How To Hang Pictures On Drywall Or Plasterboard Wall

Here at WallX, our products are designed around making it as easy as possible for anybody to hang paintings, photos, mirrors and other wall decorations.

Our xHang device is a uniquely versatile and easy to use piece of hardware that allows you to hang paintings of:

  • Up to 1.5lbs on a smooth wall using the attached adhesive pads
  • Up to 1.5lbs on a contoured or uneven wall using the included tack nails
  • Up to 25lbs on a smooth wall using the included tack nails
  • Up to 50lbs simply by doubling up on xHubs with nails

This gives you the freedom to hang virtually anything you want!

Boy hanging a picture

How easy is it to hang a picture on plaster walls or drywall with xHang?

Really easy, whether you use the adhesive or the tack nails.

We have put together a complete guide to hanging pictures on drywall, sheetrock, plaster for each weight category.

We will discuss the traditional method and the WallX method for each case below, so you can see for yourself which option meets your requirements the best.

Let's take a look:

How to Hang Pictures on Plaster & Drywall

We will order these solutions by the weight of the artwork, allowing you to skip immediately to the one you need:

Regular Wall-Hangings (0 - 1.5lbs)

xHang

The Traditional Method

The traditional method of hanging pictures of 1.5lbs and under is to use adhesive hooks.

To use them, follow these steps:

  1. First, clean the area of wall using rubbing alcohol
  2. Draw a mark on the spot where you would like your hook to be (remembering the 57 rule!)
  3. Peel the backing off your adhesive hooks
  4. Push the hook against the wall firmly and hold for at least 30 seconds.

Adhesive hooks don’t hold much weight, so you will likely need to use several, even in ideal conditions.

This means it’s a good idea to try one or two combinations until you find the sweet spot.

The WallX Method

The WallX xHang is a much more reliable and easy alternative to the old-school method.

Simply follow these instructions:

  1. Fix the xHub to the wall using the included level to make sure you are perfectly level
  2. Attach the included wax and standoffs to the back of your frame

Standoffs

3. Pull the tabs on the other section and attach the two pieces together as shown in the video below
4. Hang your art!

 

 Heavier Wall-Hangings (Up to 25lbs)

The Traditional Method

For heavier hangings, the most common traditional method is to use wire hooks.

These do require some slight DIY skills and you may have to use multiple depending on how smooth and secure the wall is.

To hang your pictures this way, follow these steps:

  1. Draw a mark where you would like your picture to hang from (leaving at least 2cm to allow for slack)
  2. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to affix the hooks, usually by pushing the wires through the wall and bending them in a specific way.

The WallX Method

Using xHang is much simpler.

All you need to do is follow the exact same instructions as shown above for the regular wall-hangings, while also using the included tacknails to increase the strength. Simply pound the nail into the top tacknail chamber.

This takes a matter of seconds and doesn’t require any DIY knowledge, as you can see in the above video.

Really Heavy Pictures (Up to 50 lbs) - Molly Bolts or Multiple xHang

Multiple xHangs

The Traditional Method

Molly bolts are the old-fashioned way of hanging heavier pictures.

Follow these steps to hang your pictures using molly bolts:

  1. Mark the spot where you want your art to hang from. For more information on this, check out our guide to hanging your pictures from the proper height.
  2. Using a drill bit that matches the size of your molly bolt, drill a straight hole where you have made your mark.
  3. Push your molly bolt into the hole. If the size of the hole and the bolt match correctly, it should fit in tightly.
  4. Tighten the bolt using a screwdriver. You should feel the bolt’s cover opening out on the other side of the wall, causing the bolt to tighten even more securely.

The WallX Method

Once again, the WallX method is just as simple as we’ve already shown you above.

For really heavy pictures, all you need to do is add additional xHang systems with the included tacknails.

What? No extra steps?!

Yes, it really is that simple.

Hopefully, this guide has gone a long way into showing you just how easy and effective xHang is when it comes to giving you museum quality art hanging immediately and with no need for experience.

We made sure to explain all of the traditional methods too, meaning anybody should be able to easily hang anything with this guide, even if you don’t have access to an xHang yet.

That’s it for today’s guide, but we will be bringing you more detailed guides and articles on a regular basis, so please check back regularly on the WallX blog!