What changes the answer

The weight of the frame is the first thing to settle. A small framed poster on thin board with a simple frame often sits under 3 kilograms. A larger piece with a deeper frame and glass can reach 8 kilograms or more. The difference decides whether a single hook is enough or whether you need an anchor. Measure the frame before you buy any hardware. A scale is faster than guessing and avoids a second trip to the hardware shop.

Drywall itself is not the same everywhere. Plasterboard over a stud holds a screw well. Plasterboard between studs is hollow and needs an anchor that spreads the load. Older walls may have a skim coat that crumbles under a nail. Tap the wall lightly. A hollow sound tells you to use an anchor rather than a direct nail. A solid sound near a corner often means a stud is close.

Methods by weight and wall

For lightweight frames under 5 kilograms, a single picture hook or a small nail is usually enough when driven into a stud or a solid part of the board. Push the hook into the wall at a slight upward angle so the weight sits behind the hook rather than pulling it straight out. For frames between 5 and 10 kilograms, use a screw with a plastic or metal anchor that spreads the load across the board. Drive the anchor flush, then seat the screw without over-tightening.

For anything heavier, or for a wall you cannot check properly, a mounting strip rated for the weight is a safer choice than guessing at a stud. These strips hold by adhesion and remove with less damage than a hole, though they fail on textured or dusty surfaces. If you want the piece level and fixed in one position, a screw and anchor remains the more reliable method. [[Loch Coruisk and The Cuillins from Elgol, Framed Poster]] is a framed poster that suits the lighter end of this range.

What to check before committing

Start with the wall, not the frame. A framed poster looks simple to place, but the wall decides whether it stays there. Mark the position with a pencil at the height you want, then hold the frame against the wall before any hole is made. This avoids a row of unnecessary marks and lets you judge the sight line from where you actually sit. A piece hung too high reads as a mistake even when the hanging is secure.

Once the position is set, choose the fastener for the weight you measured, not for the look of the frame. A clean hole in the right place is better than a loose hook that fails later. If you are renting, a mounting strip or a small hook that removes cleanly may matter more than a screw. What are the most recognizable themes in the work of Paul Nash? gives context on the work itself, which is separate from the wall question.