Oh, what a happy day it was when I stumbled across Amy Devers’ new “Hands On” column for ReadyMade magazine. As she guided a couple of Brooklynites on hanging art and pictures on a seemingly impervious concrete wall, I found myself nodding in agreement.
One of the two walls that spans the length of my loft is exposed brick, and it’s no laughing matter when it comes to hanging pictures, dry-erase boards or neon Marvel Comics signs (more on that later!)
If you’re in a similar situation, Amy recommends numerous products with which to help display art or objects on a concrete wall, including 3M Command series picture hooks, French cleat and z-bar systems and nail-in picture hooks.
Regardless of the product that you use, the key to success when dealing with a wall surface such as concrete is to pre-drill the anchor hole. Amy recommends a masonry bit and a hammer drill.
If you want to hang numerous objects, you may want to consider a picture rail system because it allows you to easily swap out pictures. When installing a picture rail or other heavy object, you’ll want the anchor to hit the stud behind the drywall, which is where a French cleat or z-bar system comes into play.
Photo courtesy of ReadyMade
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