In most cases though, for anything above 5 pounds, any hook that screws into a wall or ceiling stud is the recommended hook to use. For weights below 5 pounds, an adhesive hook will do the job. Adhesive hooks are also easily removable and won't damage the surface they're attached to when removed.
Screws (and screws with masonry anchors for heavy items) are your best choice for hanging things on plaster walls without picture rail. For lighter items, simply screwing into the plaster with a 1 1/4” drywall screw is usually enough to get the job done.
Hang paper lanterns, poms and other decorations from your ceiling and transform your room. And like all Command™ Products, they hold strongly and remove cleanly, so you can live it up without worrying about taking them down. Now you can add some bling to your ceiling with Command™ Ceiling Hooks.
Install Your Plant Wall
The Command™ Clear Mini Hooks come in sets of six, and you'll probably need two or three packs, depending on the number of vines your plant has. First, hold the vines up against the wall. Then, eyeball where you want the hooks to hold the vines.
Use adhesive hooks to hang them from the ceiling without drilling. There are adhesive command hooks with adjustable hooks that are perfect for ceiling hanging. Purchase these hooks from an office supply or big box store. Peel the adhesive backing off and stick the back directly against the ceiling.
Choose a sturdy attachment that can hold your heavy object.
If you're hanging something lighter, like a bassinet, you may want to use a screw-eye hook instead. Pick something with a thread that's at least 2 1⁄2 in (6.4 cm) long, so it can securely fit through the drywall as well as the ceiling joist.
Jumbo hooks allow you to hold up to 7.5 pounds! Using the revolutionary Command™ Adhesive, Command™ Decorative Hooks hold strongly on a variety of surfaces, including paint, wood, tile and more.
If the hook base is wide enough for it, the instructions usually indicate to put strips side by side, and also indicate it can hold double the weight on the hook packages. Perhaps this is obvious, but you can NOT double the weight by layering two strips. 11 of 11 found this helpful.
Cup hooks, also called screw hooks, can be carefully drilled into popcorn ceilings with a variable-speed drill. First, ensure that there is no metal in the area in which you want to put the hook. You should also use a stud finder before drilling anywhere in your home.
Thumbtacks are the simplest of the three, which you can easily pop right through your decoration and onto the ceiling. These are best for lighter objects. You can also use a hammer for nails and hooks, or a drill for screws in your ceiling, which you will be able to tie your objects to or hang them from.
Hang Items From Ceiling Joists
Ceiling joists are wood panels used as support that resemble the studs in your walls. If you hang an item at the joists, the average drywall ceiling can hold up to 30 pounds. If you double the joists, the average drywall ceiling can hold up to 50 pounds.
Drywall anchors can be used on plaster walls the same way they'd be used on drywall. However, in many cases, they're not necessary, because it's easier to get a screw into the lath.
Plaster and wood lath are much harder than drywall, so self-tapping anchors are often defeated by plaster. Not only that, but attempting to drive a self-tapping anchor into plaster without pre-drilling a hole can crack the surface of your plaster wall.
Ceilings are another matter, though, thanks to the direct downward pull of gravity. The average 2×4 ceiling joists can't safely hold more than around 15 to 20 pounds regardless of the hanging hardware you use.
How much weight can drywall hold without a stud? Typically around 20 pounds. For heavy items, you may need to double up or hang from a stud. With a cheap plastic wall anchor, like the ones most products include in the box, drywall can hold about 20 pounds.
An ingenious and simple design, The Monkey Hook uses one rigid piece of wire to replace the need for a hammer, pin and hook. Able to hold 50lbs per hook, these guys can be doubled and even tripled for heavy loads such as mirrors. The upside of this is that Monkey Hooks are super handy and work really well in drywall.