You just moved into your new home and would like to customize it a bit. Why not hang some pictures? In this article, you will find some step-by-step instructions that will help you do it accurately and safely.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Position the Panel
Step 1. Place your chosen painting against the wall
This is time well spent because you can carefully evaluate which is the best point that enhances the image. You have to take into account the furniture in the room, the environment in general and the lighting. Usually, the correct height is considered when the eyes are about a quarter from the bottom edge of the painting image. However, it is a matter of taste.
- If you have a friend or family member who can help you, ask them to hold the picture against the wall so you can assess the position from a more distant point.
- If you are alone, draw the outline of the corners of the frame on the wall with a pencil. Place the picture on the ground and take a few steps back to assess the height. Make as many changes as you feel necessary, repeating the same process each time, until you are satisfied with the result. You can erase the marks with an eraser when you have finished hanging the picture.
Step 2. Make a mark on the wall at the center point of the upper frame
If you have difficulty in determining half of the frame by eye, help yourself with a tape measure and take the appropriate measurements. You don't have to trace the entire top edge of the picture, just outline the center point.
Step 3. Place the picture upside down on a flat surface
Hook the ruler to the metal wire that hangs on the back of the picture. Pull the cord straight up so it is taut. Measure the distance that separates the top edge of the frame from the cable.
If your painting has a crossbar instead of a cable, measure the distance that separates it from the top edge of the frame
Step 4. Use this value to determine where to insert the nail or screw
Draw the same distance on the wall from the point you drew earlier with the pencil. This is where you will need to fix the nail. While reporting this measurement, try to keep the tape plumb.
Part 2 of 3: Choosing the Fixing Materials
Step 1. Consider whether you want to rely on a simple nail / screw or choose a classic picture hook
They are all great solutions for works of art that weigh no more than 10 kg.
- If you use hammer and nails: choose a 3, 75 cm or 5 cm nail. Place it in the center of the mark you made with the pencil in the previous steps. Keep it at an angle of 45 ° to the wall, so it will be much more resistant.
- If using a drill and screws: Make a hole in the center of the pencil mark. Screw the screw into the hole.
- If you are using a traditional hook: Insert the nail into the dowel of the hook. Hold the hook against the wall at the designated point and hammer the nail into the wall (the hook will automatically tilt the nail at 45 °). Be very careful to hit only the nail and not the hook as it could break the drywall.
Step 2. If the painting weighs more than 10 kg, consider another type of technique
In this case you need a much more resistant attachment system. Consider a self-tapping screw or spring bolt.
- If you opt for the self-tapping screw - this is the easiest way to hang heavy items. Insert the screw into the wall with a screwdriver. Some types of self-tapping screws are equipped with a special hook for pictures.
- If using a spring bolt: Drill a 1.25 cm hole in the wall. Line up the bolt body with the two spring lugs and slide the bolt into the hole. Hold the ends of the tabs with your thumb and forefinger, pull them towards you until the bolt is flush with the back of the wall. Push the tabs to the sides and snap them in when they are level with the bolt head. Insert the hook on the head of the bolt and secure everything. Instructions are given on the packaging of each type of spring bolt.
Part 3 of 3: Hanging the Picture and Leveling It
Step 1. Carefully hang the artwork on the hook of your choice
Make sure it is secure and that the nail / hook is able to support the weight before leaving the picture completely. If not, the picture could fall and the glass or frame could break.
If you have opted for screws or nails, place the picture so that they snap onto the cable or hooking crossbar that are on the back of the frame
Step 2. Use a spirit level to determine if the picture is straight
Place the spirit level on top of the frame. If the bubble stays in the center of the level, then the picture is straight. If the bubble moves to one side, tilt the picture until it moves to the center position.
Advice
- If you want to hang more than one painting at different heights, it is a good idea to establish a reference "average height", that is the distance that separates the floor from the middle of the painting. To find this value, subtract half of its vertical side from half of the total dimension of the painting. When you hang other paintings, consider half of their vertical side and add this value to the "average height" you calculated earlier for the first painting, this way you know at what height to hang the second and so on for all the other paintings.
- It is easier to hang the picture so that it is well leveled (and remains level) using specially spaced hooks, even for the lightest works of art. After hanging the picture, take a spirit level, place it on the upper edge of the frame (or on the lower one) and make the necessary adjustments.
- Museums usually hang pictures 140-145cm from the floor in the center of the artwork.
- There are also many ready-to-use docking systems available on the market. When using a rail system, you can always move the pictures to different places or add more pieces without having to drill more holes.
Warnings
- Be careful when using the drill or nailing the walls. There may be electrical wiring or piping in the gap and you could cause damage to the structure, injure yourself and even die.
- Keep the picture in a safe place while taking measurements and drilling holes; so you avoid damaging it accidentally
- Make sure the wall can hold what you want to hang.
- In principle, the instructions in this article can be used to hang pictures of any size on the wall. However, you need to make sure that the tools and materials used to hang the artwork are strong enough to hold its weight.
