You can mount speakers on a wall without drilling holes using strong adhesive tape, adhesive hooks, or picture hangers. These methods will typically only work with lighter speakers because adhesive can’t hold as much as proper mounts.
My name is Donovan, and I’m a home studio enthusiast, audiophile, and musician. I’ve used many different types of speakers over the years for all sorts of situations and applications. I know how to mount speakers through first-hand experience.
This post will show you how to mount speakers on a wall without drilling holes. I’ll provide instructions on how to accomplish this through several methods and highlight some other important related information.
Let’s get rolling.
Contents
Key Takeaways
- The best method to mount speakers without drilling holes is to use some type of strong adhesive mounting product, such as double-sided tape, adhesive hooks, or picture hangers.
- You can’t hang really heavy speakers on a wall without drilling holes and using proper mounts because adhesive products aren’t strong enough to hold them.
- Mounting speakers directly against a wall is never ideal because it can block air from escaping and alter the sound.
- I only recommend mounting smaller speakers (such as satellite speakers for surround sound) using adhesive.
Initial Thoughts
Before I show you how to mount speakers on a wall without drilling holes, it’s essential to know a few things about mounting speakers on the wall at all. This is not the ideal method for speaker setup if you want the best audio quality.
Speakers need to have open space behind them to allow air to escape as the speaker works. Putting a speaker too close to a wall or other solid object can cause waveform reflections and other audio abnormalities.
So even though it is possible and sometimes common for speakers to be mounted on or in a wall, you’ll never see this type of setup in a professional recording studio. A dialed-in speaker setup will have a few feet of open space behind each speaker.
This doesn’t mean you can’t mount your speakers on the wall. It just means that you won’t get the best audio quality from them if you do. As long as you understand that limitation, you can set up your listening room or home theater however you want.
Some average listeners might be unable to hear this loss of audio quality when a speaker is right against a wall. But if you compare a properly mounted or installed speaker setup to a wall-mounted one, the difference is drastic.
How to Mount Speakers on Wall Without Drilling Holes
Now let’s dive into how to mount speakers on a wall without drilling holes. It’s not very difficult to do this, but you will need to get some sort of adhesive product that sticks to the wall and your speakers.
I’ll give you installation instructions for three different methods using various adhesive or mounting products here. But it’s important to note that you won’t be able to hang heavy speakers using adhesives because they aren’t as strong as drilled-in mounts.
The best way to mount speakers on a wall is to install a shelf on which the speaker can sit. This will give you better audio quality and a secure mounting surface. But if you are renting a space or just don’t want to drill, follow any of the methods below.
How to Mount Speakers on Wall Using Double-Sided Tape
Using strong double-sided tape is one easy way to mount speakers on a wall without drilling holes. Double-sided tape is easy to find at most office supply stores or online. You’ll want to use the strongest product you can find for this job to help make sure it stays mounted.
If you’ve never used double-sided tape before, it’s pretty simple. You just place a strip of the tape on the surface you want something mounted to, peel away the packing to expose the other side of the adhesive, and press your item against it.
Follow these steps to mount speakers on a wall using double-sided tape:
1. Determine the location on the wall where you want to mount your first speaker.
2. Clean the area of the wall with alcohol. Use a clean cloth or paper towel dipped in regular alcohol. This will help remove any dust or debris that might limit the effectiveness of the adhesive.
3. Clean the back of the speaker with alcohol as well. Ensure the wall and speaker are dry before continuing to the next steps.
4. Measure the size of your speaker around the entire perimeter of the back mounting surface. You can use a measuring tape, eyeball it, or lightly trace the speaker’s outline on the wall using a pencil.
5. Cut strips of double-sided tape to the proper size just inside the speaker outline’s perimeter.
6. Place the strips on the wall in a rectangular or square shape to match the shape of your speaker. You’ll need four strips of tape for this.
7. Press the tape down firmly and let it set on the wall for a few minutes.
8. Peel the backing off the other side of all sections of tape.
9. Press your speaker against the exposed double-sided tape and hold it in place for a minute or two.
10. Repeat all the steps for any other speakers you want to mount on the wall.
How to Mount Speakers on Wall Using Adhesive Hooks
Adhesive hooks are another good and easy way to mount speakers on a wall without drilling holes. This is a good way to mount speakers with mounting holes or hardware on their back.
If your speakers don’t have a hole or mounting slot for the hook to slide into, this method probably won’t work. But many speakers, especially smaller satellite-type speakers, have holes to make mounting easier.
Adhesive hooks can be found at hardware stores, office supply stores, or online. The brand Command makes a popular style that works well. And you can get various sizes to match the size of your speaker.
Follow these steps to mount speakers on a wall without drilling holes using adhesive hooks:
1. Determine the location on the wall where you want to mount the first speaker.
2. Clean the mounting area with alcohol to remove any dust or debris. This creates a better surface for the hook to stick to. You don’t need to clean the speaker for this mounting method.
3. Peel the backing off of the hook to expose the adhesive.
4. Press the hook against the wall and hold it in place for a minute or two.
5. Hang your speaker on the hook by sliding the hook’s point into the hole or mounting slot on the speaker. Position the speaker so it’s level with the wall or floor.
6. Repeat all the steps for any other speakers you want to mount.
How to Mount Speakers on Wall Using Picture Hangers
You can also use picture hangers to mount speakers on a wall without drilling holes. This is a better method to use if you have larger speakers because this type of hanger can generally handle more weight than the adhesives mentioned above.
You’ll need to hammer the picture hangers into the drywall, so this isn’t as non-destructive as the adhesive methods, either. But picture hangers only use small finishing nails that can be easily covered with drywall putty if you remove the mounts.
Follow these steps to mount speakers on a wall without drilling using picture hangers:
1. Determine the area on the wall where you want to mount your first speaker.
2. Using a level, mark two small points on the wall about 6 inches from either side of where the speaker will sit. You want to ensure that these points are at the same height from the floor so the speaker hangs level.
3. Install your first picture hanger by nailing in the small finishing screw.
4. Install the second picture hanger by nailing in the small finished screw.
5. Run a length of small metal wire between the two installed picture hangers. Wrap the wire around each picture hanger hook, so it is securely in place and won’t slip when weight is placed on it.
6. Attach another small hook or picture hanger to the middle of the wire. This is where your speaker will mount to. It can be anything that firmly attaches to the wire and slips into the mounting hole or slot on the speaker.
7. Mount your speaker in the middle of the wire to the hook or whatever setup you created.
8. Repeat all steps for any other speakers you want to mount.
You could technically use a single picture hanger here if it’s large enough to fit into the mounting hole or slot on your speaker. However, in my experience, most picture hangers are too small to work effectively in this way.
That’s why I suggest using two picture hanger mounts with a wire running between them here. This will give you a lot of extra play to work with, enabling you to attach your speaker and have it stay in place.
Also, you can get adhesive picture hangers if you don’t want to nail the small finishing nail into the wall. I still suggest using two of these and running a wire in between them because that will give you extra support and be able to hold more weight.
FAQs
Here are a few short answers to some of the most commonly asked questions related to mounting speakers on a wall without drilling holes.
How do you hang speakers on the wall?
If you have very lightweight speakers, you can mount them on a wall using adhesive products such as double-sided tape, adhesive hooks, or adhesive picture hangers. Heavier speakers will require drilling or a shelf.
How do you hang heavy speakers on drywall?
The best way to hang heavy speakers on drywall is to mount a shelf where the speaker can sit. You don’t want to hang a heavy speaker directly against a wall because it will alter the audio quality and might be too heavy for the mount to support on its own.
How do you mount without drilling holes?
Using some sort of adhesive product is the best way to mount something on a wall without drilling holes. Adhesives won’t be as strong as properly installed mounts with screws, but they will cause less permanent damage.
Is it a good idea to wall mount speakers?
It’s not a good idea to wall mount speakers. This is because you don’t want speakers sitting directly against a wall as air needs to escape through the back of the speaker for ideal audio playback. It can work if your speakers are mounted within a wall.
How do you hide the wires on a wall mounted speaker?
If your wall-mounted speakers are built into the wall, you can hide the wires behind drywall and run them to your receiver. You can also use trim strips that will cover the wires and help them blend into the wall rather than stand out.
Final Thoughts
Using some sort of adhesive product is the best way to mount speakers on a wall without drilling holes if you want to limit any damage to the wall. You can use double-sided tape or adhesive wall hooks for this. Just keep in mind you won’t be able to mount heavy speakers.
If you use several picture hangers with a wire connected between them, you can mount heavier speakers without drilling. This is a good method for larger speakers and a more secure mount, but you will need to nail two small nails into the wall.
Have you ever mounted speakers on a wall without drilling holes in a different way? Let me know in the comments below.
