HANGING YOUR ART (CORRECTLY)

Well as usual, there are 40 trillion ways to do anything including hanging art (or mirrors).

OK...here it is.  PUT AWAY the lamp extension cord AND the coat-hangers AND the old garage left-over fence-mending wire with grease and cob webs all over 'em.
 PUT AWAY the gum or other senseless product used to keep your  piece from tilting, (think I'm kidding...click here)
and let's get on with the "goods".

From small to big...ready?

"Sawtooth"
These are for the small stuff.  The newer styles (pictured here) are "nail-less"....you guessed it
NO NAILS.  They pound right in to the frame back.  There are 2 rules when using sawtooths...
1). PUT IT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FRAME.
2). Have realistic limits as to weight and size. 
We generally do not use sawthooths on anything larger than 11" x 14".


S T R A P     H A N G E R S
These hangers are the kind we use on 99% of the stuff we frame.
They come in different sizes and allow the piece to hang closer to the wall than do "screw-eyes".

Strap Hangers From left to right... Small Single Hole Strap 1-10 lb. Large Single Hole Strap 11-20 lb. Double Hole Strap 21-40 lb. Triple Hole Strap 41+ lb.

HANGING THE "BIGG'INS"
The very heaviest of items are best hung with a product called "Z-BAR".
This product "inter-locks" on it's self and secures your piece to the wall.


The strips are pre-drilled at 6" intervals so you can hit studs when you put your screws in the wall.
 Screws that are used on the "wall side" should be long enough to get well into the stud (2-2.5" work well). 
The screws that go into the "frame side" should be as long as the moulding depth allows.   Reg. Z-Bar $2.25/ft. 
Pieces come in 5.5' lengths.   You need 2 pieces to hang a frame. Shipping is about $23 to the east coast.


 

W I R E --------------------------------------------
We exclusively use a plastic coated stainless steel wire for hanging.
This wire comes in different "gages" for use with different weights of art.
We suggest and practice the principle of "1/3 or less"...meaning we hang the wire NO MORE than 1/3 down from the top of the frame.
 This technique will help your pieces not "tilt" out from the wall.  
Also, we pull our wire fairly tight across the piece.  This too helps with the "tilt".






W A L L   H A N G E R S
The appropriate size of wall hanger is also very important (I'd place it somewhere between
brain surgery and heart by-pass) No really...this style of hanger is meant to hold with just the
drywall.  Of course hitting a stud is preferred but the idea is the more weight you put on these,
the more it sinks into the wall, (because of the nail angle).  
Without a stud, the hanger's weight limit needs to be obeyed.




H A N G I N G   O N   B R I C K   O R   S T O N E

If you are hanging on a hard surface, you will need to drill a hole for your nail or anchor first.
It is important to remember that the hole you drill needs to be same angle as what is going into it.
Anchors like the one pictured below can be straight in or just slightly tilted because the
flange on the top will keep the wire from sliding off.  
However, the hangers pictured above need a steep 45% angle into the surface to follow the nail contour.
 





This is a friend of mine that will hang your art & mirrors.
I personally guarantee his ability and professionalism.
Picture It Level  / Alex Metzler

Call us...(800) New-Frame / National Toll Free
3811 Schaefer Ave., Suite A  Chino, CA 91710   Local (909) 591-3033
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