How To Hammer In A Nail Without Damaging The Wall

There are times in life that everyone has to face sooner or later. One of them is to successfully place a nail or screw on a wall. Time and time again, you’ve resigned yourself to the fact that part of the wall won’t survive, but here’s some good news for you. In these articles, we tell you how to drive a nail without destroying the wall.

Whether it’s photos or shelves, at some point you will need to nail something to the wall. This simple task often causes impotence because part of the wall breaks when you try. T out the charm of a decoration or a board  is then broken off by a crack, a mark you left when you tried to hammer in a nail.

This is because you move the nail slightly when you hit it. There may also be times when you need to repeat the process because you pushed it in at an angle or because you didn’t put it in the right place. However, there are ways to avoid this. We explain them to you below.

How to drive a nail without damaging the wall?

1. Hold the nail with an assistant

As we said, you can avoid causing damage to the wall by nailing it down with some very basic helpers. Here are just a few of them:

• A piece of cardboard : you have to pierce the cardboard with the screw or the nail and place both against the wall. Once that is done, start hitting the hammer.
• With a bobby pin : In the same way, insert the screw or nail through the bobby pin to hold them in place. Then choose the spot and nail it down.
• With pliers : The third option is similar to the previous ones. You should hold the nail with the pliers firmly, and then hammer it in with a hammer.

2. Use soap to drive a nail

Here is an alternative that not many people know about. If you rub the soap on the nail, you can prevent it from breaking the wall when it penetrates. Before doing this, you need to wipe the wall with a damp cloth to remove all the dirt on it.

3. Use paper to present the painting before nailing it

Often times, cracks or marks in the wall are the result of repeated attempts. These, in general, are due to the fact that we were not happy with the placement of the frame or the shelf.

To avoid these inconveniences, you can use wrapping paper. Draw the shape of the frame using a pencil. Then place it on the wall and try out the different placement options until you get one that works for you.

Once that’s done, make a mark where you drive the nail. Attach the paper to the wall. Finally, drive in the nail and remove the paper.

Another way to do this is to use a wooden board that is not too wide, but is able to support the portraits you want to hang.

Place the nails on the board and let the point stick out to hang the portraits. This way you only have to drill the wall in one place to place multiple photos in your living room or bedroom.

4. Plant a nail using a cork stopper

Cork is a material that has thousands of uses. One of them, precisely, is to hammer in a nail without damaging the wall. This tip is especially recommended for thick and sturdy walls.

It’s very easy: first you have to nail through the cork stopper. Then, tap slowly but with firm strokes the head of the nail that should protrude. When you can’t see her anymore, keep hitting a little harder.

Once you have reached the desired depth, remove the plug. You may not be able to remove it easily. Use a craft knife to cut out parts of it until it crumbles. This way you will have the nail ready to support the weight you want.

Final recommendations for driving a nail

Putting a nail or a screw in a wall isn’t very complicated, but there are always some basic tips that you better follow. Here are some helpful tips:

• The blow should be firm, but not too strong.
• Exert the force with your forearm, not your wrist.
• Hold the hammer by the handle, not the head.
• Hold the nail with your fingers during the first few touches. Once it holds on its own, you can let go.

You may have noticed that it is quite possible to hammer in a nail without damaging the wall. It is enough to take a few precautions and above all to be very careful. This way, you will be able to hang all kinds of decorations on your walls without causing them any significant damage.