.
Never hang from a hook fixed into loose or blown plaster; move along the wall until the surface sounds solid.
Use two hooks spaced apart for wide or heavy frames so the weight is shared and the picture stays straight.
Stand on a sturdy step stool rather than a chair when you work above head height.
Questions
Will a picture hook hold on plasterboard?
Yes, for light frames up to about 5 kg a proper picture hook and hardened nail is fine. Anything heavier needs a stud or a hollow wall anchor.
Can I hammer a nail straight into plaster?
Only with light taps and a thin picture nail. Old lath and plaster cracks easily, so drill a pilot hole or use a self-drilling fixing instead.
How do I stop the hook pulling out?
Angle the nail slightly downwards and keep it in the upper half of the hook. The hook should sit tight against the wall with no wobble.
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.
