Don’t let a weak hanger ruin your precious picture frames and art! The secret to secure picture hanging is to know the weight capacity of whatever picture hanging hardware you use.

If you’ve been following our blog for a while, you probably know that frames and objects crashing on the floor is one of our worst nightmares. 

That’s why we provide professional quality picture hanging hardware and give you relevant information about each product in our listings – so you don’t have to worry.

 

Understanding Weight Rating

(Sometimes called weight capacity)

In the picture hanging industry, you might have heard of  "weight capacity", “rated capacity” or “weight rating.” This refers to the maximum working load – the maximum weight the picture hanger or wall hook can support – recommended  by the manufacturer under specified working conditions.

Weight ratings serve as a crucial guide in selecting the appropriate hangers to hang frames and other objects securely on the wall.

As a rule of thumb, always choose a picture hanger that can support 1-3 times the weight of the picture frame or art you will hang.

Knowing the weight capacity of your hangers is a crucial step in:

• ensuring the safety of your items
• the preservation of your walls, and; 
• the well-being of those around you

In the next section, we’ll talk about it in more detail.

 

3 Reasons Why Weight Ratings are Important

Here are 3 reasons why you  should always check the weight ratings when choosing picture hangers:

 

• To keep items secure over time

One of the main reasons why we should always check the weight capacity of hangers and hooks is to protect your pictures, art, and wall decor. If the hardware you use is not strong enough to support the weight of your item, it could lead to damage over time.

 

• To maintain the wall’s condition

Another important reason we must take weight capacities seriously is to protect the wall.

If a hanger or hook cannot hold the weight of an item, it can put extra stress on the wall, leading to cracks, holes, or other types of damage. This can be a problem if you're renting a home or apartment and want to avoid any issues with your landlord.

 

⚒️ PRO TIP: Check the wall type compatibility of the picture hanger or wall hook. Aside from knowing the weight capacity of a picture hanger or wall hook, knowing what type of wall the hardware is compatible with goes a long way.

 

Here's a cheat sheet that tells you what products are for what type of walls:

PRODUCT	WALL TYPE
Adjustable J Hook	Drywall, wood panel
Bear Claw Screw Hangers	Drywall
Brass and Conventional Hook	Drywall Wood panel
Brass Gallery Kit	Depends on the screw used
Brick Clip	Brick wall
Concrete Screw	Concrete wall
French Cleats	Depends on the screw used
Furniture Anti-Tip Kit	Depends on the screw used
Hardwall Plastic Hook	Concrete, cement, cinder block, thin plaster over concrete, soft smooth brick, softstone, hard wood
Lead Anchor	Brick, concrete block, concrete wall
Mega No-Stud Wall Hook	Drywall
Screw Eye Hanger	Drywall
Security Kits	Depends on the screw used
Snap Skru Drywall Anchor	Drywall
Snap Toggle Anchor	Drywall
Steel Utility Hook	Depends on the screw used
Wall Dog Screws	Drywall, plaster wall, masonry
Wall Track	Depends on the screw used
Zinc Anchor	Drywall

 

• To prevent any potential accidents/injury

Lastly, knowing the weight ratings of each picture hanger and wall hook is essential for safety reasons. If a picture hanger or wall hook is not strong enough to hold the weight of an object, it could fall and cause injury.

Accidents like a frame falling on someone’s foot – or worse, on kids or pets! – and stepping on shards of glass is something we want to avoid. 

In relation to that, if the wall hook, French cleat, or furniture anti-tip kit is not adequately secured, it could come loose and cause damage to the wall and the item.

 

Final Thoughts

When hanging priceless pictures and expensive art or wall decor, choosing the right hanger based on its weight capacity is crucial. Not only will it ensure that your items are hung securely, but it also gives you peace of mind knowing they are safe. 

So, choose your picture hangers wisely and always invest in the right ones for your pictures and art! Should you need help purchasing picture hangers, kindly email us at support@picturehangsolutions. Our team is always happy to assist!