How to Hang Vintage Plates on the Wall
Want to display your favorite vintage plates but you’re nervous about hanging them on the wall? Let me show you how I hang vintage plates! I’ll show you how I plan a plate arrangement and measure for hanging, plus my favorite plate hanger so that you can feel confident about displaying your plates too!
As with any project, please use your own common sense and discretion. This tutorial is meant to offer helpful suggestions, but it is up to the reader to weigh any risk associated with this project.
What do I use to hang vintage dishes?
I’m glad you asked! I know some people use those adhesive disks which are supposed to be invisible (the kind where you wet the back and stick it to the back of the plate). I’ve never personally tried those, but they make me soooo nervous and I’ve heard too many stories of plates falling off of walls and shattering.
My favorite hanger, by far, is the Tripar wire plate hanger which securely grasps onto the plate and comes with a nail and picture hanging hook specifically for the plate hanger. They come in both white and brass – I like to use the white ones.
You will need to measure your dish before purchasing a plate hanger! They come in several size ranges – just check the measurement specification on the package for appropriate plate size. If you’re on the edge of a different size, go for tighter rather than looser. You never want the plate hanger to be loose on the plate. Also note the maximum weight each size of hanger can hold.
Important Note About Plate Hangers
Be sure to use plate hangers that are coated, not bare ware hangers. The coating is a rubbery material designed to prevent scratches on your plates as well as aid in gripping the plate securely. The hangers I’ve linked in this tutorial are coated. Bare wire hangers may scratch up your plates. When placing the plate hanger on the plate, carefully put the hooks in place and try not to scoot it around too much on the plate. Be sure to use the proper size hanger for your plate – too loose and it won’t securely hold the plate – extremely tight will either break your hanger or put unnecessary pressure on your plate.
A note on removing stickers from plates
If you have a stubborn thrift store sticker stuck on your plate, a short soak in some warm soapy water will do the trick. I use a gentle rubber scraper to scraper off the soapy sticker and it comes right off. I’ve heard lemon essential oil works well too but have not personally tried it.
How to hang vintage plates
- Gather all vintage dishes and lay them out on some paper – I use scrap paper or newspaper.
- Trace around each plate with a felt tip pen to create an outline.
- Cut out all the plate shapes from the paper.
- Arrange the plates on the floor or a table in the shape you want them on the wall. This gives a good visual for how they will look all lined up.
- Use masking tape to hang all the newspaper outlines on the wall, measuring with a tape measure (or sometimes I just use the width of my hand) to get the spacing right. Once all the outlines are up there step back to double check that it looks correct.
- Next attach the wire plate hangers to the plates: just hook the top two feet onto the top of the plate, stretch the springs down around the back and hook the bottom two feet onto the bottom of the plate. If the feet aren’t sitting quite right you can take the hanger off and bend the wire feet carefully with pliers.
- Use a tape measure to measure the distance between the top of my plate and the “V” shape of the wire hanger meant for hanging on the nail and hook. Remember this number.
- Working with the paper template on the wall, find the center of the plate template, then measure down from the top the same measurement that you got in the previous step. This is where your nail will go. Put a dot or x there with a dark pen.
- Hammer the picture hanger and nail into the wall on the black dot, going right through the newspaper. Once your hook is in you can tear off the newspaper and you’re left with a perfectly placed hook!
- You can test your plate on your new hanger, but if you have multiple plates to do on the same wall I recommend not hanging the plates until all the hammering is done! Don’t want any accidents!
Do you love vintage plates too? Tell me below in the comments how you like to display them! I hope you found this little tutorial helpful and thanks so much for reading!
Blessings,
Melissa
How great you explained! I have been hanging plates everywhere for 60 years by eye. Now I have plaster walls!! Can’t be adding nail extra nail holes in error which I used to do.
I want to hang the blue plates in a circle. With a framed doily in the middle. At 82 I still enjoy decorating. I recently move to a new home by myself. I think I better get it right the 1st time.
Thank you, Myra.
Aw I’m so glad, Myra! This made my day – thank you. š
Hi Melissa,
Just found this today (5/31/2024). Thanks so much! I signed up for you to “SEND IT MY WAY.”
Trusting in Him always,
Lana
Thanks, Lana!
I’ve just discovered I love vintage plates, especially when the colours compliment the wall colour, and blue and white seems to work with everything. I’ve been using command strips, they hold 5kg and go on and come off easily.
Thanks for sharing!
This is a great tutorial! I would add that since your using disposable paper you could measure first and write it on the paper before you tape it to the wall, then your all set to hammer once you decide where to hang the plates.
Thank you, Robin! That’s a great idea. š
Thank you for this. This was very helpful. I’m getting ready to hang my first small suite of ironstone plates.
Thank you, Mike! I’m so glad you found it helpful. š
My sister and I have been using the disks that glue on the back of the plates for over 20 years and they work perfectly. What we like is you donāt see the wires come around the front of the plates. One of my treasures I have on the wall with the disk weighs 2 1:2 pounds and itās been hanging for 10+ years. They sell these at Hobby Lobby and they are bright yellow made in England. Good luck
I’m glad it’s worked out for you!