Most hanging mistakes come down to height. Vickie Sheridan, owner and operator of Framers Market & Gallery in Prescott and a Certified Picture Framer, says knowing how to hang pictures well is the last step of good framing, and the one people most often rush.
January is a natural time to rehang walls after the holidays. The tips below are adapted from National Art & Framing Council guidance and checked against published framing standards and Library of Congress display recommendations.
How to Hang Pictures at Eye Level
Pictures hung too high are the error framers see most. Position the frame so a typical adult’s line of sight meets it about one-third of the way below the top edge.
- Place that point roughly 55 to 58 inches from the floor.
- Hang lower when the picture sits above a sofa, lamp, or table where people will be seated.
- Make the art and the furniture beneath it look like one arrangement.
Those measurements come from National Art & Framing Council guidance. Framers Market & Gallery also offers art installation for residential and commercial spaces, listed with the shop’s other services.
Use the Right Hardware for the Wall
A typical framed piece weighs under ten pounds, and hardware from a custom frame shop is built to hold far more. More often, the wall is the weak link.
- Pick hardware rated above the frame’s weight, and spread the load across two hangers.
- Check what the wall is made of, since drywall, metal, brick, and old plaster walls each call for different anchors.
- Measure the drop from the top edge of the frame to the wire with the wire pulled tight, not slack.
The FACTS standard on hanging artwork by wire and cord explains why two hooks are better: with a single hook, each wire anchor point can carry more than twice the frame’s weight, while two hooks and a near-vertical wire cut that to slightly more than half. The FACTS preservation framing standard also recommends two wall hooks for wire-hung frames.
Arrange Pairs, Trios, and Picture Walls
A cluster of frames should look like a deliberate collection. Tight, even spacing keeps the group from looking lost on a big wall.
- Space pairs and trios only a few inches apart so they read as a single unit.
- Line up frame edges so the eye can follow clear horizontal or vertical lines, and keep gaps consistent at roughly two to four inches.
- Mix drawings, paintings, photographs, and collages freely, since any style can share a wall.
Framers Market & Gallery’s article Supporting and Displaying Local Art offers ideas for building a wall around regional work.
Test the Layout and Protect the Art
A little planning prevents extra nail holes. Light exposure is the other thing to plan for.
- Rehearse the layout on the floor first, or cut newspaper outlines of each frame and tape them up with removable tape.
- Measure and mark nail locations in pencil before driving anything in.
- Keep valuable art out of direct sunlight and frame it behind UV-filtering glazing.
The Library of Congress preservation guidelines for matting and framing recommend hanging framed objects out of direct sunlight, away from fireplaces, radiators, and vents, and on interior walls. The FACTS glazing standard explains what qualifies glass or acrylic as UV blocking.
Closing From Vickie Sheridan
Vickie Sheridan recommends planning the layout before the hammer comes out. A well-hung picture shows off the framing and keeps the art safe. Framers Market & Gallery is at 377 N. Montezuma St., Prescott, AZ 86301, and can be reached at (928) 445-2174 or in**@*************ng.com.
About the author
Vickie Sheridan is the owner and operator of Framers Market & Gallery, Prescott’s full-service frame shop at 377 N. Montezuma St. She is a Certified Picture Framer and a watercolor artist, and she holds a Master of Fine Arts from Norwich University.
Citations and resource links
- National Art & Framing Council: Tips for Hanging Pictures (tip sheet in Framers Market & Gallery’s files; no online version located)
- Framers Market & Gallery: Our Services
- FACTS standards (hosted by the Fine Art Trade Guild): Hanging artwork by wire and cord
- FACTS standards (hosted by the Fine Art Trade Guild): Requirements for maximum preservation framing
- Bridge News: Supporting and Displaying Local Art
- Library of Congress: Preservation Guidelines for Matting and Framing
- FACTS standards (hosted by the Fine Art Trade Guild): Glazing of artwork and keepsakes
- Professional Picture Framers Association: Certified Picture Framer program
- Author: Vickie Sheridan, Framers Market & Gallery
