How to Hang a Picture on a Concrete Wall in Singapore

It’s Saturday afternoon in your new 4-room BTO in Tengah. You tap a nail into the living room wall for the wedding photo, and it bends sideways and chips the paint. That’s normal in an HDB flat. Here’s what works, and where never to drill.

Why Can’t You Just Hammer a Nail Into an HDB Wall?

Most HDB walls are reinforced concrete or masonry block, and they’re too hard for a household nail. On concrete you need 3 things. The first is a hammer drill, or a drill with a hammer setting, because plain rotation only polishes the surface. The second is a masonry bit. The third is a wall plug, a plastic sleeve that expands and grips the hole as the screw goes in.

Tap the wall first. A hollow sound means a board partition or feature wall, common in condos, which needs hollow-wall anchors instead.

Keep the fixing small. HDB’s electrical works guidelines cap nails and screws at 6mm in diameter and 40mm in penetration depth, and they ask owners of flats with concealed wiring to keep anchors away from the conduits shown on the layout plans. HDB also asks residents to avoid DIY drilling between 10:30pm and 7am.

How Do You Hang a Picture on a Concrete Wall, Step by Step?

Check, mark, drill, plug, screw. With the tools ready, a frame takes about 15 minutes.

1. Check the spot against the “never drill” list below.
2. Mark the hook point, not the frame top. Measure down to the wire or hook.
3. Match the bit to the plug, usually 6mm for both. Tape the bit at the plug’s length as a depth guide.
4. Drill straight, on hammer mode with light pressure. Hold a folded envelope under the hole to catch the dust.
5. Tap the plug in flush. If it spins, move a few centimetres along.
6. Drive the screw, leaving about 5mm sticking out for the wire.
7. Hang and level. For frames wider than about 60cm, or heavy mirrors, use 2 fixing points.

Can You Hang a Picture Without Drilling?

Yes, for light frames on smooth painted walls. Adhesive hooks and picture-hanging strips peel off cleanly, which suits tenants. Humidity, kitchen steam, textured paint and fresh paint all weaken the bond. Clean the spot with rubbing alcohol, and wait the time stated on the pack before hanging.

Method	Typical load	Best for	Watch out for
Adhesive hooks	Usually well under 1kg	Small frames, calendars	Humidity, textured paint
Adhesive picture strips	Up to a few kg per set (check the pack)	Light, flat frames	Never exceed the rating; avoid kitchens and toilets
Screw and wall plug	Heavy frames, mirrors (2 points)	Anything you can’t afford to drop	Concealed pipes and wiring, shelter rules
Leaning on a shelf or console	Any weight	Tenants, frequent changes	Knocks from children or pets

To remove a strip, pull the tab slowly downward along the wall. Peeling it outward takes the paint with it.

Where Should You Never Drill in an HDB Flat?

Avoid the lines above and below switches and power points, concealed pipes in the kitchen and toilet, and anything in the household shelter beyond what the rules allow.

• Switches and power points. Concealed wiring usually runs straight up or down from a switch or socket, so keep clear of that line.
• Kitchen and toilet walls. HDB’s water and sanitary plumbing guidelines tell owners of flats with concealed water pipes to take precautions when drilling, and to use the kitchen and toilet layout plans only as a guide. Stay away from the area directly above or below taps and the water heater.
• Tiles. Use a tile bit without hammer action until you’re through the tile.
• The household shelter. You can hang things here. HDB’s building works guidelines allow drilling into the inside face of shelter walls and ceiling up to 50mm deep, with non-metallic plugs and removable screws, for pictures, shelves and similar fixtures. You must remove them within 48 hours if notified. Under SCDF’s shelter requirements, power-driven nails are allowed only on the outside face, and the walls and steel door must not be hacked or tampered with.

If your bit ever hits metal or a wire, stop. Switch off at the consumer unit and call a licensed electrician, because HDB requires wiring work to be done by an EMA licensed electrical worker. Our guide on how to choose an electrician in Singapore covers what to check. In a condo, check the MCST by-laws before drilling.

How High Should You Hang a Picture?

Centre it about 145 to 155cm from the floor, roughly eye level, or 20 to 25cm above a sofa back. Treat a gallery wall as 1 picture with 5 to 8cm gaps, and tape up paper templates first.

When Should You Call a Handyman Instead?

For 1 or 2 light frames on plain concrete, do it yourself. Book a handyman for a heavy mirror, tiled walls, a gallery wall where 10 holes must line up, or any spot near switches or pipes you’re unsure about. Here’s what a handyman does in Singapore and which jobs need a licensed pro instead.

With Urban Company, hanging a picture or mirror starts from S$15, and patching a hole costs S$30 and takes about 30 minutes. The handyman brings the tools, but for some jobs you may need to supply the hardware, such as a specific bracket or hanging kit, so check the listing when you book. Bookings are by the hour, not by task, so 1 visit can also cover the curtain rod.

Read how handyman pricing works in Singapore, what to check before you hire a handyman and what an affordable handyman quote should include. When you’re ready, see the full handyman price list and book a handyman in Singapore.

Frequently Asked Questions