Painting Hanging Instructions

I am an artist who creates paintings and these are simply my recommendations. I am not a professional art hanger (there are experts you can hire at any framing store for hanging artwork ).You can hang it any which way you want even upside down :) but here are  the top three important aspects I consider while hanging artworks.

SAFETY

Safety is the most important aspect of hanging paintings.

These paintings can weigh 10+ kgs so make sure the wall chosen is the best for bearing that weight; if not then you need to spend few more bucks and get a gallery hanging system. Hooks are super important specially if it is these wooden board (drywall) walls we have in Australia and not brick walls. 

AESTHETICS

Aesthetics and the alignment is very important.

Make sure to use a bubble level device to completely have the painting parallel to the ceiling or the floor. Also measure the wall and the artwork before you make marks for the hooks screws installation.

ROOM

Positioning of an artwork depends on the wall in that particular room.

This is room relevancy. I prefer hanging a huge painting 6 inches above a sofa in a living room; 12 inches or more above the bed in the bedroom and just in the centre of a wall if there is no major piece of furniture near the wall that includes the dining room as well.

I recommend using two screws for all the float framed paintings larger than 80cm in any dimension. The screws should be placed 1-2 inches inside the vertical edge of the painting. For eg. For a painting 150cm wide, please install the two hooks, screws 146cm apart. And then hang the back wide on top of the screws/hooks.

To put a screw into a brick wall

To put a screw into a brick wall, you'll need to drill a pilot hole using a masonry drill bit, then use a wall plug or masonry anchor to secure the screw. The screw itself needs to be one that is designed for masonry or use a screw designed for drywall that will hold in the wall plug. 

Here's a step-by-step guide:

1. Mark and Drill:

• Mark the location: Determine where you want to place the screw and mark the spot with a pencil. 

  
  

• Pre-drill: Use a hammer drill with a masonry drill bit (or a suitable concrete diamond point screw) to drill a pilot hole. The drill bit should be slightly smaller in diameter than the screw or anchor. 

  
  

• Clean the hole: Remove any dust and debris from the drilled hole. 

  
  

2. Install the Anchor or Wall Plug:

• Choose your anchor:

  
  

  Select the appropriate wall plug (or masonry anchor) for the weight you'll be hanging. Wall plugs are often color-coded to indicate their weight-bearing capacity.

  
  
  
  

• Install the anchor:

  
  

  Tap the wall plug into the pre-drilled hole using a hammer or a tapping tool. If using a masonry anchor, insert it into the hole and tighten it with a spanner. 

3. Screw in the Fixings:

• Insert the screw: Align the screw with the hole in the anchor or plug and screw it in using a screwdriver or impact driver. 

  
  

• Securely tighten: Ensure the screw is tightly screwed in. 

  
  

Important Considerations:

• Safety first: Make sure there are no electrical wires or pipes in the area you're drilling. 

  
  

• Brick vs. Mortar: It's generally recommended to drill into the brick rather than the mortar, as the mortar is more likely to crumble. 

  
  

• Weight Capacity: Choose a screw and anchor combination that can handle the weight you're hanging. 

  
  

• Drill Settings: For best results, set your drill to hammer mode when drilling into brick. 

  
  

• Cleanliness: A clean, debris-free hole ensures proper anchor engagement. 

To put a screw in drywall

To put a screw in drywall, you'll generally need to use a drywall anchor, as drywall alone is not strong enough to reliably hold a screw. Drywall anchors provide a more secure and durable method of mounting items to drywall. 

Here's a general process for using a drywall anchor:

1. Drill a pilot hole (if needed): For some types of anchors, especially nylon or plastic ones, you might need to create a small pilot hole before inserting the anchor. Metal anchors are often strong enough to create their own hole. 

   
   

2. Insert the anchor: Place the anchor into the pilot hole (if applicable). 

   
   

3. Secure the anchor: For some anchors, you may need to tap them into place with a hammer. For others, you'll use a screwdriver to twist the anchor into the drywall until it's flush with the surface. 

   
   

4. Insert the screw: Once the anchor is secured, you can insert the screw into the anchor. 

   
   

5. Tighten the screw: Drive the screw into the anchor until it's securely fastened.