If you’re a renter, you may be wondering how to hang things in your apartment without damaging the walls. Luckily, there are some smart ways to decorate your space while avoiding the risk of damage to the walls.
First, consider the weight of the items you’re hanging. Generally speaking, objects that weigh more than 20 pounds should be hung on a stud.
Drilling
Many renters want to hang things in their apartments, from curtains to pictures. It’s a great way to add personality to the place, but drilling holes in walls isn’t always an easy or safe task.
In addition to being a safety risk, drilling holes into apartment walls can damage the wall’s structure. It is best to find out what your lease says about this before you start working on the apartment’s interior.
If you’re looking to hang heavy things in your apartment, there are several ways you can go about it without causing any damage to the walls. One option is to use sticky hooks and strips. These products come in small, medium and large sizes and are designed to hold up to eight pounds each.
However, you may need to purchase adhesives to make these work on your apartment’s walls. These can be purchased at your local hardware store and can be a great alternative to drilling.
It’s also important to use a drywall screw bit when drilling into the wall. This bit has a nose cone that allows the drill to automatically stop driving the screw once it reaches the appropriate depth. This helps prevent the screw from ripping the wall.
Another option for hanging items in your apartment is a monkey hook. These hooks have a press-in design and are much less prone to damaging the wall. They’re also easier to install than traditional screws.
The downside to these hooks is that they can leave a sticky mess behind when you remove them, which makes it difficult to paint over them. If you’re not careful, this sticky residue can ruin your walls and peel the paint off.
A good alternative to drilling holes is adhesive hooks and strips, which can be found at most hardware stores. These can be used to hang paintings, picture frames and even TVs.
You can also fill larger holes in the walls with self-adhesive mesh patches, which are available at most hardware stores. These are available in four, six and eight-inch sizes. You can buy them in different colors so you can match them with the rest of the apartment’s walls.
Hooks & Anchors
Whether you are moving into a new place or you want to make your current apartment feel like home, it is important to hang up things that you want in your space. Often times, this means hanging pictures or a mirror and it is important to do this in a way that doesn’t damage the wall.
There are several options to choose from, including adhesive hooks, nails and screws. Each type of hardware has its advantages and disadvantages, so it is important to determine which one will be best for your particular project.
Adhesive hooks are a popular choice for many renters as they provide a strong bond with minimal installation effort. They are also a great option for light and medium weight items, but they should not be used on heavier objects as they may not hold their weight properly.
Nails are another option, but they need to be hammered in carefully and can damage the walls if not done correctly. Screws are also a good choice, but they should be countersunk into the wall for extra stability.
Anchors are a great choice for hanging heavier objects as they offer additional strength and security. They are usually available in a variety of styles and work best for drywall, plaster or masonry walls.
The most common type of anchor is a drywall anchor, which can be used to support any kind of item from a towel rack to a curtain rod support and even a heavy-duty shelf. These anchors are easy to use, but they do require a bit of planning as they need to be installed in a specific hole that is drilled into the drywall.
These drywall anchors come in different shapes and sizes, but the most popular are the pointed mollys that can be tapped into place with a hammer. The nonpointed versions are a little harder to install and work best in old plaster-and-lath walls.
These anchors spread and clamp to the back side of the drywall, forming a tight lock for your object. The plastic drywall anchors are best for lighter loads while the metal molly anchors are better suited to medium and heavier loads.
Marking the Wall
Whether you’re moving into your first apartment or looking to update your existing place, there are many ways to customize your space without damaging your walls. Especially when your landlord or property manager may have strict rules on decorating, it’s important to know how to avoid damage in your temporary home.
Hanging pictures and art can be a great way to personalize your space, but it is important to do it safely so you don’t damage your walls. While you’re at it, do not forget to follow the no-holes-allowed clause of your lease agreement or else you could face a huge fine and/or have to make a costly repair when you move out!
One of the easiest and most damage-free ways to hang up your art is by using an easel. These are available in a variety of styles and colors to match any decor and are very easy to use.
Another simple, but incredibly effective, way to hang up your art is by hanging it from the curtain rods in your apartment. The hooks in the rod can help hold the artwork, but you can also add a small amount of adhesive so that it dangles down from the rods. This works for modern photographs as well as paintings, and is a great way to showcase your collection while also adding color to the room.
If your apartment has drywall, you should use a stud finder before hanging anything on the wall. This is because drywall is a hollow material that does not hold up to the weight of heavier items, so it’s important to account for this before you start hanging things up.
Using a stud finder will also help you determine where the most stable foundation for your piece will be so you can be sure to hang it there, Garber said. It will also help you level the item so it’s as straight and even as possible.
You should also use a spirit level before hanging any item in your apartment to ensure that it is straight and evenly spaced. This will not only give the item a better look, but it will prevent it from being pulled or hung off-balance, which can be dangerous in any home.
Leveling
Leveling is a method of measuring the elevations of different points on the ground or in structures and is a part of surveying. It is used in construction, geodesy, and cartography to establish the elevations of certain points relative to a reference datum.
Levelling is an important part of the surveying profession, and is often used when building roads, towns, or cities. It also has a role in the construction of airports and railways.
There are a number of things that can affect the accuracy of leveling, such as obstructions or shadows from buildings or trees. It is also important to have proper site preparation before levelling.
One of the most common errors during leveling is sight drift, which occurs when the line of sight between the instrument and the point being measured changes. This can happen due to changes in temperature, wind, and other factors.
It is important to keep a good sight distance between the rod and the point being measured to avoid errors from these effects. This is especially important when the rod is placed over a rough or uneven surface.
Another common error is refraction, which can occur when the instrument is moved or knocked. This can make the reading on the instrument inaccurate, even if the rod is in a perfectly flat position.
The best way to avoid these problems is to use a reliable leveling rod that is self-reading, which means it can be read by the person on the other end of the rod. These are usually made from wood or metal and are graduated in linear units with zero at the bottom.
These are generally referred to as meter rods, although the back side is often engraved with feet or tenths of feet. These are more accurate than traditional leveling rods, which may be difficult to adjust for changes in length.
There are a number of different methods for leveling, but the most common is called differential leveling. This is a simple procedure that involves taking foresight and backsight measurements to two leveling rods in separate set-ups. This eliminates most of the errors caused by the Earth’s curvature and refraction, but it is not always accurate.