How to Hang Things on a Stone Wall
Stone accent walls and fireplaces can be a excellent design feature, but hanging a photo on a stone wall or holiday wreath above a stone fireplace needs some maintenance. Stone walls are more difficult to patch and repair than softer wall surfaces like plaster and drywall. Although not hard, hanging a photo on rocks is not as simple as hammering in a nail and sliding the picture over it. Stone wall hangings call for a bit more preparation and the right tools for the job.
Drill a hole in the wall with a masonry bit. The exact size of this hole will be dependent on the size of the hardware necessary to hold your particular picture or wall decoration. For general picture hanging, a hole that’s 3/16 into 5/16 of an inch in diameter will suffice. Drill the hole in the mortar joints between the stones rather than to the stone itself, if possible. The mortar is much simpler to fix or replace after.
Push a metal or plastic anchor to the hole that you drilled. The anchor must be the exact same size as the hole so that it fits snugly without readily turning or twisting. Normally, pictures that weigh under 20 lbs can be hung with plastic, while heavier decorations need metal. Use metal if you have any uncertainty about whether the plastic will hold.
Turn a screw with a photo hook attached to the anchor. The screw should be one size smaller than the anchor. Leave the head of this screw sticking out a bit from the stone wall. This will leave you space to hang the picture and ensure you do not break the back of the anchor with the screw.
Slide the picture carefully down over the screw, ensuring you grab the cord on the picture hanger.