How to Install an Eye Hook Screw
Screw eye hooks are used as half of a hook-and-eye lock or screwed into a wall to hang pictures or other decorations in a more stable way. A screw eye hook has a screw on one end and an open loop on the other. Screw eye hooks are especially useful for anchoring decorations with wire in areas where earthquakes or other disturbances are a concern or in homes with children, where falling items could pose a risk. Care is necessary to install the eye hook correctly, or the wall can get permanently damaged.
First: Find the location
Locate the wall stud by knocking or with an electronic stud finder. Failure to screw the hook and eye into the stud may cause it to pull out of the wall and leave a larger hole.
Second: Mark the wall
Measure and mark the height for the eye hook screw along the stud. To protect the wall, put masking tape down, and mark with a pencil on the masking tape rather than writing directly on the sheet rock.
Third: Drill pilot hole
Using a carbide-tipped drill bit one size smaller than the screw's diameter, drill a hole through the wall and into the stud. This is called piloting, and it keeps the screw eye hook from damaging the sheet rock as it is screwed in to the wall. Remove the masking tape after the hole is drilled.
Fourth: Insert the hook
Insert the tip of the screw eye hook into the hole, and screw it down tight. If you get it too tight, you could dent or crack the sheet rock, so take care to stop before this occurs.