Ever wanted to hang something on your wall but decided not to because you were scared to damage your wall? It happens all the time, especially to apartment renters and we can help! 

There’s nothing to fear, we have some innovative solutions that will get your pictures hung in no time.

Here are 9 different picture hanging ideas that will cause little to no damage to your precious walls.  

This easy and quick solution for damage-free hanging is to use robust yet removable adhesive hooks. Aside from hanging frames while leaving the wall unscathed, you can find various types and designs suitable for different hanging methods.

Because they leave little to no damage, you won’t feel as nervous hanging things on your walls or cabinets. The downside with these sticky hooks is that their maximum weight capacity is approximately 8 lbs.

With an 8 lbs limit, you can hang small and lightweight picture frames, paintings, canvas, wood art, foam board, etc. 

If you live in an older home, you may be in luck and already have picture rails installed.  It’s a 1 1/2” thick molding that wraps around the top of a room and usually hangs at the same height as the windowpanes, although sometimes higher.

Consider it your lucky day if you have these picture rails because you don’t have to drill any holes AT ALL. What you need is a gallery kit that contains picture rail hooks, hanging cables, and adjustable picture hooks, and we have you covered. 

With a picture rail hanging system, you can hang many lightweight and medium-sized frames at once without ever touching the power drill.

READ MORE: Everything You Need To Know About Picture Rail Hooks

Another way to skip the drilling is by using something like a brick clip.  You would only be able to use these on brick walls with recessed mortar joints wherein at least 1⁄4 inch of the brick protrudes outward for the clip to hold on to.

Brick walls look great as is but hanging up a few frames and wall decor adds a little extra flair. That said, you can use brick clips for pictures and art weighing up to 25 lbs. The clip is designed with claws that bite into the protruding bricks, thus not needing any holes.

Based on the first three ideas, we noticed that damage-free hanging solutions can only support so much. Adhesive hooks’ maximum capacity is approximately 8 lbs, while the brick clip and picture rail hooks can support up to 25 lbs. 

The question now is... 

Well, have no fear, we will turn to the tried-and-tested traditional picture hanging hooks. Although these do require putting some holes in the wall, the good news is that they leave only minimal damage that’s super easy to fix later on. Here's what you can do.

Brass and Nickel Hooks 

When you have pictures and artwork to hang, you can certainly rely on these hooks. Their weight capacities are 30 lbs, 50 lbs, and 100 lbs, making them ideal hangers for medium to heavy frames. What’s great about them is that they use needlepoint nails, leaving only tiny holes on the wall once removed.

Tremor Hooks 

Tremor hooks are like brass hooks, but with a locking feature to prevent the frame from falling due to tremors or from falling in a high traffic area. With this, you don’t have to worry too much about your expensive or valuable pictures and artwork falling off the wall.  

Plastic Hard Wall Hook 

These hard wall hooks work great on concrete walls, and they come in small and large sizes. The pin-sized nails are already built-in, so all you have to do is hammer it gently into the wall. You can hang light to medium frames up to 20-30 lbs. 

While all the above suggestions will do the job, we have a few other creative and modern ways to display your pictures and art. 

When there is an absolute no-hole-in-the-wall policy, you can make use of shelves and countertops as your alternative. Put your pictures and artwork inside a frame and let it lean against the wall. That's it, and you'll have an elegant and laid-back vibe in your space.

If you have a big area, you can definitely try using easels to display artwork. They dominate the space and draw attention, assuring you that anyone who enters the space can appreciate it. This set-up is perfect for art studios because they make a statement and will surely spark a conversation.

A pegboard wall is a unique way of putting up pictures, art pieces, and mirrors. You might need to drill a few holes but only during installation and never again. After that, you’ll only have to buy pegs, hooks, shelves, or organizers for everything to come together. 

If you're not convinced yet, here's a few pegboard pros you might not resist:

• You can change layouts anytime without drilling any more holes.
• You can use the pegboard as an organizer, too.
• You can hang different objects like plants or macrame art.
• A floor to ceiling pegboard wall can be an accent wall.
• With the right color palette, it can complement your space.

So, let’s say you’re leaving your rented apartment, or you changed your mind. How will you deal with the holes in the wall? 

It might seem like a hopeless case but don’t fret because holes created by picture hanging hooks and screws are the easiest to fix. 

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Fill in the holes with spackling or wall joint compound using a putty knife.

2. Allow the area to dry.

3. Sand it lightly.

4. Paint if necessary. 

That’s it. Easy!

To sum it all up, it IS possible to beautify your space without compromising your walls. Zero holes may be the goal, but tiny holes are better than big ones. So go ahead and try these ideas yourself, and let us know how it goes!