How to Hang a Guitar on the Wall without Drilling/No Screws

Many people living in rented accommodation, from college dorms to condos and apartments, find themselves in the same situation. You want to hang a guitar on the wall, but the lease doesn’t allow you to drill or screw a hanger into the wall.

Sure you can put a guitar on a stand, but when floorspace is at a premium, hanging a guitar is the most sensible option. If you have small kids or a large dog running around, stands also leaves your guitar at constant risk of getting knocked over or worse, landed on.

Thankfully, there’s actually a cheap and easy solution to your issue, which is functional and looks good, too.


Why You Might Not Be Able to Drill

Most rental contracts state that a tenant cannot do any more than normal wear and tear. That means drilling into the wall to hang a guitar is a no-no, to the point that many rental contracts expressly forbid any kind of drilling.

People will also say that any hole can just be spackled and painted, but that’s a lot of hassle and will cost you time and money in tools and supplies. Plus it’s one more thing to do on moving day.

There’s also the added issue where some houses are just badly made. While you might be able to find a stud, it might be a risk hanging something as heavy as some guitars. While Ibanez and similar guitars are actually quite light, a good Les Paul can easily run north of 10 pounds. Would you want to risk hanging 10 pounds on a command strip on the wall of your dorm?

There are also adhesive options for hanging guitars, but you’re really just hanging your guitar on paint at that point. Is it worth it?

Finally, you can use one of those closet guitar hangers – but who wants to keep a guitar in the closet?


Cheap and Simple Solution for a No-Drill Guitar Wall Hanger

Thankfully, a Japanese company called Labrico makes these cheap and simple 2 x 4 brackets that allow you to stand a 2×4 for use as a makeshift stud.

2 x 4 Brackets to Build Vertical Storage, DIY Wall Shelves and Decorative Posts | No Tool Assembly of a Sturdy Floor to Ceiling Wood Post | No Wall Damage – Great for Rental Properties and Apartments

The brackets are available in a variety of colors and are secured against the ceiling and floor (with a thumbwheel at the ceiling side to adjust height and ensure a tight fit) with non-slip pads on either end to ensure there is no damage.

How to hang a guitar on the wall without drilling/no screws

Once the bracket is in place, you simply attach a guitar wall hanger as you normally would to a stud in the wall, and you’re ready to roll! Each stud promises to hold 20kg (44 pounds), which is enough for three or more guitars – or two guitars and a little left over to account for people roughly putting the guitar on and off the wall.

How to hang a guitar on the wall without drilling/no screws

But why stop there! With a little outside-the-box thinking, you can easily create an entire wall display of guitars – no drilling, no screws, no messy adhesives.

How to hang a guitar on the wall without drilling/no screws

Having the post outside the wall also gives you piece of mind to know that your guitar is hanging safely.


An Easy DIY Project

For DIY novices, it may take a few tries to get the wood post exactly vertical, but a cheap and simple level is your friend.

Even for those with no DIY experience, this is actually a very simple and risk-free project. All you need is a set of brackets, a 2×4 cut to fit the ceiling height, a level, a screwdriver, and your choice of wall hanger (they all come with the screws you need).

Then when moving day comes, you can just take it all down and get on with your life. No spackle, no painting, no problems. Simple!


Final Thoughts on How to Hang a Guitar on the Wall without Drilling

While traditional guitar wall hangers often seem like the simplest solution, we understand that not everybody has the option (or the desire) to drill into the walls of their home. With this easy DIY concept, you can safely wall-mount your guitars while protecting that all-important security deposit, potentially leaving you more money for a new guitar on move-out day!

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  • Brian Kelleher

    I'm the main guy at KillerGuitarRigs.com and I want to tell you all about guitars. I've been playing music since 1986 when my older brother taught me to play "Gigantic" by The Pixies on a bass with two strings. Since then, I've owned dozens of instruments from guitars to e-drums, and spent more time than I'd like to admit sitting in vans waiting for venues to open across Europe and the US.