Match the hook to the wall

The wall decides the hardware, not the frame. Drywall takes a screw anchor or a picture hook with a small nail, provided the frame is light. A framed poster under 3 kilograms usually needs nothing heavier than a single anchor rated for 5 kilograms. Heavier frames need a second anchor or a hook that spreads the load across two points. Plaster walls crack if you drive a nail straight in. Drill a pilot hole through the plaster and into the wooden lath behind it, or use a toggle bolt that opens behind the wall. Brick and concrete need a masonry bit and a screw anchor that expands inside the hole. A nail in brick will loosen and leave a larger hole than the screw would have.

Check the weight before you buy hardware. A framed poster with glass weighs more than the same print in a lightweight frame. Hold the frame in your hands and judge the feel. If it is awkward, assume it is over 2 kilograms and plan for a heavier anchor. Most hardware packs list a weight rating on the back of the packet. Use that number, not a guess. When in doubt, use two anchors spaced across the width of the frame rather than one central hook. Two small anchors distribute the load and reduce the chance of a single point pulling out.

Protect the wall before hanging

A protective plate or felt pad between the frame and the wall prevents the frame edge from pressing into painted plaster or drywall. Adhesive felt pads work on light frames and leave little trace when removed. For heavier frames, a metal or plastic plate screwed into the wall takes the weight and keeps the frame from shifting. The plate spreads the load over a wider area than a single hook. A plate also keeps the frame from sliding sideways, which is what scratches paint over time. Place the plate level with the top of the frame or just below it, depending on the hook style.

Rental walls need the gentlest method that still holds. A hook that removes cleanly is better than one that holds perfectly and leaves a large hole. Command style strips work for very light frames on smooth painted walls, but they fail in heat and humidity and do not suit every surface. Test one strip on a hidden area first. If the paint lifts when you remove the test strip, do not use adhesive strips on that wall. A small screw hole is easier to patch than a peeled paint patch. Keep a small tube of spackle and a touch-up brush in a drawer for the day you move out.

Hang it level and check it twice

A frame that hangs crooked looks worse than a small hole in the wall. Use a level against the top of the frame before you commit to the final position. Mark the hook position with a pencil, not a pen, so you can erase the mark if the height is wrong. Hold the frame against the wall and step back before drilling. The distance from eye level to the center of the frame matters more than the distance from the ceiling. A framed poster hung too high reads as decoration that was forgotten, not as a deliberate choice.

Check the frame after a day and again after a week. Frames shift slightly as the hook settles and the wall flexes. A small adjustment early prevents a permanent crooked line. If the frame slides, add a second felt pad on the lower edge or switch to a plate that holds both top and bottom. A frame that stays put without being forced is the one that damages the wall least over time. Do their framed posters come with a hanging kit is a separate question from how to hang one without damage, and the answer there does not replace checking your own wall.