Hanging multiple pictures

Whether it be a Family display in your home, a triptych in a gallery, or certificates in your office, EVERYONE gets a bit nervous about starting to hang them. If you are going to tackle it yourself then you will find some helpful tips in this post.

This is where a picture hanging system is at it's best from a practical standpoint, giving full, limitless adjustment to the user on an on–going basis. Galleries all around Australia and the world have used this method of hanging for hundreds of years.

You will usually find that a set of pictures are the same or similar sizes and to be lined up either horizontally, vertically or both if there is more than one row.

The first step in the hanging of these is to make sure that all fixtures on the back of each picture are at the same height. Picture framers usually have a preferred height based on their experience but when using an art hanging system it is best to hook into D–rings which are located on either side of the frame about 40mm from the top, doing this will minimise the lean of the picture when it is hanging without showing the hooks over the top of the frame from the front.

A picture hanging system is most effective when using two hooks per picture, don't rely on the string or wire when using an art hanging system as gravity will make the hooks travel to the centre of the string and over time the pictures won’t be straight.

Make sure D–rings are present and in the right location as above. Non–Acidic felt bumper dots are used in the bottom corners of each frame to improve even circulation of air around a frame, this is especially important in our climate due to high fluctuations of hot and cold as well as humidity which is exaggerated by air conditioning can affect frames as well as images or artworks themselves.

If a picture is part of a set of two or more to be hung in a single horizontal row then insert two hangers for each picture. Hanging the dominant picture, (if there is one that is larger than the others) will give an indication on the correct height. Optimum height is between 150cm and 160cm depending on the size from floor level to the centre of the picture.

After the first picture is up and level, take it down again. Slide the hangers up and bunch them together, add hooks to the remaining hangers setting the same height as the first. When the hangers are slide along the picture rail into position, hang the pictures and straighten the hangers so that they are parallel with each other, there will be minimal adjustment to get them lined up and level.

If your set of pictures is made up of more than one row, then repeat the above but hang two pictures above and below to start with. Obviously there are many variations on this such as staggering two levels of pictures but using this method is by far the easiest and with this in mind you will be able to hang pictures in any arrangement.