The Best Way To Hang Picture Frames On The Brick Wall In Your Home

Exposed interior brick is a huge drawing point for a lot of properties. As House Tipster points out, brick walls offer both color and textural variety to a room, making it instantly more interesting and charming. Exposed brick can also help show the history of a home, especially in older units. Brick is a very sturdy and withstanding material, both physically and in terms of trendiness. More than that, brick is fireproof and offers more insulation than many other materials, per Artists Masonry.

There are some downsides to having exposed brick in your home, though. They're harder to clean than other wall materials, can chip and crumble, and don't offer as much versatility as traditional plaster or drywall. This can make something as simple as hanging a picture a difficult task. Brick is a very unforgiving material when it comes to errors, and can't simply be plastered over like other walls. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to hang pictures on your brick wall, as long as you know what you're doing.

There are ways to drill or hammer nails into brick, but it can be a little intimidating. Plus, holes in brick aren't patchable the way holes in drywall are. With that in mind, a great alternative to start out with is adhesive utility hooks, similar to Command Strips. It isn't as simple as peeling and sticking the adhesive strips when it comes to brick walls, though.

According to DIY Melon, adhesive hooks need a smooth and clean surface to stick to most effectively. This is a great scenario if you have new, smooth brick walls or painted brick. Older brick, though, tends to be a lot rougher and porous, meaning the hook likely won't stick to it. It's certainly worth a try, but it may be at the expense of your picture frame if the hook doesn't hold up. There are similar options for older brick, though, like these brick hook clips from Amazon.

If you have an older home, someone may have already solved the issue of hanging art on the brick walls for you. Per The Craftsman Blog, homes built prior to World War II commonly have thin molding at the top of the wall near the ceiling. The thing that distinguishes it from regular crown molding is the small lip at the very top, where you can hook and hang down heavy items with a wire without damaging your brick walls.

Although not every home will have a pre-existing picture rail, they are still popular and plenty of tradesmen still make and install picture rails. If you've taken a trip to a museum or art gallery, you've likely seen art displayed in this way. Modern options can have a very sleek and industrial look, or you can go for a more traditional approach. As STAS Picture Hanging Systems points out, you can play around with the look of your picture rail by painting it a bright color or hanging multiple frames from one hook and wire for a contemporary gallery approach.

If you really want to avoid putting any holes in your brick wall, there is another approach for showing off your pictures, and that is hanging shelves. Installing them will, however, require the use of power tools on your ceiling, but it keeps your brick walls completely intact while still allowing you to show off your favorite art, and even a few trinkets.

Ceiling-mounted shelves come in a variety of shapes, sizes, materials, and designs. Some of the most popular styles are bar gantries for storing kitchen items, rustic rope shelves for a traditional look, industrial chain shelves or larger floor-to-ceiling shelves in contemporary homes, or minimalist pan racks, suggests Vaunt Design. You can opt for one long and wide hanging wood shelf to display an individual piece of art, or a multi-leveled shelf for lots of art, nick nacks, and plants. There is no wrong way to choose and design this display alternative.

If you don't mind exerting a little time, effort, and labor, as well as handling power tools, there is a way to hang picture frames directly onto brick walls. This method requires a pencil or chalk to mark the wall, a respiratory mask and goggles, a drill and masonry drill bit, a masonry nail, and a hammer, explains DoItYourself.

You shouldn't try to drill directly into the brick, but instead into the mortar between the bricks. Begin by cleaning any surface dust or dirt from the mortar, then mark where you want to nail to go with your pencil or chalk. This is a pretty permanent decision, so consider asking a friend for help to determine the final placement.

Now it's time to drill — hammering directly into the mortar will do nothing but chip it and create a big, ugly crater. Gear up with your mask and goggles, and using a drill bit the same size or a little smaller than the nail, drill into the wall. Next, hammer the masonry nail into the wall. Take your time so you don't bend the nail. Clean up any dust or debris, hang your frame, and you're done!