You’ve moved into your beautiful new apartment, and now you are making the space yours with some decorations. You have a few pieces of art and mirrors that you want to hang, but you also don’t want to pay for damaging the walls. Here are the three best ways to hang your heavy objects without destroying the walls.

1. Adhesive Strips: Adhesive strips aren’t only for lightweight projects. Nowadays, you can find strips that can hold upwards of 15 lbs per strip. There two main types of adhesive strips:
   1. Adhesive Hooks: The hooks have a flat back, and the adhesive strip is attached to the wall and the hook. Then, you place the wire from the picture on the hook to hang the picture or frame. First clean the surface that you are going to use, and adhere the hook firmly to the wall. Give it a few minutes to set, and then hang your item. To give it extra support, have extra hooks on the wall to support very heavy items. The heaviest frame that you can hang with a single hook is about 10 lbs.
   2. Surface Adhesives: Surface adhesives attach directly to the frame and the wall with an interlocking material like velcro. First, clean the frame and the area on the wall. Then, apply the adhesive strip to the frame. Interlock the other side of the adhesive strip on top of the adhesive you just placed. Then, attach your frame to the wall and press firmly. These can hold more weight, with upwards of 15 lbs or more depending on how many strips you use.
2. Press-in Hooks: Press-in hooks are a fast and easy way to hang very heavy objects with little damage to the wall. These are specifically made for drywall. You punch a small hole through the wall, slide the metal end inside the wall until you reach the end at the hook. You then, flip the hook upside down to secure in place. Depending on the length and thickness of the metal, a single hook can hold as much as 150 lbs down to 50 lbs. That’s some serious hold!
3. Drywall Anchor Studs: These are the traditional ways of hanging heavy frames. A simple nail or screw in the wall won’t support a heavy object. You need a plastic stud to support the drywall. Create a guide hole in the wall, and then push your plastic stud through the hole. It should fit snugly without any wiggle room. Then hand screw in the screw that matches the stud. As the screw goes further into the stud, the plastic will expand and pop out reinforcing barbs to hold the stud in place. You can then hang the wire from the frame across the screw. The smallest anchor can hold 30 lbs. The heavier the item, the more studs you’ll need.

Everyone wants to walk into their room to see their pictures and decor that makes them feel at home. You should have all of that, even while living in an apartment. Don’t be afraid to hang your heavy items by using one of these methods to hang pictures or artwork on your walls. The last thing your want is to come home and find your artwork banged up on the floor. Weigh your piece before hanging, and find the right technique for your piece. It’ll keep the walls in good repair, and you’ll get to enjoy your beautiful things for a long time to come.