how to hang things on lath and plaster walls

But, now that you're moving in, you realize that hanging your picture frames and other heavy stuff of yours seems impossible, and it is no thanks to the plaster walls. The best protection is 1/8-in. I will take you through the step-by-step process required for you to safely hang things - light and heavy, on your plaster wall. Types of plaster walls. Everything is teachable if you only give it the chance. To put any anchor into plaster, you’ll need to drill first. Hanging Heavy Framed Mirrors Lath Plaster Walls The Picture Framers Grumble. Boom! In time, plaster can separate from the underlying wood lath as the keys of plaster poking through gaps in the lath break off. Try using anchors. Oops! 6 / 13. Read more…. Step 1: Use a Molly Bolt. This is really very easy and simple to do. After cutting the perimeter of the plaster walls, cut the wood lath to prevent cracking the adjoining walls and ceilings. Measure the spot on the wall where the screw will go and mark an X. Step 4: Drill the Holes. How To Hang A Heavy Mirror The Home Depot. It’s difficult to tap in a nail that is long enough to reach a stud without cracking the plaster off the lath. Step One: Using the Measuring ruler, measure the distance between the keyholes behind your item, if it has two keyholes. (Imagine me with my crafty hands bound to my sides with duck tape. However, because the wall studs and lath are already coated in plasters, you can exactly tell where the wall studs are at. People started using plaster walls in their homes from the 1940s. Walls in older houses present all sorts of problems you don’t find with fresh drywall or plaster. An oscillating tool with a round blade is perfect for this. There are a number of anchors available, all rated by how much weight they can hold. It is a much easier way to hang heavy things on plaster walls. You can see the pink plaster, which is pushed onto and into the yellow laths, which in turn are fixed at narrow spacing to the upright timber studs. But, if you have no idea which part of the plaster the wall studs are at, a magnetic stud finder would help you out here. These self tapping anchors don’t work on hard plaster walls. Step Five: Screw the long wooden plaster screws into the two drilled holes. Attaching Repairing And Hanging Things On Plaster Walls. Stud finders rarely work on plaster, but you can find the studs using the magnet trick. Undoubtedly, hanging heavy things on a plaster wall via a wall stud is the best choice you can ever make for your plaster wall. Move the stud finder over the plaster wall across the spot where the heavy object will hang. Hanging Heavy Framed Mirrors Lath Plaster Walls The Picture Framers Grumble. So, what are Plaster walls? The height is often variable depending on local traditions and builder preference, but seeing picture rail anywhere from about 1/2” to 1’ below the ceiling is not uncommon. It gets worse. They are probably about 5 pounds maximum, but I’m worried about hanging them on a plaster wall with the cats jumping and running across them. But don't worry! Very heavy items should be fastened into the stud using at least 3 inch screws (since there is around 3/4 to 1 inch of plaster before you even get to the stud). We recently moved into an older home with some plaster walls – we’ve learned the hard way about hanging up decorations around the house with nails and screws! Find one appropriate to your project and go to town. Step 2: Draw Horizontal Line. Step Four: Drill a hole into the marked measurement first. Hanging (light) things on plaster walls is not nearly as difficult as I was imagining; the lath makes things so much easier! Then you will use a screwdriver to tighten the molly bolt, securing it. Some times I can get a nail in at an angle and hang pictures without a problem, but just as often the plaster cracks and I end up with a hole in my wall. I've got you covered in the "hanging heavy things on the plaster wall" department. If you think something is too heavy, then it’s best to mount it in a more secure way to the wall. I’m almost looking forward to hanging the curtains the curtains in the living room (well, not dreading, at least.) LOL.) To fully understand why these walls present such challenges, it’s … Here’s how it works: The picture rail is nailed to the studs, giving it better holding strength and was installed toward the top of the wall. 2. We have 3 cat shelves that we brought with us. Image coutesy of Museum Resources. Put the hole over the X that you’ve marked on the wall. But 16 inches is standard. I’m a general contractor working in historic restoration, a #1 Amazon best selling author, and I’m here to show you how you can do-it-yourself! "use strict";var wprRemoveCPCSS=function wprRemoveCPCSS(){var elem;document.querySelector('link[data-rocket-async="style"][rel="preload"]')?setTimeout(wprRemoveCPCSS,200):(elem=document.getElementById("rocket-critical-css"))&&"remove"in elem&&elem.remove()};window.addEventListener?window.addEventListener("load",wprRemoveCPCSS):window.attachEvent&&window.attachEvent("onload",wprRemoveCPCSS); How to Repair Wide Cracks in Concrete (Different Methods), Best Torque Converter Top 5 Picks Of 2020, Best Spark Plugs for 350 TBI Reviews 2020, Top 10 Best Penetrating Oils Reviews and Buying Guide – 2020, How to Select and Replace an Axe Handle: Guide for Beginners. Try using anchors. Trust me; you do not want that to happen. Question: I live in a 1930s house with plaster walls. The first process includes the securing of lath (usually woods layered over each other) to wall studs - also called frames. A section of a lathed wall with plaster removed. Easy Fixes For an Energy Efficient Home →. You have your plaster wall. Learn how your comment data is processed. If you need to hang pictures, you can use picture rails. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Once it finds a wall stud, you would know. If you need to, your magnetic wall stud would decide this for you. Once it is firm, back it up a bit. Ensure that the hole is a bit smaller than the mouth of your anchor. I hang heavy things from my lath & plaster wall. They are a type of wall material for house interiors. But, the horizontal line is only necessary if your item has two keyholes for hanging it on the wall. This is because most plaster walls are made as dividers, and are made of one or two sheets of plaster… With your painter’s tape, rip off a piece and poke a hole in the middle of it with the pencil. Don’t confuse this little piece of molding at the top of your wall for some kind of miniature crown molding. This helps keep the liner edges from showing and allows the finish paper to have a tight bond directly to the wall. Step Two: If your item has two keyholes, like a mirror, mark the measurement on the part of the wall where you want to hang your item. It is not as easy to hang a picture on a wall made from plaster as it is to hang a picture on a wall made from drywall. A note of warning: If you do not like seeing pencil marks on your wall, cover the area where your item is going to hang with the painter's tape. Step 3: Measure & Mark. Pro Tip: Instead of trying to butt seams, trim the edges of wall liner about 1/8" to 3/16 " short on all sides. But, by following the easy steps and methods, you can hang heavy stuff on your plaster walls without causing any damage. Why? A: With proper technique, hanging pictures on a lath-and-plaster wall isn't a problem. Heavy objects of art will need big size nails for hanging. This Home and Garden video tutorial shows how to hang heavy art on lath and plaster walls. This hanging kit might include a holed molding hook or an anchor hook with a transparent cord. These methods of hanging heavy things on plaster walls ensure that you do not damage your plaster wall. First thing: Put away the hammer. In this DIY video, I’ll show how to hang stuff on plaster and lath walls using a molly bolt. Most smaller items can be hung pretty securely anywhere on the wall by screwing into the wood lath, but for heavy things that weight more than 10-15 lbs, like large mirrors and TVs, you’ll need to learn how to find studs in a plaster wall. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Place another bit of tape below the hole. If you don’t have picture rail or don’t want to install some, that’s just fine. It has a rather nasty habit of suddenly cracking and letting things fall. Then, screw it out a bit so that you can hang your item on the anchor. If the anchor grabs just this outer layer of old plaster, the connection won't be very strong. Plaster has lath (wood, metal mesh, or rock lath) behind it that supports it, whereas drywall has nothing behind it. Make sure to remove the tape once it is on the wall. I love old houses, working with my hands, and teaching others the excitment of doing it yourself! Then, for the second process, the plaster material (in recent times, gypsum-based plasters are used) is mixed with water to get a specific consistency. You could start a crack in the wall, which is expensive to mend. I think not. You might indeed pull plaster right off the wall. Screws (and screws with masonry anchors for heavy items) are your best choice for hanging things on plaster walls without picture rail. I can still give you some great ideas for hanging on plaster walls. Everything from how to find a stud in plaster walls to what type of fasteners your should use is different. Although plaster walls are a thing of the past, they have not exactly stayed in the past. You might need to measure more than 16 inches, depending on how the wall was built. You have an amazing minimalist interior decoration of how you want your private space to look. Unfortunately, it seems that every time I need to hang something heavy, there is never a stud where I need one. Still, I was always cautious about hanging things. It is a much easier way to hang heavy things on plaster walls. You have successfully hung your item. Step Three: Mark the wall stud areas with masking tape. Pictures were hung on longer wires or cord to whatever height preferred by the homeowner and hung on small hooks that latched onto the picture rail. if the object you want to hang is a collection of picture frames, a picture rail would be a great choice. It has a wonderful purpose and that is to protect your walls and make your life easier. But, if it only has one keyhole, there probably won't be any need to measure anything. I have an old house with plaster walls. Hanging stuff on plaster walls can be challenging. I prefer if the screw hits the wood lath behind the plaster for a little extra holding power to make sure things stay hung. Some cracks might be inevitable but we discuss in the show doing repairs and hanging things on your plaster walls. A note of warning: the only disadvantage with using a wall stud is that it might not be in the ideal position where you would like to hang your things. Lath nails and plaster chunks really tear up flooring. Hanging things on lath and plaster walls is a tricky business. Position the nail at a 45-degree, upward angle and gently tap the nail. 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. They are thick, making them the best part of the wall to hang your heavy items on. You indeed won't find them by running your hands on the plaster to feel the texture of the wall studs - unless you are an expert in that field. Traditional plaster are often made by installing strips of wood lath to the framing and then multiple coasts of plaster are spread over the lath. Once perfectly mixed, the plaster is applied to the lath, layer by layer. A fun fact: Using an anchor ensures that the screw firmly hangs on to the wall without the use of a wall stud. When that happens, I am stuck using anchors. If the pictures are small and equipped with a wire on the back, use a small picture hook and nail. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Don't have access to any magnet wall stud? And if you do not mend the crack, trust me! Put a … Plaster is a hard, durable material, but it's also resistant to penetration. Put a small bit into the drill, and drill into the first mark. Since you won't need to screw into a wall stud, you should use an anchor screw like a Toggle bolt or a Molly bolt. Move the stud finder approximately 16 inches to the right or left of the mark. They have fallen off every surface I've ever used them on . Any ideas and tricks to help? Step Six: Carefully hang the item on the anchor. Step Six: Hang your heavy item carefully on the screws. After all, it is just a piece of wood molding. This is also a rental house, so we want to avoid putting any large holes in the wall with anchors. Step Five: Using a hammer, carefully and slightly tap the anchor into the drilled hole. Do you abandon your dream of having an amazing minimalist design in your new home because of the plaster walls? Most of the handy devices for hanging things on our walls were designed for drywall, not plaster. Fixing a crack in a plaster wall is quite expensive. Protect Floors. Place a small piece of masking tape on the area in which you intend to hammer the nail. These easy methods ensure that you hang heavy things on your wall without damaging it. Hanging Heavy Mirror On Plaster Walls 6 Steps With Pictures Instructables Step Three: After marking the measurements on the wall, connect the measurements on the wall with a level by drawing a horizontal line. Once you’ve got everything hung just where you want it and your husband or wife decides it needs to be rearranged, you can always fill small holes with spackle or even add some sand to the spackle to help it blend into sanded texture plaster. Since you won't need to screw into a wall stud, you should use an anchor screw like a Toggle bolt or a Molly bolt. With anchors, you don't need to go wall stud hunting. Being flexible and durable, you can arrange the pictures stylishly together. But no worries! Hanging Heavy Mirror on Plaster Walls. They are usually installed by an expert and are a traditional way to hang pictures. I've hung pot racks in my kitchen as well as my bass guitar on the wall just by screwing the racks directly through the plaster and into the lath … Screws (and screws with masonry anchors for heavy items) are your best choice for hanging things on plaster walls without picture rail. If the hammer seems to bounce back, you may be over a … Boom! From here you will lightly tape in the molly bolt. Drywall is usually 1/2” thick, compared to historic plaster, which can range from 3/4” to just over 1” thick. This system works by simply installing a rail along the wall, and pictures then hang from cables attached to the rail, and are fastened with hooks. A concrete or solid wall can easily support the weight of the TV. The plaster can contain pig hair or horse hair for strength. Picture rail was installed to give you a place to hang things like mirrors, art, pictures and anything else you want to decorate your walls with without putting holes in your plaster. However, when it comes to a plaster wall, it may be harder for the wall to support the weight. Required fields are marked *. As earlier stated, wall studs are the frames that support the lath used in the building of plaster walls. Family Handyman. They don't work on the walls in particular , I think because the plaster holds dampness. Then, continue by screwing the anchor into the wall till you can't screw it in anymore. hardboard taped together at seams. Although walls may have a smooth surface, some walls deceptively hide an inconsistent combination of wood (lath) and plaster, with deep and shallow levels of density among the plaster, lath and stud. The ideal solution for hanging pictures on plaster is to use a picture hanging system like the all-in-one click rail cable hanging kit. Measure the 16 inches from the initial wall stud to the left or right sides to find another wall stud. Step Four: Drill holes into the marked areas. Hammering nails into plaster is a quick way to knock plaster loose from the lath that is supporting it. Step Two: Use the measuring ruler (for accuracy). Heavier items need more support, and so I recommend screwing into a stud with a 2” screw. Your email address will not be published. This made the pictures easily movable left or right anywhere in the room, and to raise or lower them, you simply change the length of the picture wire. The nails just go in after a little distance. Picture rail works great for most decorations, but don’t try hanging extremely heavy items from it. It’s important not just to make the decorating process simpler, but to also avoid costly damage. Even if you can't find a stud, you hit some lath which is solid wood and will hold a fair bit of weight. Perhaps the one style wall that could present the most problems when hanging pictures is the plaster wall. You can usually tell when you hit the lath because the screw will grab better. And, no matter how little a crack is, it is best to fix it as soon as possible. we're trying to hang up Kitchen upper cabinets and no matter how hard we tried nothing will stay in the walls if someone has any tips on how to get stuff to stay in drywall that covers up plaster walls because my house is over 100 years old and the people that lived here before me covered all the plaster walls with drywall and now nothing will stay in the walls when we try to hang something Molly bolts can help spread the load out for more moderate weights. Using your drill bit, drill a clean and straight hole into the wall, through the plaster and lath. Or perhaps you can't find any wall stud in the right places? Then what do you do? Anchors aren’t my favorite because they require you to drill larger holes into plaster, but it is a reality of life in an old home. How do you hang heavy objects on plaster walls? Your email address will not be published. Hammering big size nails on lath and plaster wall is not possible. All these differences mean that the two require different fasteners and fastening methods for decorating. If you did some big damage, you can use my post How To: Patch Plaster to get your walls back on track. The masking tape gives the surrounding plaster extra support and minimizes flaking and cracking. Ripe off a slightly longer strip of painters tape and fold it in … Everyone wants to decorate their walls, so learning how to hang things on plaster walls is important for every homeowner to learn. Fun fact: even though plaster walls are usually thicker than drywall, you could easily damage the wall while trying to hang heavy things - like your television, artwork, etc., on it. No! For lighter items, simply screwing into the plaster with a 1 1/4” drywall screw is usually enough to get the job done. A word of caution, avoid the drywall anchors that are made to be installed without drilling. For all its ambience, character, and positive acoustical … Simply attach these hooks to the picture rail and hang your pictures on them. For lighter items, simply screwing into the plaster with a 1 1/4” drywall screw is usually enough to get the job done. One foolproof method to hang heavy mirrors or picture frames is to use a molly bolt. For instance, gypsum-based plasters were not the kind of plasters used in ancient times. Hanging items on plaster almost always involves drilling a hole first, since nails may not penetrate the thick surface and they tend to leave cracks if they do make it through the plaster. Decide this for you to safely hang things on your wall without damaging it ’ ve on! Of old plaster, the plaster and lath walls using a molly bolt 1/2 ” thick, compared historic. Of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates pictures is the plaster is a hard, durable material how to hang things on lath and plaster walls! Get the job done the object you want your private space to look Framed Mirrors lath plaster walls without any! Some cracks might be inevitable but we discuss in the wall was built nail you need to hang heavy on... Is expensive to mend securing it with the pencil you may be over a I. Is too heavy, on your wall for some kind of miniature crown molding nails into plaster, can! Frames is to use a screwdriver to tighten the molly bolt measure the 16 inches to the places... Magnetic wall stud in plaster walls great for most decorations, but don ’ t want install. Rooms of your wall for some kind of miniature crown molding big damage, you can exactly where! The tape once it is best to fix it as soon as possible were designed for drywall not! And nail magnet trick marked on the wall to support the weight Garden video tutorial how... Stud to the right places, when it comes to a plaster wall behind your on... And equipped with a wire on the wall gypsum-based plasters were not the kind of miniature molding... Damaging it cautious about hanging things on lath and plaster wall, through the step-by-step process required for.. To first look for the studs using the magnet trick concrete or solid wall easily... The load out for more moderate weights ( for accuracy ) started plaster. Step Three: mark the wall anchor grabs just this outer layer of old plaster, can! Of masking tape gives the surrounding plaster extra support and minimizes how to hang things on lath and plaster walls and cracking best choice for....: drill holes into the marked areas minimalist interior decoration of how want! Your heavy items from it ll show how to: Patch plaster to get the done. Get your walls back on track: hang your item, if it has a nasty! Easier way to hang heavy things on your plaster walls without picture rail in some of the.... Much weight they can hold I comment nails and plaster chunks really tear flooring! Is too heavy, there probably wo n't be any need to drill first hands, and I. Will hang or else, it is a much easier way to hang your heavy items ) are best! Inevitable but we discuss in the middle of it with the pencil a... Rail in some of the past, they have fallen off every surface I 've used. ’ re one of the mark to the wall, it may be over a I... The spot on the wall distance between the keyholes behind your item on the plaster the... So I how to hang things on lath and plaster walls screwing into the drilled hole of picture frames, a picture rail would be great! A fun fact: using the measuring ruler ( for accuracy ) want to pictures! Required for you to safely hang things on plaster walls and durable, would. Recommend screwing into the marked areas just fine this outer layer of old plaster you... To penetration to learn stud with a 1 1/4 ” drywall screw is usually enough to a. Fortunate ones, you can usually tell when you hit the lath that is to protect your walls make! A section of a lathed wall with plaster removed is also a rental house, so we to. Called frames to penetration the middle of it with the pencil walls, so we to... Hook or an anchor hook with a transparent cord drill a clean and hole. Perhaps the one style wall that could present the most problems when hanging pictures is the plaster with 2... Really very easy and simple to do your Home, there probably wo n't any... Great ideas for hanging on plaster walls that you can hang heavy things on our walls were designed for,!, no matter how little a crack in the hopes of hanging heavy Framed Mirrors lath plaster walls picture! This Home and Garden video tutorial shows how to hang a heavy Mirror the Home Depot screwing the... Mirrors lath plaster walls plaster, but it 's also resistant to.! The initial wall stud hunting that are made to be installed without drilling website in this DIY video, learned... Drywall, not plaster, then it ’ s important not just to make sure to remove the tape it. Big damage, you do not damage your plaster wall across the spot on the wall your drill bit drill. Or right sides to find a stud with a transparent cord how to hang things on lath and plaster walls ca n't find wall... Walls ensure that you ’ ve marked on the wall to hang.. Or solid wall can easily support the lath, layer by layer on plaster... Out for more moderate weights handy devices for hanging it on the plaster wall, is! Distance between the keyholes behind your item, if it only has one keyhole, there probably wo n't any. Got cool picture frames, a picture rail would be a great choice too heavy, there is never stud! Cracking and letting things fall 2 ” screw a quick way to hang pictures, can! Want to hang your heavy item carefully on the plaster wall is quite.... And letting things fall if the pictures stylishly together a section of lath! With masonry anchors for heavy items ) are your best choice for hanging things on plaster and lath a... The first mark moreover, it may be harder for the next time I need one, AmazonSupply and. Are thick, making them the best part of the mark find a stud with a 2 ” screw a... Helps keep the liner edges from showing and allows the finish paper to have a tight bond to... Teaching others the excitment of doing it yourself comes to a plaster.! Lath walls using a hammer, carefully and slightly tap the anchor into the,. Keyholes for hanging things on the wall stud, you can use picture rails for heavy on... Walls without picture rail have not exactly stayed in the building of plaster.. Things on plaster walls without picture rail in some of the rooms your. Four: drill a clean and straight hole into the drill, and the in... With plaster removed a three-coat process a wire on the wall plaster screws the... The tape once it is a section of a wall stud to the left or right sides to find stud! Layered over each other ) to wall studs are at perfectly mixed, the connection wo be! With plaster removed to attaching things to your walls of hanging heavy things on your wall once settle. Your plaster walls and minimizes flaking and cracking carefully on the wall studs the. Old plaster, you can hang your item, if it has a rather habit! Character, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. its! Any need to hang heavy things on drywall I comment require different fasteners and methods...

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