Share Whether due to a lack of space, keeping animals safe, or simply aesthetics, the stylish trend of hanging plants has grown in popularity.
Using hooks to hang plants offers a simple, decorative method of adding green, creative accents to your interior design whilst keeping your surfaces clear. In addition, using a plant hanger keeps plants out of harm's way for those with pets or young children.
For some, installing hanging plants can be an easy task. For others, drilling holes in your ceiling can be difficult and impossible in an apartment or rental property.
So, if you want to create a hanging indoor garden, we have a solution for you.
The benefits of a hanging plant
A quick and efficient way of bringing light, texture and detail into your home design, indoor plants not only make your home look good, but they will make you feel good too.
Open, green areas have long been known to significantly affect our health and well-being. Whether you spend time in the garden or take a walk outside, surrounding yourself with plants is beneficial. But, with more people spending time indoors now more than ever, and many without gardens with outdoor plants or any green areas, those benefits are lacking.
So, why not add outdoor elements to your living space?
Including plants in your interior design will boost your mood, productivity, creativity, and concentration. However, with many of us living in smaller spaces or just not having the room for a collection of houseplants, decorating with plants can be challenging.
Preparing your plant hangers
Plant hangers are a quick DIY task that requires few tools available in nearly any hardware store.
When hanging plants from your ceiling, you need to pick reliable methods and keep your plants secure. As a result, we recommend to hang only lightweight plants from the ceiling to prevent any accidents or damage.
First, however, you will need to consider the supplies you need.
Choosing the right hook:
To start, you will first need a suitable ceiling hook.
At Hiatt Hardware, we stock a vast collection in different shapes, sizes, and finishes. But, to hang plants from your ceiling, you will need to choose strong, durable, and long-lasting ceiling hooks to prevent your plants from falling.
The most reliable and prevalent method used to securely hang items from the ceiling is a swag hook. You can use swag hooks to support medium-sized plants and light fixtures that hang by a chain. When used with a hinge clip, you can safely hang a plant from anywhere on your ceiling.
Our Screw Hooks, with their zinc plated finish and solid steel construction, allow for the safe hanging of plants from your ceiling. With assorted sizes available, you have extensive choices to meet your requirements.
Beneficial for any DIY task, you can easily affix our screw hooks to solid wood, plasterboard, and masonry. In addition, we supply all our screw hooks with the necessary wallplugs, so you will receive the fixings you need.
Alternatively, our Screw-in Ball End Single Robe Hooks selection will make for a decorative statement whilst remaining firm. There is a finish for any decor style ranging from antique brass to solid white.
Shop our Antique Brass Screw Ball End Hook by tapping on the image above.
Finding where to place your hook:
Deciding where to hang a plant depends on the type of plant you are using. However, there are a few other factors to consider.
Before hanging your plant anywhere, think about the following:
- The light requirements of the plant
- A stable area of the ceiling
Light Levels:
Where you hang a plant in your home should depend on the type of plant you are hanging.
Research the plant you are hanging and pay attention to its sunlight needs. For instance, if your plant needs direct, bright light, consider hanging it in an area that regularly sees substantial amounts of sunshine.
Air plants are an excellent choice for hanging indoors as they thrive in areas with a few hours of bright, indirect sun daily. Place near a window or an artificial light to create the ideal conditions to keep these plants thriving.
Alternatively, plants like English Ivy or Spider Plants thrive well in areas of low light. So, if you have a room in your home that struggles to get lots of sunlight, a hanging plant like these will suit you well.
A Secure Hanging Spot:
When you have ascertained how much sunlight your plant needs, you now need to choose an area of ceiling that receives the right amount of light, is a secure, safe spot, and can hold weight.
The most reliable method of hanging a plant from the ceiling is to choose the right spot with a stud of solid wood, such as a ceiling joist or wooden beam. To determine whether the place you want to use has a stud or is a hollow spot, you can use a stud finder.
A stud finder will use magnets, electricity or even radar technology (dependent on the model) to detect fasteners behind the drywall. Using this method will allow you to find the stud and avoid any pipes, cables, or wires behind the drywall.
A regular ceiling hook will suffice if you decide to hang your plant from a stud. However, suppose a stud is not conveniently accessible. In that case, you can also install a hanging plant pot into drywall if you use a swag hook with a hinged clip that opens out once you push it through the drywall.
Prepare your hanging planter:
Looking around for a plant hanger, you will see an abundance of styles and designs. The options are endless, from macrame hangers and heavy-duty chain hangers to ceramic or plastic pot holders.
It is essential to choose a hanger that fits the style of your home, your plant of choice and where you will be hanging the plant. For example, suppose you select a heavy ceramic style. You will need to invest in sturdier hardware and choose an area of your home with a robust support system. On the other hand, lightweight hangers like macrame or plastic will hang safely.
Regardless of the style you choose, ensure you can manage the drainage. All plants require soil and water, so make sure you choose a planter style without drainage holes, or you will end up spilling water all over the floor. To drain the plant, add a layer of small rocks or gravel to the base of your pot.
To prepare your plant hanger:
- Fill your pot with soil to the halfway point and place your plant neatly within.
- Fill in around your plant with more soil and even out the top.
- Finish with some water to keep your plant hydrated, and you are ready to get hanging.
How to hang plants from the ceiling
What you will need:
- A strong hook screw
- Hanging chain or rope (if your hanger does not have one)
- A drill
- A drill bit
- Your plant of choice
- A ladder
- A helpful assistant
- Eye protection
Method:
Now that you have all the correct materials and tools gathered, you are ready to start.
Follow these tips below to hang your plants from your ceiling.
Find the right location:
- Mark the spot on the ceiling where you want your planter to hang from, keeping in mind the light needs for the plant you want to hang there.
- If you want to hang several plants in the same area, make sure you space out the holes accordingly.
Drill a small hole:
- Put on your eye protection to avoid falling debris or dust from getting into your eyes.
- Head up the ladder, ensuring you have someone to hold the ladder still.
- Drill a pilot hole with the drill bit.
- Make sure your bit is slightly smaller than the screw of your hook to ensure the hook will fit securely.
Insert your hook:
- Put your hook into the hole and tighten it a few times until the threads begin to catch.
- Hand screw into place until it sits flush to the ceiling.
- If you find the hook challenging to turn, you can use the eye attachment on your drill to slowly drill the hook into place.
- If you are using a swag hook in a drywall ceiling, insert the hook with the hinge clip through the hole and allow the hinge clip wings open.
- Tighten the hook and check the hinge clip is open and secure.
- To do this, gently pull on it to ensure it does not move.
Hang your plant:
- Now that you have your hook firmly in place, you can put your plant hanger into place on the hook and voila!
Other ways of hanging plants
A hanging plant will look great on a plant hook on a wall, hung over a tension rod or even in pots hanging from a coat rack. By getting creative, you can hang plants throughout your house in no time at all.
Installing a hanging plant does not always mean drilling into walls and ceilings; there are various other ways to hang plants which we will detail below.
Wall Hooks:
Wall hanging plants might provide a more straightforward solution to ceiling hooks and allow you to get creative with your designs. From classic robe hooks, suction cup and adhesive hooks to even a coat rack, the practices of hanging your plants from your walls are endless.
Easy to install, suction cup and adhesive hooks will securely attach to any wall or smooth surface. They provide a damage-free alternative and are a perfect lightweight plant hook.
Shop our Brass Standard Hat & Coat Hook by clicking on the image above.
Over the door hooks:
Over-the-door hooks are a great space-saving technique for any home by offering a minimalistic method of tidying away clutter. Simple to install, these hooks only need looping over the door frame and can withstand the weight of coats, towels, bags and even plants.
Using this hook style to display a hanging plant is an excellent way to utilise space in small living areas and decorate unused doors.
To allow more space for your pots, ensure you pick a design that has a longer projection, like our Straight Over the Door Single Robe Hook in chrome, and choose a small hanger style that loops over the hook. This will prevent your pot from banging or scraping on the door by giving the plant more space to hang.
Shop our 4 Hat & Coat Hooks Over The Door Rail in Polished Chrome by clicking on the image above.
A tension rod:
Tension rods offer an uncomplicated, damage-free, and inexpensive method of hanging plants. Without drilling holes, you can use tension rods to hang curtains, clothes, and plants.
A contemporary option, using tension rods to hang pants creates a modern, industrial look. By using a simple S hook hung over the rod, you can hang a plant in a matter of moments. S hooks are perfect for hanging your plants anywhere in your house, with their straightforward design and robust structure.
However, it is vital to check the weight limit of the rods you choose to purchase. They have to be strong enough to hold your plants in place. You can buy tension rods from any local hardware store or online.
Shop our collection of S-Hooks by tapping on the image above.
Magnetic Hook:
Dependent on where you will hang your plant, you could use a magnetic hook.
A magnetic hook will have a plate with a hook attached. You can attach the hook to an air vent or a metal fixture and complete the look by putting your plant on the hook.
A great alternative to drilling holes in your walls or ceilings, magnetic hooks are inexpensive and require little installation time.
To Conclude
Add style and bask in the benefits of bringing houseplants into your interior design with these quick and simple methods.
Whether you hang your plants from your ceiling or wall, you will elevate your home's style with indoor hanging plants whilst creating a productive, yet calming environment for every household member.
At Hiatt Hardware our teams are here to help. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us by calling 0800 0590 950 or by sending us an email at websales@hiatt-hardware.com.
