Hang Your Art Perfectly: A Simple 5-Step Guide
So, you’ve got a beautiful new piece of art, and it’s leaning against the wall, waiting for its moment to shine. The only thing standing between you and a perfectly decorated room is a hammer and a nail. But where exactly do you put that nail?
Hanging a painting can feel intimidating—you don't want a crooked frame or a dozen extra holes in your wall. Fear not! With a few simple tools and five easy steps, you can hang your art perfectly on the first try.
What You'll Need:
The painting or frame you want to hang
A picture hook and nail (a hook is better than a plain nail as it holds the art more securely)
A hammer
A tape measure
A pencil
A level (a small one is fine, or you can use an app on your smartphone!)
Optional: A friend to provide a second opinion
Step 1: Choose the Perfect Spot
The most common rule of thumb is to hang art at eye level. This generally means the centre of the painting should be about 145-152 cm (57-60 inches) from the floor. This prevents you from craning your neck up or looking down to see it.
If you're hanging the art above furniture like a sofa, a bed, or a console table, a different rule applies. Aim to leave about 15-20 cm (6-8 inches) of space between the top of the furniture and the bottom of the frame. This makes the art look connected to the furniture, creating a cohesive look.
Have a friend hold the painting against the wall while you step back to see how it looks before you make any marks.
Once you've found the perfect position, hold the frame firmly against the wall. Using your pencil, make a very light, small mark on the wall right in the centre of the top of the frame. Then, you can put the painting down.
Step 3: Measure for the Hook
This is the most important part! Turn your painting over and look at the hanging wire or sawtooth hanger on the back.
For a wire: Pull the wire up taut with your finger, as if it were hanging on a hook. Use your tape measure to measure the distance from the top of the frame down to the peak of the taut wire. Let's say this distance is 10 cm.
For a sawtooth hanger: Simply measure the distance from the top of the frame to the bottom of the hanger's "v" notch.
Now, go back to the wall. Measure down from the small pencil mark you made in Step 2 by the exact distance you just measured on the back of the frame. Mark this new spot with an 'X'. This 'X' is where your nail will go.
Take your picture hook and place the bottom of the hook over the 'X' you just made. Following the instructions on the hook's packaging, hammer the nail through the hole in the hook. The nail should go into the wall at a slight downward angle, which gives it more strength.
Carefully lift your painting and hang it on the hook you just installed.
Now, grab your level and place it on top of the frame. Adjust the painting slightly left or right until the bubble is perfectly in the middle.
Step back and admire your work! Use an eraser to gently remove any visible pencil marks from the wall.
