Generally speaking it s best to hang heavy pictures on a wall stud.
Hanging heavy objects on lath and plaster walls.
Screws and screws with masonry anchors for heavy items are your best choice for hanging things on plaster walls without picture rail.
Plaster walls have a tendency to crack and crumble if you attempt to hammer a nail directly into the wall.
Even more so if you live in an old house with plaster and lath walls.
Hammering big size nails on lath and plaster wall is not possible.
Hanging heavy objects on the wall can be tricky and with all the options available out there downright confusing.
Though there are several methods of locating studs or supports behind the wall the most reliable is using a magnetic stud finder.
You may not notice the damage but as plaster comes loose from the lath it will eventually begin to sag and soon fall off the wall if the sagging continues unchecked.
This is really very easy and simple to do.
Then what do you do.
Adhesive picture hooks are the best way to prevent damage when hanging a picture but pre drilling the hole will usually prevent cracks and chips from forming as well.
The nails just go in after a little distance.
Hanging things on plaster walls is easy if you have a drill and screws.
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.
Therefore it s the strongest part of the wall and the ideal place to hang pictures from.
As mentioned earlier the wall stud is where the wooden lath attaches to the wooden frame behind the plaster.
There s a really very simple and easy method of hanging heavy art.
Heavy objects of art will need big size nails for hanging.
If you can hang your heavy object in line with a stud and screw a long screw directly into the stud that s always the best option.
The best option mostly.
How to hang heavy things on plaster walls using a wall stud.