Picture Hanging System

Guidelines for Installing Pictures

Introduction

The guidelines presented below are intended for hanging pictures that are displayed using the new picture hanging system at the gallery.

Installation of the Hanging Wire on the Picture Frame

It is strongly recommended to use strap hangers that lie flat against the frame instead of eye screws that stick out from the picture. Strap hangers are readily available at any hardware store or art supply house.

Attach two strap hangers to the frame at 1/5^th of frame height but no less than 3-1/2” down from the top edge of the frame as shown below

Connect the hanging wire to the two hanging straps so that there is almost no slack in the wire. Lift the picture by the hanging wire and make sure that there is a gap of at least 2” between the wire and the top of the frame as shown below.

This 2” minimum gap is required to assure that the hanging system hook will not be visible when the picture is hung on the wall. Note that with the hanging wire close to the top of the picture it becomes quite easy to adjust the hook position on the picture wire so that the picture hangs straight on the wall. This method of installing hanging wire is also entirely applicable to hanging pictures in the conventional manner using picture hooks attached directly to the wall.

Installation of Picture Bumpers on the Picture Frame

When a picture is hung on a wall there is almost always a small gap between the top edge of the picture and the wall so that the picture is not entirely parallel to the wall (top of picture tilts away from the wall). To minimize the tilt it is recommended that two foam rubber bumpers be attached to the bottom side of the frame. With the bumpers installed the picture will hang more nearly vertical. The bumpers also act to stabilize the picture on the wall, avoiding a tendency for the pictures to shift sideways in pendulum fashion when disturbed by contact or vibration. The bumpers are 1” foam cubes that are slightly tacky on one of their surfaces. This surface has just sufficiently sticky to allow easy attachment of the bumpers to the frame and also easy removal after use. The bumpers should be attached to the inside bottom edge of the frame about 2 to 3” inboard of the corners as shown below.

At this location they will not be visible when the picture is viewed. The two bumpers should be installed before the picture is hung. The bumpers shall be removed from the pictures after use and left at the gallery for re-use. The bumpers will not damage the picture frames.