Mounting speakers on the wall improves your listening experience but mounting the speakers on the wall is a DIY process that you may need to handle yourself. You may be wondering if it is possible to wall-mount the speakers or soundbar without drilling holes. Yes, it is possible in many different ways.
Drilling holes is sometimes not allowed by many building landlords as it can damage the building. Sometimes it is also prohibited due to the material used in the construction of walls.
You may have bought a sound system that requires a wall mount for a better surround sound experience. That is why we are giving you alternative mounting options to drilling holes.
There are various options available but which one to choose depends upon the weight of your speakers.
For lighter and medium-weight speakers, Alien Tape and Command Hooks can work great. If your speakers are heavy, you should use Picture Hooks that can handle the weight.
All these 3 methods allow you to mount light and heavy speakers on the wall without drilling any single hole.
If you had no experience like this before, continue reading and we will guide you thoroughly step by step to make everything simple and easy.
Wall Mounting Light Speakers Without Drilling Holes
If you bought speakers or a soundbar that is light enough to be handled by Alien Tape or Command Hooks, you should read this guide. Otherwise, move to the next step covering heavy speakers.
Command Hooks and Alien Tape are the two best options for light speakers that you can opt for without drilling any single hole.
Option 1: Command Hooks (For Lighter Speakers)
If you are a renter, your first choice should be using command hooks. These are available in almost all grocery stores and can be purchased online.
Moreover, these are not expensive and you can easily peel them off without leaving any residue on the wall.
You should wipe the wall by rubbing alcohol where you want to install command hooks. Household cleaners and water cannot be used as they leave a residue on the place.
After installing the command hooks, wait for an hour to build adhesion. You can read more on installing command hooks.
Once everything is done, you can hang your speakers. These command hooks can last as long as you want even for years.
Weight Limit:
You should keep in mind that command hooks cannot support more than 7.5 pounds of weight.
The better is to use them if your speakers are less than 5 pounds because command hooks do not stick well on some paints and may not be able to hold your speakers if your paint is not very high-quality.
Also Read: Best Loudest Soundbars For Large Room
Option 2: Alien Tape (For Medium-Weight Speakers)
If you want to mount medium-weight speakers without drilling holes, Alien Tape is a great option as it is more adhesive than command hooks.
Especially if you are mounting soundbars, it is a great choice. You can cut it to the length of your soundbar.
For any speaker you want to mount on the wall, the Alien tape will fit the size of the speaker. Being more adhesive your speaker holds strongly on the wall.
The alien tape will be more secure to use for light speakers. If your speakers are more than 5 pounds, choose Alien tape instead of command hooks for safety.
Just like command hooks, Alien tape can also be removed easily from the wall. There will be no damage or residue left on the wall.
Alien tape sticks well to smooth surfaces rather than porous surfaces. So use it for smooth surfaces like many plastics, wood, glass, ceramic, etc.
It is also recommended to clean your walls by rubbing them with alcohol. It will increase the adhesion.
Once you have cleaned your walls, stick the Alien tape to the walls and then your speakers to the walls.
Weight Limit:
Alien tape can support 17.5 pounds weight which is more than twice the command hooks. However full load is not recommended.
If your speaker weighs 10-14 pounds, you can use alien tape. Otherwise, Picture hooks should be used.
Alcohol Rubbing
Option 3: Picture Hooks (Best For Heavy Speakers)
The best option to mount any speaker on the wall without drilling holes is to use picture hooks.
These are the best alternatives to command hooks and alien tape and are more secure to use. There are almost no chances for your speaker to fall and get damaged but in adhesives it is possible.
There are a variety of picture hooks available in the market but choosing the best one depends upon the weight of your speaker.
It is recommended if your speaker weighs 20-25 pounds, buy the picture hook that can support 40 pounds. You will be safer from any damage in this way.
Picture hooks are primarily made for hooking pictures on the wall. However, you can use them for mounting speakers.
These are not very expensive and you can buy a kit of picture hooks containing 10 hooks under $10. Hooks in a kit may come with different weight supports.
You need a hammer to install picture hooks on the wall. Keep in mind that picture hooks require a little hole for their installation.
When you remove them, there will be a little hole. It is much smaller than drilling holes and much easier to hide.
Try to find a place that is flat and then install the picture hook using a hammer. Once installed, hang your speaker.
Related: How To Drill New Holes For Car Speakers
When it is Necessary to Drill Holes?
As seen above it is possible to mount speakers on the wall without drilling holes. However, it is not always a safe practice and sometimes it becomes necessary to drill holes.
There are a few cases below when it becomes necessary to drill holes.
Condition 1: Very Heavy Speakers
When you install speakers on the wall, they vibrate due to the bass. When vibrating their weight certainly increases.
In this case, if they are mounted using adhesives, it is not guaranteed that they will continue sticking there. A time will come when they will slip and fall down. Falling down can damage your speaker.
It shows that drilling holes would be a secure and excellent way to mount your speakers on the wall.
Condition 2: Plaster, Textured, or Ridged Walls
Command hooks and Alien tape cannot play well with plaster, textured, or rigid walls.
Such types of walls prevent adhesive materials from sticking to the wall. So, when you are unable to use adhesives, you will need to drill holes.
Condition 3: Swivel Arm
If your speakers have a swivel arm, it is never safe to mount them using adhesives. If you put a 5-pound speaker at the end of a swivel arm, it will create more force and act as a 20-pound speaker.
In such cases, it is never recommended to use command hooks or Alien tape. The only best option is drilling holes.
What are the Best Alternatives to Drilling Holes for Heavy Speakers?
Sometimes you may reach a situation when you have heavy speakers but your landlord does not allow you to drill holes.
Now you can neither use adhesives nor drill holes. Then what are other options to go for?
Yes, you are still not out of options as there is a solution to every problem.
#1. Speaker Stand
When you have no option to mount your speakers, speaker stands can help you mount the speakers that cannot stand on their own.
If you already have purchased speakers that cannot stand on their own, you should try speaker stands.
For small to medium-sized speakers, Stageek Aluminum Desktop Speaker Stands are a great option at a reasonable price.
For bigger speakers like bookshelf speakers, Atlantic Adjustable Speaker Stands are mostly used. You can adjust the angle where you want to mount your speakers.
There are some other fancy and very expensive stands available in the market but they charge you high. The above two are the best option.
#2. Get Speakers that Require No Mounting
You can go for this option if you have not yet purchased speakers. Getting a speaker that works without mounting is no more difficult.
There are many such speakers available in the market like Klipsch The Three II Table Top Stereo Speaker.
FAQs About Wall Mounting the Speakers
Do you have further queries regarding wall mounting your speakers? Read the following section.
Is it safe to mount my speakers on the wall?
It is safe to mount your speakers on the wall as long as they are not too heavy. You can follow multiple methods such as using picture hooks, adhesive taps, or hooks for mounting the speakers. However, for bulkier devices, you need to mount the shelves by drilling holes.
How can I hide the cables of my wall-mounted speakers?
One of the best options is to use the trim strips. They hide the speaker wires running on the walls or floor. So, the cables do not stand out and become invisible. Another trick is to hide the wires behind the wall-mounted speakers or use cable organizers.
Is there any difference between in-wall and bookshelf speakers?
Both in-wall and bookshelf speakers have front drivers. Bookshelf speakers are equipped with 2 or 3 drivers and are sold in pairs. While in-wall speakers also have drivers attached to them. However, they come in the form of a fascia instead of a box.
Final Thoughts
So, when you are not allowed to drill holes by your landlord, there are plenty of other options available for you. You don’t need to worry in the world of endless possibilities.
You can either wall mount the speakers without drilling holes using adhesives, use picture hooks that require very small holes, use speaker stands, or buy speakers that do not require mounting.
