Hanging Pictures on Masonry Walls

While brick walls can be a beautiful touch to just about any home, they do present a unique type of problem—hanging pictures. Hanging pictures on masonry walls has long been a problem for most homeowners, but never fear, it is possible to cover those bare walls. All you need to do is make a quick trip to your local home improvement store, pick up some brick hooks and maybe a mortar drill bit, and you are well on your way to creating your own private art gallery.

Tools and materials needed:

• Brick hooks and nails
• Power drill
• 1/8 inch mortar drill bit
• Level
• Hammer

Procedure:

1. Get some hooks. Go to your local home improvement store, and pick up some brick hooks for hanging pictures. You need to use these specialized hooks because they come with special nails that are practically unbendable. These nails are a must-have when dealing with masonry, since regular nails will typically bend, break, or shatter, which will lead to a damaged wall.
2. Choose the right size hook. These hooks typically come in one of three sizes that are rated according to the weight they will hold (30 pounds, 50 pounds, and 100 pounds). Choose the appropriate size for the picture or pictures that you will be hanging on the wall. Be aware that if you use the 30-pound hooks, they will usually only come with one of the nails, while the hooks rated for heavier loads will come with two.
3. Mark and drill the spot. Take a long, hard look at your wall and decide where you want to hang the picture. Try to pick a spot that allows you to work with the mortar rather than the brick, and be very sure about where you want it. Unlike finished walls, brick walls aren't very easy to patch up when you make a mistake. Mark the location with a pencil and if you are making more than one hole (for heavier pictures) make sure that the marks are level. Begin drilling a pilot hole with your mortar drill bit. When you do this, make sure that you have the drill at a 45-degree angle to the wall (with the drill handle going towards the ceiling) to provide enough support for the picture.
4. Insert and hammer. Place the masonry nail into the brick hook, and then into the pilot hole. Begin hammering the nail so that it is tight against the wall.
5. Hang the picture. Hang the picture carefully on the hook. Do not rough handle the picture onto the hook, or you may damage the picture or even the wall.
6. Repeat as necessary. Repeat steps 2 through 5 until you have hung all of the pictures that you want.