There is something special about bringing a new canvas home, whether it is an original from a local gallery, a favourite print or your own work. It deserves better than leaning against the skirting board. Hung properly, it becomes a focal point.
Yet getting it on to the wall, level and secure, can feel daunting. Pictures tilt, plaster crumbles at the sight of a nail, and the fear of a crash in the night is real.
Hanging a canvas need not be stressful. With some preparation, a few tools and a methodical approach, anyone can get a professional result. This guide is written for British homes and the walls we commonly have.
The toolkit
Gather everything before you make a mark on the wall.
- Tape measure. A 3m or 5m metric tape.
- Pencil. For light marks. Do not use a pen, which will not rub out.
- Spirit level. A 30cm or 60cm level suits most pictures.
- Hammer, for picture hooks.
- Screwdriver or drill-driver, and a drill with the right bits if you are using wall plugs.
- Stud and cable detector. Optional but recommended. It finds the timber in a stud wall, and warns of hidden pipes and cables.
- Masking tape, for marking positions without pencilling on the wall.
- Dust sheet or newspaper, to catch the dust.
Fixings
- Picture hooks. The usual answer. Choose the size by the weight of the canvas, which is marked on the packet. Heavier hooks have two pins.
- Wall plugs and screws. For masonry walls and heavier canvases. Brown plugs suit most jobs. Match the screw and the drill bit to the plug, as the packet directs.
- Plasterboard fixings. For hollow walls. Choose ones rated for the weight.
- Adhesive strips. Only for very light canvases on smooth walls, within the stated weight. Not for anything heavy or valuable.
Look at the back of the canvas too. Most have either a wire or cord across the back, or a D-ring near each top corner, or a sawtooth hanger in the middle of the top bar.
Know your wall
The key to success is knowing what the wall is made of. Tap it, and if in doubt push a pin into an inconspicuous spot.
- Solid masonry (brick or block, plastered). Feels hard and sounds dull. A picture hook holds a light canvas in sound plaster. For more weight, drill and use a wall plug and screw. This gives the strongest fixing.
- Plasterboard on dabs ('dot and dab'). Plasterboard stuck to a masonry wall with blobs of adhesive, leaving a small gap. It may sound solid in places and hollow in others. For anything heavy, drill through into the masonry behind and use a longer plug and screw.
- Plasterboard stud wall. Plasterboard on a timber frame. It sounds hollow except over the studs, which are usually 400 or 600mm apart. A screw into a stud is the strongest fixing. Between studs, use a plasterboard fixing rated for the weight. A nail in plasterboard alone will hold only the lightest picture.
- Lath and plaster (older houses). Plaster on thin wooden laths, which can be crumbly. Use a hook with fine angled pins, which spread the load, and go gently.
Before drilling, check for pipes and cables. They usually run straight up, down or across from sockets, switches and radiators.
Hanging it, step by step
- Find the drop. Turn the canvas over. If it has a wire, pull it up tight towards the top centre and measure from the peak of the wire to the top of the canvas. If it has D-rings, measure from the top of the canvas to the ring. That figure is the drop.
- Decide the height and position. The classic rule is to put the centre of the picture 145 to 152cm (57 to 60 inches) from the floor, at about eye level. Above a sofa, leave a gap of 15 to 25cm. Mark the wall lightly where the top of the canvas will come.
- Mark the hook position. From the top mark, measure down by the drop. That is where the hook, or the point where the wire rests, must be.
- Fit the fixing. For a picture hook, hold it so that the bottom of the hook, where the wire sits, is on the mark, and tap the pins in firmly, at the downward angle the hook sets. For a screw, drill at the mark, push the plug in flush, and drive the screw until it is firm, leaving enough standing out to take the wire or ring.
- Hang and level. Lift the canvas on to the hook and put the spirit level on its top edge. A canvas on a wire can simply be slid until it is level. With two hooks, get the hooks level with each other before you hang.
- Finish. Rub out any pencil marks, stand back and admire it.
Further tips
- Heavy canvases. Never rely on a single point for a large or heavy piece. Use two fixings, into plugs or studs, with two D-rings or a strong wire.
- Groups. Plan them. Lay the arrangement out on the floor, measure the whole group, and mark its centre on the wall. Hang the middle piece first and work outwards. Paper templates taped to the wall show the spacing.
- Sparing the plaster. Use sharp pins and bits. If the plaster crumbles a little round a hole, the hook or the canvas will usually cover it.
- Protecting the wall. Small felt or rubber pads on the bottom back corners stop the canvas scuffing the paint and help it stay straight.
- Safety. If you are unsure of the wall or the weight, use a stronger fixing than you think you need. For something very heavy or valuable, a professional picture hanger is a sound investment. Use a stable stepladder, never a chair.
Hanging a canvas is a satisfying job. Prepare, understand your wall, and work through the steps, and there will be no wonky horizons or crashes in the night. Then put the kettle on and enjoy the view.
EasyFrame offers a wide range of made-to-measure frames, including frames for canvases, and with long experience we can advise on the right one. Call us on 01234 856 501 or email sales@easyframe.co.uk. We are always happy to talk, whether or not you want to buy.