Picture hanging woes
May 7, 2017 11:47 AM Subscribe
Frames + textured wallpaper + no nails = ?
The walls in my bedroom are looking bare, and I'd like to hang some framed prints on them. The problem: nails won't go in them (I tried), and they're covered with textured wallpaper.
I've used Command strips throughout my house, but I can't do that in this case, can I? I don't think it would adhere terribly well, and since the main empty wall I want to fill is over my bed, I don't particularly feel like gambling. I have bookshelves on either side of my bed, but my cat likes jumping on them from the headboard and they're fairly ancient Ikea Billy bookshelves so I'm not sure I'd trust a wire drawn between them, either. There's one lone nail already in the wall, which was there when I got the house, is stuck in pretty well and looks like it's been painted over multiple times.
The wallpaper is kinda soft in texture. If I push down on the raised bits, there's a little bit of give; I can create an indentation by pushing in with a fingernail, and then it'll slowly push back out and disappear.
I'd prefer a solution that doesn't damage the walls overmuch and allows for easy removal and rearranging of wall decorations. I have no drill and no easy access to one (and I'd need someone else to do the drilling, anyway).
The walls in my bedroom are looking bare, and I'd like to hang some framed prints on them. The problem: nails won't go in them (I tried), and they're covered with textured wallpaper.
I've used Command strips throughout my house, but I can't do that in this case, can I? I don't think it would adhere terribly well, and since the main empty wall I want to fill is over my bed, I don't particularly feel like gambling. I have bookshelves on either side of my bed, but my cat likes jumping on them from the headboard and they're fairly ancient Ikea Billy bookshelves so I'm not sure I'd trust a wire drawn between them, either. There's one lone nail already in the wall, which was there when I got the house, is stuck in pretty well and looks like it's been painted over multiple times.
The wallpaper is kinda soft in texture. If I push down on the raised bits, there's a little bit of give; I can create an indentation by pushing in with a fingernail, and then it'll slowly push back out and disappear.
I'd prefer a solution that doesn't damage the walls overmuch and allows for easy removal and rearranging of wall decorations. I have no drill and no easy access to one (and I'd need someone else to do the drilling, anyway).
Wires from the board near the ceiling? Some type of decorative vertical feature covering the wires, or transparent fishing line. I hesitate to say anchoring it all the way to the baseboard, because of climbing opportunities for the Gray Ghost there.
Sweet kitty! I know that window blind cords should be cut so that loops won't create a hanging hazard for children and pets, but would a picture on a long hanger be a problem here? Or a parkour route for Kitteh?
posted by TrishaU at 12:08 PM on May 7, 2017
Sweet kitty! I know that window blind cords should be cut so that loops won't create a hanging hazard for children and pets, but would a picture on a long hanger be a problem here? Or a parkour route for Kitteh?
posted by TrishaU at 12:08 PM on May 7, 2017
Just treat the ceiling coving as a picture rail and hang art from it via fishing wire, as is traditional.
posted by DarlingBri at 1:43 PM on May 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by DarlingBri at 1:43 PM on May 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Unfortunately, the ceiling coving is curved. Can't easily hang anything from there. (Unless I stick hooks to it in such a manner that the hook part is as flush to the wall as possible, but I'm not sure that could be easily managed and it may entice kitty parkour...)
posted by sailoreagle at 1:59 PM on May 7, 2017
posted by sailoreagle at 1:59 PM on May 7, 2017
Would these large hooks work? You push it through into the drywall. They're made for heavy stuff, but you could use them for anything you wanted.
posted by hydra77 at 5:00 PM on May 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by hydra77 at 5:00 PM on May 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
I'm not clear on why the nails won't go in. Do they go in about half an inch, then bounce back if you try to pound them in further? If so, you've likely got plaster and lath walls. The nail will go through the plaster, but the lath will act like a leaf spring and bounce the nail back. If that's the case you could use a screw into a pilot hole you've drilled all the way into the lath, but that requires a drill plus you'd have wallpaper with a screw hole in it.
Is that coving plaster, or is it milled wood? If it's milled wood you could put some screw eyes in near the bottom and run hanging wire down to d-rings on the back of the piece you want to hang, as if the coving were a picture rail. Your cat will love it.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 5:36 PM on May 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
Is that coving plaster, or is it milled wood? If it's milled wood you could put some screw eyes in near the bottom and run hanging wire down to d-rings on the back of the piece you want to hang, as if the coving were a picture rail. Your cat will love it.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 5:36 PM on May 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
The walls might also be shiplap and if it's old enough wood becomes like iron. I broke two drill bits on the 70 year old beams in my last house. Good news is that once you get a screw or nail in there you can swing off it, it ain't coming out.
The idea of hanging things over the bed gives me the willies, but I guess not everyone lives in earthquake country!
posted by fshgrl at 5:59 PM on May 7, 2017
The idea of hanging things over the bed gives me the willies, but I guess not everyone lives in earthquake country!
posted by fshgrl at 5:59 PM on May 7, 2017
Response by poster: The nails go in about 5mm if that, and then bend. The walls are, I believe, brick; the coving is plaster.
I'm about at the point where I'm sincerely tempted to pull the glass off the frames and test command strips on the identical, shorter wall that's not directly above my bed, and see if they hold up despite the wallpaper texturing. Ugh.
posted by sailoreagle at 2:32 AM on May 8, 2017
I'm about at the point where I'm sincerely tempted to pull the glass off the frames and test command strips on the identical, shorter wall that's not directly above my bed, and see if they hold up despite the wallpaper texturing. Ugh.
posted by sailoreagle at 2:32 AM on May 8, 2017
Best answer: For whatever it's worth, I also have a textured wall--not evenly like that, but very bumpy and uneven. I have two pairs of these holding curtain rods and curtains, and so far (two months) they've been fine. I would definitely test it first, but the strips might hold up better than you expect.
posted by mishafletch at 2:52 AM on May 8, 2017
posted by mishafletch at 2:52 AM on May 8, 2017
A landlord of mine a while ago turned me on to Ooks (http://www.ooks.com/index.html). I've used them in various drywall and plaster walls, and they've always worked amazingly well. The little nails leave tiny holes that disappear entirely with the next coat of paint.
They sell various brick hangers (http://picturehangers.ooks.com/category/concrete-brick-hangers) that I /haven't/ used, but if they work half as well as all their other stuff, it's definitely worth a try.
posted by Zuph at 6:23 AM on May 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
They sell various brick hangers (http://picturehangers.ooks.com/category/concrete-brick-hangers) that I /haven't/ used, but if they work half as well as all their other stuff, it's definitely worth a try.
posted by Zuph at 6:23 AM on May 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
We have spackle textured walls over plaster and have had good luck with the picture-hanger type of Command Strips. We use a size up and/or additional strips to make extra sure, and they work great, even as the house regularly shakes/sways from the nearby train line.
I would recommend testing it out first on an area that is less likely to kill you in your sleep, but otherwise they have been very successful.
posted by TWTBoy at 8:10 AM on May 15, 2017
I would recommend testing it out first on an area that is less likely to kill you in your sleep, but otherwise they have been very successful.
posted by TWTBoy at 8:10 AM on May 15, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
I'd do a trial with Command strips (it looks like they also have hanging hooks since it sounds like "raised" wallpaper is in vertical stripes?) in a "safe" spot and test security.
Failing that, it shouldn't be tough to find a handyman to come over for 30 minutes and drill for you if you don't know anyone..
posted by raider at 12:02 PM on May 7, 2017