Easy Low-Cost Way to Hang Plates on the Wall
An easy, inexpensive DIY method to hang plates on the wall using common items you already have at home!
Updated 6/2025
Friends, this might be one of my favorite low-cost projects! It takes just minutes to hang plates on the wall and it's basically free if you have just a few simple supplies!
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I have a large window in this room with beautiful molding that I didn't want to cover up. However, the wall on the left side needed a little something-something!
I've amassed a large collection of white ironstone over the years, mostly from thrift stores. And while it does get used, it spends most of its life sitting in my black hutch.
This blank wall needed something. The easy solution? I decided to get a few of my favorite pieces of thrifted ironstone out of hiding and hang them on the wall!
Did you know you can make DIY plate hangers from simple paper clips?
Check out this short video tutorial to see exactly how I added the paperclips and felt using a strong holding glue as well as hot glue for an instant hold.
Disclaimer: I do want to mention that none of the plates I used are family heirlooms. Of course I'd be sad if any of them fell of the wall and broke (thankfully that hasn't happened)...but please use regular plate hangers for your heirloom, priceless china! Just in case!
Keep reading because in addition to the affordable DIY plate hangers, I'm also sharing my super easy solution for hanging a gallery plate wall with ease!
DIY Solution to Hang Plates on the Wall with Common Household Items
Supplies:
- high temp glue gun
- E-6000 glue
- craft felt
- scissors
- paper clips, jumbo and regular
- printer paper
- frog tape (or low-adhesive tape like masking tape)
How to make DIY plate hangers
Decide what plates you want to use. I'm a visual person and needed to know exactly how the plates would look hanging on the wall. Obviously I could only hold up 2 plates at a time, so I needed another way.
My solution was to make paper templates of the plates. I traced around each plate, cut it out and taped the paper mock ups to the wall with my low-adhesive frog tape.
This way I was easily able to adjust placement.
I already had a nail in the wall, so hung one of the larger plates on that and worked around that center point.
Next, I cut out small circles of felt to fit the center of the plate backs.
Untwist the paperclip so you have a large hanging hook and the bottom loop. This larger loop is what will get glued to your plates.
NOTE: use the jumbo paperclips for large plates; regular size paperclips are fine for small plates.
I used the E-6000 glue first, to glue down the paperclip to the plate, leaving the small loop sticking out for a hanger. This glue smells really bad, but it is the best glue I've used when you want a tight, secure hold.
Because the E-6000 takes awhile to dry, I used hot glue on top of the paperclip as well. The hot glue provides an immediate hold both for the paper clip and to secure the felt to the back of the plate. The felt holds everything together and looks nicer!
If you want to see a step by step tutorial, please watch this short video that I shared on my Instagram channel.
Tips for hanging plates
I hammered a nail on each of the paper templates so that my plates would be hung exactly where I wanted them, then I simply tore the paper away from the nail and hung the plates!
Don't forget
Before hanging your plates you need to allow time for the glue to dry. I set heavy objects on the back of each plate to help the glue to really set well before I attempted to hang. I know you'll be impatient, just like I was...but give it an hour or two to really set and overnight is even better!
You'll see that I used the regular plate hangers on my two larger plates...to be safe!
You'll see that I used the regular plate hangers on my two larger plates...to be safe!
I love how it turned out! This little corner is so pretty now.
Feel free to PIN THIS IMAGE for future reference!
What do you think? Would you try this method of hanging plates on the wall to save money?
Check out these other beautiful DIYs
bringing beauty to the ordinary,
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