How to Hang Your Pictures On the Wall
It’s time for the fun part- hanging your pictures on the wall!
It’s really easy because all we need to do is select our wall hardware and figure out where to hang them. For selecting wall hardware, there are really three main ways to hang frames on a wall- there are nails, screws and adhesives.
Finishing nails are my personal favorite because they’re easy to install, they’re inexpensive and they make relatively small holes (depending upon what you use). You also want to hammer in the nail at around a 45 degree angle so it’s more secure in the wall. Just make sure that if you use nails with a heavy frame that you put your nail in a stud and not just sheetrock. And if you’re not sure how to find the wood 2x4 in your wall then use a “stud finder” at your local hardware store.
Screws, on the other hand, can make rather large holes and are really overkill for most cases. The only time I’d recommend using screws is if you have concrete or brick walls where nails won’t hold. In this case, screws are definitely the only way to go otherwise your frame may not stay hanging for long. Just make sure that you’re using the screw anchor to make sure it is properly secured.
The third option is to use adhesives. Adhesives are becoming more popular because you don’t have to make a hole in the wall. There are lots of different wall adhesives you can use to hang frames like 3M’s Command Strips that come in a variety of different types like Velcro strips or hooks. Just remember that these adhesives are designed for small lightweight frames. Some will only hold a 1lb while others can hold up to 5 lbs. Make sure to always read the instructions to determine the weight each adhesive can support. And whatever you do never hang a heavy or large picture frame using adhesives otherwise your favorite frame might go crashing to the ground.
Once you’ve figured out what you’re going to use to hang your picture, now it’s time for placement.
If you’re only hanging one frame, then get a helper and have someone hold up the frame on different places on the wall so you can look at it. Most times, this will be all you’ll need. Normally you’ll want to put the frame about eye level which is usually about ¾ up the wall. If you’ve selected a spot with nothing else on the wall, your job is super easy. However, if you have other frames or items on the wall make sure that the spacing on the wall looks good.
If you’re hanging multiple frames on the wall then the best thing to do is lay them out on a floor or table. Here are three simple tips to get your picture frames perfectly positioned on your wall:
Measure the area on your wall that you want to use for hanging your pictures
Measure it out on the floor with a string to represent the area.
Place your pictures on the area on the floor and play with arranging them in different configurations.
This way you can play with the layout of the frames without filling your wall full of holes or using a bunch of adhesive strips. Once you get a layout you like get some helpers and hold it up on the wall to see if you like it. If you do, then it’s time to break out the nail and hammers (or adhesive strips) and go to town.
Here are a couple of tips when hanging:
If you’re using nails, make sure you hammer the nail in a stud not just sheetrock.
If you’re using screws, predrill the hole if you can and it will make your life a lot easier.
If using adhesive strips, weigh your frame so you know for sure it falls within the guidelines
When hanging a grouping of frames always start with the frame in the middle first and then work out on both sides. This way, you’ll make sure the grouping of frames is centered just where you want them.
Have fun hanging your frames and if you need any framing hardware check out our framing accessories section (coming soon).
