How To: Hang Photos on any Wall

One of the easiest and cleanest ways to decorate a room is by hanging photos. Personal photos add warmth and personality to any room but are also perfect in trafficked areas such as hallways and stairwells.

But there are things to consider before you take hammer to nail, or you may damage your walls.

In other words, think about the following:

• Wall material -- Is it brick, drywall or cement? This dictates how to hang photos in your home.
• Weight of the picture or artwork -- If it's too heavy, it may come crashing down. If it's light, you won't need any special hardware, like toggles.
• Hardware on the picture frame -- Is there a wire, a bracket or neither?

Your job may be easy. If the photo lines up over a wall stud, you simply need to drive a nail into the wall and the stud will be strong enough to handle most any photo frame. Don't bother with toggles and molly bolts unless you're hanging an extremely heavy frame.

When hanging a photo in drywall, you need nothing more than picture hangers, which can be found at any hardware store. Monkey Hooks or similar products also work well when hanging light frames onto drywall and they make very small holes which are easy to repair. For heavier loads (but not more than 40lbs) in drywall go with a double-anchor picture hanger.

When it comes to cement or hard plaster walls, your best bet is to use adhesive hooks or check out a picture hanging system that spans across the wall.

If you've got a brick wall, you'll need to go with a bit heavier duty picture hanger that includes a brick hook with a nail that won't bend. You'll need to drill a pilot hole into the mortar between the bricks (not the brick) and then gently tap the nail to further secure it. Do not nail into the brick as it will cause it to weaken and make a repair much more difficult.