How To: Hang Artwork Easily & Precisely Rainer's February Jumpstart Project 2009

Click on the Thumbnails to View All Project Photos

thumbs up

Title: Hang Artwork Easily & Precisely
Name: Rainer
Time: 30 minutes
Cost: $20-50 depending on tools on hand

A great idea for getting artwork hung right the FIRST time. Click above for pics, below for the how-to and be sure to give Rainer a THUMBS UP if you find this project helpful....

Tools:
tape measure
simple laser level
masking tape
pen/pencil
straight edge
hammer nails/screws (depending on the weight of your artwork)

Steps:
Depending on on wether you own the artwork already, or if you are planing to purchase artwork the following steps can be used either way. If you are planing to beautify that wall over you couch or bed using masking tape to outline what looks proportionate is very helpful.

If you already have the artwork and want to make sure it hangs just perfect use masking tape to outline the position on your wall. Play with the outline to get ideas of how it will look when you walk into the room or how the light will interact with your art.

Once you establish your favorite spot you can use the masking tape to hang the works precisely. With two inch masking tape you have enough room to eyeball the overall position and then measure and mark the final nail/screw spot. In my sample pictures I am hanging a group of 9 minis square 8"x 8" frames. I laid the frames out on the floor as a square to get a feel of the best spacing between the frames. Then I measured the length and hight of that layout. Using a tape measure I cut the masking tape to length.

(If you are not centering your art ignore the next step.) To center my work I measure the length of the wall. After deducting the the length of my horizontal tape outline from the length of the wall measurement, I divide the resulting figure and establish the starting point of my outline. To make sure my first and most important line (the upper masking tape line) is level I measure the tape line on either end from the floor If the floor is not level use a simple suction cup laser level. ($20 at Home Depot/Lowes/ACE/neighborhood hardware store) Use the laser level also to insure that the vertical tape lines are perpendicular to your upper tape line. You can use your horizontal bottom tape line to verify that your layout is square (or rectangular depending on your art work).

After finishing my outline I step back to make sure I like the hight and overall position. Turning two frames still laid out on the floor on their backs I measure the space between their centers (hanging points). Using that measurement I mark the centers of the frames onto my top masking tape. Now I run masking tape vertically along those center marks (use your laser level again to ensure squareness). Applying the same measurements that I used horizontally, I mark the vertical spacing (this being a square layout).

Having nine marks for nine frames I drive my nails through the tape marks. Pull the tape off with nails in place. I hang the frames and enjoy my new artwork.

Sources:
artwork at moderneditions.com
the laser level from home depot has an electric vacuum pump that uses suction and will not damage the wall

Give Rainer a THUMBS UP if you find this project helpful....

To Jumpstart Page Info and All Entries

masking tape is a great idea! so simple yet I never thought of doing this! thanks.

posted by sharptack.t on February 18th 2009 at 8:01pm
view sharptack.t's profile

Wow...thank you so much for this posting. Masking tape is real hero in here, never thought that one too. This is very useful for me, because I'm planning to hang couple artworks for my girl's room. Thanks again :)

posted by RKDsign on February 18th 2009 at 8:09pm
view RKDsign's profile

If you want to protect that pretty painted wall, blue painter's tape is really what you should be using. Masking tape is quite likely to pull paint off, too, when you're pulling the tape up.

posted by pammyfay on February 18th 2009 at 10:59pm
view pammyfay's profile

OK. that makes sue you get the spacing correct. But how do you get the nails in the correct height so the frame tops are level. Maybe you're luckier than me, but I find that the hangers are rarely *exactly* the same distance from the top of the frame, even with "identical" frames. So even if I line the hanging nails up perfectly, the frames are still not level. Arrrgh!

posted by quiltmaster on February 18th 2009 at 11:33pm
view quiltmaster's profile

Geesh, and you thought 'made in china' objects came with ridiculous instructions... How about numbered steps? This seems like it actually is good info, but SO HARD to read.

Hey AT: This whole 'thumbs up' thing is rather useless unless you also offer a 'thumbs down' option. It doesn't matter if 6 people gave it a thumbs up if 55 read it and thought it was worthless but had no way to communicate that sentiment.

posted by arroyo on February 19th 2009 at 1:41am
view arroyo's profile

I'm with arroyo

I'm not even going to attempt to read it

posted by Enamorada on February 19th 2009 at 8:11am
view Enamorada's profile

Can I just say, I LOVE that shade of green?!?!?! It's green without being so blagh. It's like a happy, non-aggressive green. What is it???

posted by Zhahira on February 19th 2009 at 9:16am
view Zhahira's profile

Gorgeous result, great idea, unreadable instructions.

("After deducting the the length of my horizontal tape outline from the length of the wall measurement, I divide the resulting figure and establish the starting point of my outline. To make sure my first and most important line (the upper masking tape line) is level I measure the tape line on either end from the floor" ... ARGH WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?)

posted by Cheryl on February 19th 2009 at 9:42am
view Cheryl's profile

I have the same problem as quiltmaster. Can you offer help on that?

posted by Joan52 on February 19th 2009 at 9:44am
view Joan52's profile

It makes sense to me. This is a great idea!

Laser levels are so awesome. I used one to paint stripes in my bathroom and it made allll the difference.

posted by carolyn_suzanne on February 19th 2009 at 9:49am
view carolyn_suzanne's profile

This is more involved than it needs to be and it does neglect to address the height of the hanging wire and hook dimensions.

Martha Stewart has a foolproof way to hang framed art accurately. You can find it on her website. You don't need a laser level to do it, either, though I think she does recommend using a spirit level. The instructions are well written and go step by step and there are good photos of the process, too.

posted by spanky on February 19th 2009 at 10:09am
view spanky's profile

This is a MUCH better way to hang a grouping of frames: http://www.dooce.com/archives/daily/08_07_2007.html

This article I linked to has been posted on ApartmentTherapy already in the past. I bought frames just like the article, except in black. Did exactly like she said to do with her easy to follow instructions, and it turned out perfectly. No mess. No tape. Not crooked. Not hard. The dooce instructions are just what quiltmaster requested.

I also agree there should be a thumbs down option. Not that this article is thumbs down, or thumbs up. But there should be that option regardless.

posted by plain jane on February 19th 2009 at 10:28am
view plain jane's profile

I hung up four pictures in a square this weekend and used masking tape and a spirit level. Running the tape horizontally as well made a grid and ensured they lined up in both directions.

posted by kiljoywashere on February 19th 2009 at 11:39am
view kiljoywashere's profile

Whoah - That's huge run-on paragraph is just begging for an edit.

I think I'll stick w/ my un-electric spirit level, measuring tapes and proper picture-hanging hooks.

posted by bepsf on February 19th 2009 at 12:21pm
view bepsf's profile

I agree. Great idea (I think) but unreadable format. And missing one all-important tip: when hanging multiple frames in a grid, use 2 nails or hooks per frame. That way the frames are MUCH less likely to go a bit off-kilter with the vibrations from footsteps, etc. If you only use 1 nail or hook per frame, they will over time all wiggle a bit out of line. This actually applies even when hanging only one piece of art and it is especially important if you live in California or another earthquake prone area.

posted by Torgny on February 19th 2009 at 12:43pm
view Torgny's profile

Love this idea, I will do this myself this weekend. Beautiful artwork too!

posted by deni at ME on February 26th 2009 at 9:50pm
view deni at ME's profile

Thank you, your account has been registered.

We have sent an email to the address you registered with for verification purposes. Please use the link in the verification email to activate your account.

apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time