If you’re an avid home renovator, you know all about repurposing materials to create new and different looks. That might mean transforming a door into a bookshelf or making old wine barrels into side tables. But what do you do when you want to hang artwork or photos on your concrete walls? You look for inventive solutions, of course! This is one of those situations where there is no “one size fits all” answer. Each homeowner will have something unique about their space that can help them find the best solution for hanging pictures on concrete walls. If you’re thinking about tackling this project in your home, read on for advice on how to hang pictures on concrete walls like an expert!
How To Hang Pictures On Concrete Walls?
- The best way to apply paint is to start from the top of the piece and work your way down. Make sure the paint isn’t too thick, or it could drip or sag and spoil the finish on the piece below it. If you’re using spray paint, make sure to hold the can at least 10 inches from the piece so it doesn’t mar the surface.
- If you’re using a brush, use a fine-bristle brush. Dip the brush into the paint and then tap it on the side of the can to remove any excess. Then apply the paint in long, even strokes.
- When you’ve finished painting one coat, wait for it to dry for about 30 minutes before applying a second coat. You can also wait about 4 hours if you’re using latex paint and 8 hours if you’re using oil-based paint (the longer it takes to dry, the more coats of paint you must apply).
- Start with a small piece of furniture or art and get comfortable with how your paints behave before moving on to larger pieces. This is especially important if you’re working with latex paints because they take longer to dry than oil-based ones do, so mistakes are harder to correct when they are made on large pieces of furniture or artwork that will be difficult to work around once they are dry.
- When you’re finished painting, clean your brush or rollers with soap and water to prevent paint from drying in the bristles.
- If you have an air compressor, you can use a paint sprayer instead of painting by hand with a brush or roller. This is especially useful for large pieces of furniture or artwork that would be difficult to paint by hand.
- After all of your pieces are dry, take a final look at them and make sure there is no paint that has dripped or sagged onto the surface below it. If there is, wipe it off before it dries to avoid ruining the finish of your piece below it.
- If you’re working with latex paints, you can apply a coat of polyurethane or varnish to the piece to protect it from chips and scratches.
- It is also important to remember that paint does not adhere well to some surfaces, such as unpainted wood, plastic, and glass. This means that if you are working with these materials, you may need to apply a primer first in order for your paint to adhere well.
- If you aren’t sure whether or not your piece of furniture or art will take paint well before you begin painting, try it out on a small portion of the piece first. You can always sand off any areas that don’t take the paint well later if they end up looking bad when the paint is dry.
- If you are painting something that will be used frequently (such as dining room chairs), make sure your pieces are painted with a finish that is safe for eating on before using them for dinner parties and other events where food will be present and possibly spilled on them by guests.
- Finally, once your furniture or art has dried completely (again, depending on what type of paint was used), give it an additional coat of polyurethane or varnish to add extra protection from scratches and chips so it lasts longer and looks like new for longer too!
What Do You Need To Hang Pictures On Concrete Walls?
- These are some essential tools to help you get your DIY job done right. Hammer, tape measure, and level are some basic tools that you will need for almost any project. From hanging a picture frame to installing a new sink, you will need one of these to get the job done.
- You will need a drill to make the holes in the concrete.
- You will also need a drill bit to fit the anchors that you choose.
- You will need some concrete anchors as well. These are what are going to hold your picture hangers in place on your concrete wall.
- You can also use toggle bolts instead of anchors on some projects, but for this project, you’ll need anchors and bolts to hold picture frames securely in place on the wall.
- If you have large pictures or heavy frames, you may want to use 2x4s as reinforcement behind your picture frame before hanging it on the wall with picture hangers or bolts and anchors. This gives added support and strength to your project so it doesn’t sag or fall off the wall later on down the road!
- If you’re hanging a mirror, then you’ll also need a tape measure, a level, and a pencil (to mark where you want to hang it).
- You should always use pliers when working with hardware like this—it’s safer than trying to handle them by hand! Pliers are great for tightening nuts and bolts too—you don’t have a lot of room for error when working with something that is supposed to be secure!
- I’m using 3/16″ diameter steel wire rope for my picture hangers here because I wanted something that would be strong enough for large pictures and mirrors as well as lighter items like frames, vases, and books.
- I’m using a drill with a 1/4″ bit for my anchors and bolts, but you can use whatever size you want. I would recommend using 5/16″ or smaller though if you’re hanging very heavy pictures or mirrors since they are going to be much heavier than the rest of your stuff!
Other Ways To Display Photos And Art On Your Concrete Wall
- Use a picture hanger to hold photos in place. This will distribute the weight of the photo across the concrete wall, preventing damage.
- Hang an art piece using picture nails. These can be found at hardware stores, home improvement centers, and art supply stores.
- Use a frame to display your favorite artwork on your concrete wall. If you don’t have one, you can use a poster board and attach it to your concrete wall with screws or nails. Another option for hanging artwork on a concrete wall is to use picture nails or metal wire rope (like this). These will hold the artwork in place without causing any damage to the concrete wall itself.
- Use a drywall anchor with a screw or nail to hang framed photos from your ceiling so they’re visible from all angles!
- Use an inexpensive adhesive hook strip to hang framed photos from your ceiling so they’re visible from all angles!
- Use hooks (like these) attached to clothespins or paper clips and hang framed photos from your ceiling so they’re visible from all angles!
- Hang holiday-themed pictures like snowflakes, Christmas trees, and Santa Claus on door frames with poinsettias! You can create this look by wrapping each plant with ribbon and attaching them using picture hooks or thumbtacks (or by just sticking them right onto the door frame!). You could also use other types of holiday decorations like gingerbread men, wreaths, angels, and other holiday decorations.
- Make a textured concrete wall look more unique by adding different types of decorative objects like rocks, sea shells, tree branches, and feathers.
- Use ribbons to hang framed photos from your ceiling so they’re visible from all angles!
- Use a corkboard for a unique display on your ceiling! You can use a cork board with holes that you can simply put pictures into or you can use a cork board with pre-cut holes so it’s ready to hang right after it arrives in the mail!
Conclusion
There are many ways to decorate a concrete wall. You can even use your imagination and use decorative objects that you may have in your home! Plus, if you don’t want to do all the work, go ahead and visit our concrete wall decorating shop!