The walls of our homes are blank canvases, and paintings and photographs are a great way to add a bit of life to them. However, if you have never learned how to hang a picture, it can feel a little daunting, especially if the work of art is large or the frame is particularly heavy.
Once you know how it’s done, hanging a painting is relatively straightforward, but if you don’t have the right tools or would just like a professional to come and help then remember that London’s favorite handyman company – Bits Bobs and Odd Jobs – is always ready to give you a hand.
But if you do want to do it yourself, here are five steps to hanging the perfect picture.
1. Decide on where you want to hang the picture
This may sound obvious, but before you start actually trying to hang the picture, you first want to know exactly where you want it on the wall. How high would you like the painting, and how far from the other pictures or elements.
Where you put the picture is a matter of personal preference, but as a general rule of thumb the middle of a picture should be at eye level, which is about 150cm high, and if you are only hanging a single picture on a wall then the middle is generally a good option. Ideally, get somebody to hold the painting on the wall where you intend to hang it to make sure it all looks good and use a pencil to gently mark the wall at the top center of the picture.
2. Use a detector to check for wiring and pipework
Once you have determined the best place to hang the picture then it is important to try and work out whether there are any electricity cables or pipes behind the wall before you hammer that first nail! A handheld detector can be bought at your local hardware shop (or online) for under £30, and should help you avoid any electrical or water problems.
3. Measure the drop of the picture wire
Pull the picture wire or hanging cord taut, then measure the drop from the top of the frame to the cord or wire. Now go back to the pencil marking you made on the wall, use the drop measurement to work out where the fixing position will be and mark that in pencil with an X.
4(a). Plasterboard – nail the picture hook or twist in a screw
If you have a lightweight picture, then a simple two-pin picture hook may well suffice, but if you want a bit more security and the plaster is in a good condition then you could use a hollow wall anchor or a self-drill screw. If you want to hang a particularly heavy work of art, then you will need to find the studs (vertical wooden beams) behind the plasterboard and drive the fixings into that.
Once you have your hooks and nails or screws in hand, place the bottom of the hook on the fixing point or points, and hammer in the nails to secure the hook in place or screw in the screws.
4(b) Brick – drill in a screw
First mark the length of your wall plug on your drill bit using masking tape and then drill a hole at the fixing point and push in the wall plug until it is flush. Then insert the screw and tighten it until there is just enough head sticking out to hang the picture wire.
5. Hang your picture
Take your picture and hang the wire onto the hook or screw, carefully manoeuvring it until it is straight and level. It is easiest to have a friend on hand to tell you if one side is higher than the other, or if you’re on your own then use a spirit level. Take a few steps back between each adjustment to get it just right.
If you’re nervous drilling into your brick walls, do not have a detector available to use, or just want some professional help then remember that the experts at Bits Bobs and Odd Jobs are just a phone call away. Book some time with a professional handyman today by calling 0208 244 5070 or using our simple online form.
