4/14/2024 0 Comments Hanging on plaster and lath walls![]() Can you see the thin lines above each picture that extend up the wall to a thin horizontal rail? Those are exactly what I recommend for you in your bale home. The photo to the left is from the Louvre in Paris, so this is not exactly new technology. This will allow you to use a picture rail system instead of penetrating the plaster with individual screws or nails. Install some wood backing in the wall and some finish trim over it and the plaster. Let’s face it, that’s more work than most of us want to do every time we move a picture!įear not, there is another option! If you know you are (or even think you might be) the kind of person who is likely to move your artwork around from time to time, then plan ahead during your build. The only way to ensure your patch is perfectly blended and hidden is to skim the entire wall with a fresh finish coat after you complete your patch job. The two materials will never blend together perfectly and you’ll be left with a permanent “burn mark” on the plaster. This is because the lime plaster on the wall will have already cured, before you attempt to patch the hole with fresh plaster. For more on lime plaster and how you can receive a BIG DISCOUNT on your material order, CLICK HERE. This is especially troubling if you have lime plaster (my personal favorite wall covering for a straw bale house, by the way) because those holes cannot be easily hidden upon repair. No matter which option you choose for hanging pictures on a plaster wall, you run the risk of leaving an ugly hole behind should you ever decide to move the frame. Keeping your walls sealed up against moisture intrusion is paramount, and even a tiny hole for a picture can become a cumulative problem if you have enough holes. This will twist into the hole and seal it up so that moisture is not driven into the bale walls through the penetration. Regardless of which option you choose here, be sure to place the tiniest dab of caulking over the hole before you insert the screw or hook. They simply rely on the high strength of the plaster to provide excellent holding strength. These options are great because they don’t require any space to expand into a hollow wall cavity like typical wall anchors. The best types to consider are masonry wall anchors, like the white ones shown in the picture to the left (in the center two bins), or masonry screw-in anchors that screw into a predrilled hole in the wall. There are lots of types of wall anchors to choose from however, some are easier to use than others. More on this below under hanging heavy items.Īnother option is to use wall anchors and a screw or hook, like those shown in the picture to the left. In fact, knowing that number before you start building is the best approach so that you can add specific backing if needed. Having a sense of how much the item to be hung actually weighs is therefore very important. In most cases, even the most stout picture hanger won’t hold much more than 90 pounds (41 kg). This is not due to the plaster, but to the weight rating of the hanging assembly itself. Secondly, the picture hangers are somewhat limited in their holding capacity. Chances are good that on relatively fresh plaster (under a year if using lime), you won’t crack the plaster without drilling the pilot hole, but why risk it? A simple drill and masonry bit can save you the gamble. First, be sure to drill a pilot hole for the nail so that you don’t crack the plaster. There are, however, a couple caveats to consider. I know…who’d a thunk it, right? Well it just so happens that using the ordinary angled nail trick works perfectly well on plastered walls. The most obvious approach, although not actually obvious because of the different wall construction details, is to use picture hangers like the brass hangers in the photo to the right. Let’s start with pictures and move our way up the scale to heavier items after that. There are a few different approaches to hanging pictures on a plaster wall, and a more sturdy option for those heavier items mentioned above. Folks also wonder how to hang cabinets, large pieces of artwork, or even heavy mirrors. In fact, it’s not just pictures that have people concerned. How do I do it? Won’t the plaster crack? Will I make a mess? Can the picture be moved and the hole patched? These are some of the most common questions I’m asked all the time regarding the ins and outs of hanging pictures on a plaster wall. If you’re like most people interested in straw bale construction, you’ve likely wondered about hanging pictures on a plaster wall.
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