If you do a lot of re-arranging, you might get a "pro" (or do some homework)
and install a "picture rail" around the perimeter of the room. Once
installed, you can hand "stuff" from it without worrying about the walls.

For curtains: If the existing trim doesn't provide a sufficient base,
extend that trim with properly installed boards which are fastened directly
into the wall framing. You can paint the board the same color as the wall
or finish them to match the existing trim. But you then have a good base
to install curtain hardware without fear of destroying your wall.

Modern "wall board" is pretty forgiving and can often hold 20 to 40 lbs with
just a plastic anchor. But OLD "old style" lath and plaster is a problem
as often the lath has pulled away from the plaster. When you drill this
stuff you have to be VERY careful and SLOW.

"missykrissy66" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hello there! I am a young female that is NOT anything close to a
handyman, my man is a computer geek (even LESS handy), and I need
help! I want to hang pictures as well as heavy curtains/rods and
surround speakers in my place but everytime I try I make a huge hole.
I have some anchors that the maitenence man gave to me, a decent drill
and an wide array of different screw/nails/etc. and a hammer. HOW IN
THE HECK DO I HANG THIS CRAP? Please-HELP ME!

Thanks!
Krissy

Hello there! I am a young female that is NOT anything close to a
handyman, my man is a computer geek (even LESS handy), and I need
help! I want to hang pictures as well as heavy curtains/rods and
surround speakers in my place but everytime I try I make a huge hole.
I have some anchors that the maitenence man gave to me, a decent drill
and an wide array of different screw/nails/etc. and a hammer. HOW IN
THE HECK DO I HANG THIS CRAP? Please-HELP ME!

Thanks!
Krissy

missykrissy66 wrote:
Hello there! I am a young female that is NOT anything close to a
handyman, my man is a computer geek (even LESS handy), and I need
help! I want to hang pictures as well as heavy curtains/rods and
surround speakers in my place but everytime I try I make a huge hole.
I have some anchors that the maitenence man gave to me, a decent drill
and an wide array of different screw/nails/etc. and a hammer. HOW IN
THE HECK DO I HANG THIS CRAP? Please-HELP ME!

How would you have your car engine replaced? An appendix removed? Fly to
Albuquerque? Build a pyramid?

Answer to the above and your question: Hire an expert.

"missykrissy66" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hello there! I am a young female that is NOT anything close to a
handyman, my man is a computer geek (even LESS handy), and I need
help! I want to hang pictures as well as heavy curtains/rods and
surround speakers in my place but everytime I try I make a huge hole.
I have some anchors that the maitenence man gave to me, a decent drill
and an wide array of different screw/nails/etc. and a hammer. HOW IN
THE HECK DO I HANG THIS CRAP? Please-HELP ME!

Thanks!
Krissy


are you hot?

"missykrissy66" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hello there! I am a young female that is NOT anything close to a
handyman, my man is a computer geek (even LESS handy), and I need
help! I want to hang pictures as well as heavy curtains/rods and
surround speakers in my place but everytime I try I make a huge hole.
I have some anchors that the maitenence man gave to me, a decent drill
and an wide array of different screw/nails/etc. and a hammer. HOW IN
THE HECK DO I HANG THIS CRAP? Please-HELP ME!

If you are a hot babe, have the neighbor man next door come over to help.

Otherwise, anchors and toggle bolts are best in plaster wall. You have to
drill a hole first, insert the anchor, then put in a screw. Put a piece of
tape over the place you want to drill and it helps prevent chipping.

Very light things can often be hung with just a hook nailed into the lath.

"missykrissy66" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hello there! I am a young female that is NOT anything close to a
handyman, my man is a computer geek (even LESS handy), and I need
help! I want to hang pictures as well as heavy curtains/rods and
surround speakers in my place but everytime I try I make a huge hole.
I have some anchors that the maitenence man gave to me, a decent drill
and an wide array of different screw/nails/etc. and a hammer. HOW IN
THE HECK DO I HANG THIS CRAP? Please-HELP ME!

Thanks!
Krissy

1 - You do not hang crap, you flush it down the toilet.
2 - The walls may be strong enough to hold a light picture frame but not
strong enough to hold a surround sound speakers.
3 - Your best holding power is to find the studs in the walls, use a stud
finder. Remember that outside walls may not have studs they may be plaster
directly on masonry or plaster on wood lath on small strips of wood called
strapping.
4 - Ask the maintenance man how to do it.

missykrissy66 wrote:

Hello there! I am a young female that is NOT anything close to a
handyman, my man is a computer geek (even LESS handy), and I need
help! I want to hang pictures as well as heavy curtains/rods and
surround speakers in my place but everytime I try I make a huge hole.
I have some anchors that the maitenence man gave to me, a decent drill
and an wide array of different screw/nails/etc. and a hammer. HOW IN
THE HECK DO I HANG THIS CRAP? Please-HELP ME!

Thanks!
Krissy

If the maintenance man gave you anchors, have him show you how to
install one since presumably he is familiar with the construction of the
place.

longshot wrote:


"missykrissy66" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello there! I am a young female that is NOT anything close to a
handyman, my man is a computer geek (even LESS handy), and I need
help! I want to hang pictures as well as heavy curtains/rods and
surround speakers in my place but everytime I try I make a huge hole.
I have some anchors that the maitenence man gave to me, a decent drill
and an wide array of different screw/nails/etc. and a hammer. HOW IN
THE HECK DO I HANG THIS CRAP? Please-HELP ME!

Thanks!
Krissy


are you hot?


"my man is a computer geek"

ducking

On Apr 30, 3:16 pm, missykrissy66 wrote:
Hello there! I am a young female that is NOT anything close to a
handyman, my man is a computer geek (even LESS handy), and I need
help! I want to hang pictures as well as heavy curtains/rods and
surround speakers in my place but everytime I try I make a huge hole.
I have some anchors that the maitenence man gave to me, a decent drill
and an wide array of different screw/nails/etc. and a hammer. HOW IN
THE HECK DO I HANG THIS CRAP? Please-HELP ME!

Thanks!
Krissy

To do it the professional and absolute correct way (and not saying you
have to), you'll need to find the stud and secure the picture or
curtain rod screws/nails to the studs. Studs are generally located
around 3/4 inch behind plaster walls. Some electronic stud finders
work, but many won't. With respect to the pictures, you can probably
easily get away with just using some large pictures hangers directly
through the plaster, just use a nail larger than an inch. The walls
should be able to handle this no problem, unless we are talking about
pictures that weigh in excess of 30lbs or more (and that's a big
picture). If they stay up, there not coming down unless pulled on.
To save the surrounding plaster, before nailing, put masking tape on
the plaster and nail through the tape so the plaster won't crack, or,
at least it will prevent further cracking.

Regarding the heavy curtain rods, the most accurate way to find the
stud behind plaster (if stud finder doesn't work) is to drill about a
quarter-inch hole close to where you want to hang. Stick a coat hanger
in and feel around inside the wall until you feel a stud. Mark where
the stud is and fill the other holes with spackle. Before drilling put
tape over the plaster to avoid larger cracks. Again, how heavy are
these things, using anchors that penetrate all the way through the
plaster will most likely hold anything in place. I have plaster walls
and never had a problem hanging pictures or heavy rods. Actually,
sometimes you get luck and hit a few studs along the way anyway.

" Hello there! I am a young female that is NOT anything close to a
handyman, my man is a computer geek (even LESS handy), and I need
help! I want to hang pictures as well as heavy curtains/rods and
surround speakers in my place but everytime I try I make a huge hole.
I have some anchors that the maitenence man gave to me, a decent drill
and an wide array of different screw/nails/etc. and a hammer. HOW IN
THE HECK DO I HANG THIS CRAP? Please-HELP ME!

Thanks!
Krissy


I got onto this thread a little late. If you still need help,

Am I correct that this is plaster over lathe construction?

You may not have the right anchors. With the right ones it is a piece of
cake. Even a geek can do it.


Colbyt

"EXT" wrote in message
2 - The walls may be strong enough to hold a light picture frame but not
strong enough to hold a surround sound speakers.

Have you checked the size and weight of surround sound speakers these days?
If the wall can't carry them you'd better get out of the house as it will
collapse. Most speakers weigh about 2 pounds.

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
t...

"EXT" wrote in message
2 - The walls may be strong enough to hold a light picture frame but not
strong enough to hold a surround sound speakers.

Have you checked the size and weight of surround sound speakers these
days? If the wall can't carry them you'd better get out of the house as it
will collapse. Most speakers weigh about 2 pounds.

1 - I was talking about hanging them on old plaster, as it may not hold the
weight. One would need to find a stud if there is one.

2 - Yes, I have checked out the size and weight of surround sound speakers.
I just hung a bunch. The cheap junk can be quite small, but close to useless
for real good surround sound. Some, such as I was hanging, weigh about 8 to
12 pounds and need to be mounted solidly to prevent the weight and vibration
from pulling them down.

"Stan" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 30 Apr 2007 20:46:52 -0400, "Colbyt"
wrote:

You may not have the right anchors. With the right ones it is a piece of
cake. Even a geek can do it.

What would be the right anchors to use on Plastered Lathe walls (if a
vertical stud is not in the vicinity of where you want to hang
something)?

The reason I ask is that I also came across this a while back when
asked to hang a 4lb wind-up pendulum clock on a Plastered Lathe wall.
I was able to deep scan the wall for studs with my Zircon but found
none in the location where she wanted the clock hung. I wasn't about
to drive a nail in the wall for fear of damaging the surrounding
plaster and wasn't ready to trust a screw for 3 reasons, 1) would the
lathe slat support a 4lb hanging object and 2) I wasn't sure I would
be able to get the screw to hit the "meat" part of a slat and not hit
the space between slats or get too close to the edge of a slat and 3)
the possibility of the old dried, hard slats splitting when invaded by
a screw.

Regards,
Stan

I hang draperies, mirrors and assorted stuff all the time. If you use a 2"
#6 or 8 hex head screw and the proper hanger it is not going to fall down.
Most times you will hit the lathe behind the plaster. That is all you need.
The heaviest load is there to stay unless there is a moisture problem inside
the wall in which case nothing is going to last long.

If you hit the edge and it splinters, you will feel the screw not snug down
tight. Set your clutch using a scrap of wood if you fear you can't feel it.

Failing to hit the lathe, then a 3" (1/8 x 3) toggle bolt is the next best
option. A long range molly would be the distant third choice. Distant third
because of the uneven surface inside the walls for the grip point. All the
rest of the quick and easy stuff they sell at the borg is crap.

Here is one more tip. Use a 1/2" #8 TEK screw to cut though the hard coat
of the plaster before you drive the big screw home. This greatly minimizes
the potential for a crack or fracture of the plaster. One TEK is good for
1-2 holes before trashing, is cheaper and less messy than drill bits.

People greatly under estimate the holding power of secure plaster. Over the
years I have taken down many draperies that hung for years and the screws
holding them up were screwed into nothing but the plaster wall. Never
making contact with any wood at all.

Colbyt