18 January Picture Perfect: Hanging Art in Your Home the Easy Way January 18, 2021 By sma DIY, Home Decor bedroom, living room, office, organization 0 PICTURE PERFECT: HANGING ART IN YOUR HOME THE EASY WAY January 18, 2021 | DIY, Home Decor | organization, office, living room, bedroom Your favorite artwork or family pictures can brighten up your home and turn it into your own personal art gallery. However, trying to get the right layout and preventing your walls from getting damaged by nails and hooks can be a hassle. These tips can help you get things right the first time and save your walls. Plan Before Your Hang If you have several pictures that you’d like to hang together, plan out your arrangement before you put it up. Make paper cutouts of your different pieces, and use tape to place them on your wall. Also mark with a pencil or tape on your wall where the center of each frame is so you’ll know where to place the hook or nail. This way you’re free to rearrange and position your art how you'd like, without puncturing your walls unnecessarily. Use Adhesive Strips and Hooks Want to preserve your walls and secure your pictures? Then adhesive hangers are just the tool you need. They’re easy to apply to the back of a frame and quickly stick to wherever you place them. While you can apply them to larger frames, they tend to work the best with lighter ones. It’s also a good idea to avoid them if you have an older frame as the adhesive can leave a residue. DIY a “Tape Measure” It might sound a little odd, but you can make your own “measuring tape” to hang a frame. For frames that have a slot built into them, stretch a piece of painters tape between the two holes. Then take a nail and poke a hole through the tape into the slots, and stick the tape where you want the photo to go on the wall. Make sure the tape is level and hammer in the nails or hooks through the holes in the tape. The only step left is to put up your artwork! Picture Rails In some older homes (mainly pre-World War II era), that crown moulding might not be what it appears. Picture rails are a simple piece of 2” moulding that are a couple of feet from your ceiling, but can also be a few inches from the top. This makes it easy to mistake for crown moulding. All you need to hang art from a rail is an inexpensive hook and some wire. If your home is newer and you'd like to give it a more rustic feel, picture rails can be easily installed. Use More Than Just Nails The last thing you want is for your favorite frame to come crashing down, especially if you’ve hung it up over your bed. To ensure that your pictures will stay in place, use drywall anchors and screws. These options provide more stability to whatever you’re hanging and can hold some of the heavier frames that regular nails or adhesive strips can’t. You won’t have to worry about the frame slipping off, and there’ll be no need to constantly straighten the nails. Use these tips to simply and quickly hang your most cherished art, and avoid over puncturing your walls! Call National Property Inspections today. Your local NPI inspector has the professional training and experience to help assess the condition of your home. Find your local inspector today to schedule your inspection. Comments are closed.