How to Hang Pictures: A Step-by-Step Guide
To hang a picture straight and at the right height, mark the centre of the art at 145 to 150 cm from the floor, measure how far the hanger sits below the top of the frame, and check it with a spirit level. Match the fixing to your wall and the weight of the frame, and use two hooks for anything large.
Below: what you need, a step-by-step method, which fixings suit which walls, renter-friendly options, and how to hang pairs and threes evenly.
Prints for this look
What you need
- A pencil, a tape measure and a spirit level.
- Masking tape, for marking positions and for the hanger trick below.
- Fixings to suit your wall: picture hooks and nails, screws and wall plugs, or adhesive picture-hanging strips.
- A hammer, and a drill for brick or solid walls.
How to hang a picture, step by step
- Decide where it goes. On a bare wall, the centre of the art should sit at 145 to 150 cm from the floor. Above furniture, leave 15 to 25 cm between the furniture and the bottom of the frame.
- Find the hanging point. Pull the wire or hanger on the back of the frame up tight, as it will be on the hook, and measure from there to the top of the frame.
- Mark the wall. Mark the top of the frame position, then measure down by the distance you just found. That mark is where the hook goes.
- Use the tape trick. For frames with two hangers, stick a strip of masking tape across the back, mark both hanger points on it, then move the tape to the wall and level it. Fix through the marks and peel the tape off.
- Fix, hang and level. Hang the frame, check it with the spirit level and adjust.
Putting a small piece of masking tape over the spot before you drill or nail also helps stop plaster from crumbling.
Choosing the right fixing for your wall
- Plasterboard or stud walls. Picture hooks with angled pins are fine for light frames. For heavier frames, use plasterboard fixings rated for the weight, or screw into a timber stud.
- Solid plaster and brick. Drill and use a wall plug with a screw. Nails tend to bend or crack the plaster.
- Renting, or no drilling. Adhesive picture-hanging strips hold light frames well on smooth, clean, painted walls. Follow the weight limit on the pack, press firmly, and wait before hanging. Avoid them on wallpaper and fresh paint.
- Picture rail. If your room has one, use rail hooks with cord or chain. No holes at all.
For any frame A2 or larger, use two fixings. Two points keep the frame level and spread the weight.
Hanging pairs and threes evenly
Treat a group as one piece. For a pair, leave a gap of 5 to 8 cm and centre the pair as a whole, not each print. For three in a row, hang the middle print first, then measure the same gap either side. For a vertical stack, keep the centre of the whole stack at 145 to 150 cm.
The most common mistakes are hanging too high, uneven gaps, and one hook on a wide frame. Measure each gap rather than judging by eye. To plan a bigger group, try the gallery wall planner, or browse all our prints.
Sizes at a glance
| Size | Centimetres | Inches | Works for |
|---|---|---|---|
| A4 | 21 x 29.7 | 8.3 x 11.7 | Shelves, desks, small gaps, sets of 3 |
| A3 | 29.7 x 42 | 11.7 x 16.5 | Hallways, side walls, pairs |
| A2 | 42 x 59.4 | 16.5 x 23.4 | Above a sideboard or small sofa, the anchor of a gallery wall |
| A1 | 59.4 x 84.1 | 23.4 x 33.1 | Above a standard sofa or bed |
| A0 | 84.1 x 118.9 | 33.1 x 46.8 | Large walls, open-plan rooms, statement pieces |
All our A sizes fit standard off-the-shelf frames, and every print is made to order on museum-grade matte paper.
