Hang a painting on the wall

How to hang a painting on the wall?

Well done ! If you are at the stage of how to hang a painting , it is because you are well advanced in your decorating project. Once you have thought carefully and have defined the location of your painting, it will you have to move on to the “hanging” phase.

Unless you have been elected “Miss DIY”, or you call on a professional or someone close to you who knows their stuff, hanging a painting on the wall is not always a trivial thing. You must ensure that the work will be well hung and stable. And if possible, making as few holes in your wall as possible.

This is why we have put together tips and tricks for hanging your paintings, in the “ artwork maintenance ” category.

The first step will be to identify the nature of your wall and equip yourself with the appropriate tools. Next, locate and mark the location of the fixing on the wall. In general, it is best to position a painting at eye level.

Marking the location of the board on your wall

It is quite common to position the center of a painting at eye level, between 150 and 170 cm from the ground, depending on your height and the format of the painting. If it is a frieze or a very elongated landscape format, you can enhance it a little more.

For a very high painting, take a step back and judge for yourself. Perhaps you can place it on the floor, or on a low piece of furniture?

To summarize, and if the back of the painting has a hook at the top, you determine the height at which you want to center your painting, then you add half its height, including the frame, minus the distance between the edge of the board and hook.

If the board is equipped with a rope system, do the same by pulling on the rope to locate the fixing point.

Wall materials

Plasterboard, paneling

If your walls are covered with plasterboard, fixing with a nail may be sufficient, provided that the painting is light enough (be careful with the weight of the frame). A single nail should be driven at an angle into the wall, from top to bottom, to ensure proper hanging of your artwork.

Double-pointed hooks, better known as “X hooks”, will allow you to hang your paintings more securely than with a simple nail. The same goes for wooden partitions or for a wall covered with paneling. In this case, the only equipment required is a hammer, nails and a spirit level. Using a level is always helpful and will allow you to avoid constantly wondering if your board is straight. The advantage of the nail is that it only makes very small holes and does not require any equipment other than the hammer. In the case of very heavy tables, it will be preferable to opt for one of the following solutions:

The molly type ankle. This system includes special dowels which are fixed by expansion behind the plasterboard, using a special clamp (to be purchased with the dowels at your DIY store).
For really heavy works, plan to attach a larger wooden panel to your board. You can paint it in the colors of your wall or choose a color that will make a good transition between the wall and the painting. The panel is secured by several molly dowels. The board can then be hung on the panel, which serves to distribute the weight.

Hard material walls

If your walls are made of hard material (concrete or brick), you will not escape drilling and doweling

To perform this operation, you will need:

From a drill. If it is concrete, choose a percussion model. Vibrated concrete requires a good quality drill. With entry-level equipment, you risk exhausting yourself without great results.
A set of drill bits adapted to the wall material (concrete, brick, etc.)
Ankles
Estimate. These could be simple screws or hook screws. For simple screws, drilling should be done at a small angle, from top to bottom. The hook screws screw straight into the wall, making drilling easier and hanging the picture more efficient.
With a screwdriver
And always the precious spirit level!

Adhesive hanging systems

There are adhesive and scratch fixing systems. These systems are intended for light works, which is generally the case for a painting. The idea is very interesting, inexpensive and can be removed without leaving a trace on your walls.

The adhesive is made up of two parts, an adhesive side and a “scratch” side. One of the adhesives is positioned on the frame of the picture and the other on the wall. You can place them on each corner of the board, which in theory supports a weight of 7 kg!

We are currently experimenting with this way of hanging pictures and we will be sure to get back to you. To be honest, if the idea appeals to us, we don't know if the adhesive power lasts over time. It would be a shame if a painting came loose and fell after a few years.

The chair rails

Picture rails are the ultimate solution for hanging your paintings like in a real museum. This system only has advantages, apart from its price, although they can be found at very reasonable prices.

A chair rail is made up of a large sliding rail which, depending on the model, attaches to the top of your wall or to the ceiling. Metal rods hang on this slide, on which you can hang your paintings as simply as possible.

With picture rails, you can hang several works of art and individually adjust their positioning in height and width, quickly and easily.

Link: https://www.cimaises-et-plus.com/

Hang-free solutions

If the number of paintings is not too large or if you have a lot of space, you can simply place your painting on a piece of furniture or a low shelf. In this case, make sure that the board cannot slip and fall to the ground. To do this, you can place a flat, heavy object in front of the board, or glue or screw in small retaining pads, like those placed under furniture and chair legs.

Another idea is to place your painting on a painter's easel. This solution is quite bulky, but depending on the style of your decor and the space of the room, the result can be interesting and give an “artist” style to your interior.

Points to remember

Choose the locations of the tables carefully beforehand
Position your artwork at eye level
Identify the nature of your walls and the weight of the paintings, without forgetting the frames
Equip yourself with the right equipment and tools
And take your time...

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