Glossary: How to hang a painting

 Now, the process of hanging a picture sounds very easy as all you need is a wall, a hammer and a nail. While this is true it's not always as easy as it sounds. There are lots of nasty banana skins out there to trip up the unwary picture hanger. Here is a selection of do's and dont's that may help you hang the perfect picture.

So you have in you hand a framed painting with securely attached ring eyes and picture cord. Always use picture cord rather than wire as it is far more durable and less likely to break. Find your selected wall, get a hammer, picture hook or nail and then stop. Do you know what the wall is made of? It could be solid concrete in which case the nail bounces straight across the room or hollow in which case the nail disappears. My own personal favourite was a house I owned made of clay lump, a wonderful material when in perfect condition but a nightmare when not. It took a 6 inch nail to hang the smallest painting otherwise the nail sagged and the picture fell off the wall. So check the construction as you may need to drill and rawlplug or use an expanding nail for hollow cavities.

Next, check the thickness of the wall as a nail extending into the next door room or even the next door house can cause serious personal difficulties with neighbours and partners. Then check out if you are near the track of electric wiring from lights etc. It's reasonably easy to follow the track of a cable although this does not preclude eccentric wiring patterns. Fusing the lights makes you look stupid and the cost of a call out from an electrician is prohibitive these days!

 From the early days of the Royal Academy the most desirable spots at Burlington House for the Summer Exhibition were "on the line" i.e. at eye level. These places were coveted and tended to go to Royal Academicians not surprisingly. So, eye line is a good starting point and pictures look good when placed there. But don't follow the convention slavishly. Pictures look good in any position, behind doors, in dark recesses, above doors, in kitchens, stair wells, bathrooms, in fact anywhere. I have had clients who have dispensed with wallpaper and used art works. It looks great but obviously not to every one's taste.

Here at Room4art.com™ we cannot come round and hang your paintings for you, however much we would like to but hope the above information will help the process of hanging be trouble free