Frame Academy VII

By Paul Dunwell, writing for EasyFrame
© Copyright EasyFrame 2019

What this article is about

Earlier 'Frame Academy' pieces covered terminology, making a frame, gilding, choosing a type of frame, reusing old frames and choosing mat and moulding colours. In 'Frame Academy VII' we explain how to hang a large or heavy artwork.

It can be far more complicated than you might imagine. It's worth getting right, because most large or heavy artwork is valuable or hard to replace, and the frame itself almost certainly has a value. A mistake can be costly.

Before you start

Decide where the work will hang. That depends partly on your walls.

• Solid walls. Most older UK properties have load-bearing and exterior walls of stone, brick or concrete, as do high-rise offices and apartments. It is easier to hang heavy work on them.
• Stud walls. Many modern properties are timber-framed, with interior walls of plasterboard over big cavities. Plasterboard alone isn't strong enough for heavy artwork, shelving or a big television. But the cavities are interspersed with timber beams (studs) that will support anything.

You can often find the studs by knocking on the wall and listening. You can also knock a nail in and judge by the resistance what lies behind the plaster, but be aware of the risk of hitting a cable or pipe before you do.

Exterior walls are likely to be the most robust, though you may not want to hang your work there for aesthetic reasons. In the end you should be able to overcome the technical difficulties of hanging the work where you want to see it.

The items you need

• Scales, so you know the weight you're dealing with. Bathroom scales will do.
• A spirit level, a tape measure and a marker
• Removable tape
• A hammer and a screwdriver
• A pair of heavy-duty hangers, rated for the weight of your artwork, to fix to the back of the frame, with screws of the right length and type
• A pair of heavy-duty picture-hanging hooks, again rated for the weight, to go on the wall, with screws of the right length and type (the right length doesn't go all the way through the wall)
• Rawlplugs to suit both the screws and the wall
• A drill capable of slow drilling, with the right bits: probably a masonry bit, which has a fairly flat end, for brickwork, and a wood bit, which has a sharp point in the middle of a flatter end

Method

1. Weigh the framed artwork so you can choose fixings to suit.
2. Find the studs if you are hanging on a hollow wall. Most are vertical, some horizontal. Ideally you want 2 points on studs that correspond to 2 points on the sides of the frame, towards its top.
3. Mark the frame. Take each heavy-duty hanger in turn and mark where it will sit and where its screws will go. Check that the screws won't come out through the front of the frame.
4. Mark the wall. Do the same with the picture-hanging hooks, marking the wall only when you're sure. Check that the screws won't go right through the wall, and that you will avoid electricity cables, gas pipes and water pipes. It happens!
5. Check the alignment. Measure the distances between the hangers and between the hooks and make sure they coincide exactly. Use the spirit level to check that the marks on the wall are dead level. If you adjust the level, re-check the distance between the holes.
6. Check the height. Will the work hang where you want it, or too near the ceiling or floor? Adjust if so.
7. Drill all the holes.
8. Insert the screws, using Rawlplugs in the wall. You may have to tap them in with a hammer.
9. Hang it. Have a couple of friends support the artwork while you supervise. Make sure the fittings are properly engaged, then check with the spirit level.

Where to find out more

There is plenty more information on the complexities and on alternative fixings. See, for example, https://makingamark.blogspot.com/2015/10/how-to-hang-large-or-heavy-picture.html and https://interior-design.wonderhowto.com/how-to/hang-heavy-art-lath-and-plaster-walls-329515/

Conclusion

Hanging artwork securely in a heavy frame is important, not least because you, or somebody else, may have to answer for a botch-up.

If you are framing something precious, it's always worth going straight to a professional framer like EasyFrame for advice. They can do the whole job or help with the part that has left you jittery. They can also supply much of what you need, including heavy-duty hooks and hangers as well as picture mounts and frames, and where the size and weight of the artwork pose risks, they'll help you limit them.

EasyFrame is on 01234 856 501 and sales@easyframe.co.uk.