If you want to hang something heavy like a bookshelf or a mirror onto drywall by far the best way is to fasten it directly into the underlying wall studs.
Hanging something heavy on the wall.
In normal cases you should use a stud to hang a heavy object on the wall but oftentimes it can be difficult to locate your studs they aren t a standard distance from each other or you have a unique wall type that doesn t have studs in it at all.
Luckily you have some other options.
Simply hanging something heavy on a plaster wall can result in damage to the wall and the object if you don t tap into the supporting structure behind the plaster.
Unfortunately in many cases that isn t possible.
The second step is to decide where to hang your stuff.
Decide where to hang your stuff.
This is a very important step.
Those studs never seem to be where you want to hang something.
Hang heavy objects carefully.
Hold it up to the wall where you want to hang the item then use a hammer to tap the nail into the wall.
If you re hanging a heavier piece expandable metal anchors also known as molly bolts are an option.
Though there are several methods of locating studs or supports behind the wall the most reliable is using a magnetic stud finder.
How to hang heavy stuff on wall easily step by step guide know the type of wall you have.
That s why we ve put together step by step instructions on how to hang heavy objects on different types of walls so you won t have to worry about them falling down.
These may hold up to 20 pounds according to this old house but be sure to check the package to confirm.
Older walls from the 1940s usually have plaster walls.