How to Hang a Painting on a wall

When you want to decorate your home or workspace with paintings, there are a few things you should consider:

The paintings you hang should appeal to you, be chosen by you, or if they are a gift, have sentimental value for you. Why? Because you will be living or working among them, and they will constantly influence you. When the impact is positive, it is calming and relaxing, but if something about the painting disturbs you, it will affect your mood and productivity.

It's good if these paintings correspond to the interior of the space you want to decorate—whether it's your home or workplace. In this sense, landscape paintings like spring, summer, autumn, or winter scenes that bring calm and coziness are suitable for your home. Abstract paintings with motifs and contrasts evoke energy and are more appropriate for workspaces and offices.

Often, people buying a painting for the first time don't know how exactly to hang it on the wall. In this article, you'll learn everything you need to know to hang your oil painting.

Mounting is very easy. So, what are the options for hanging paintings? Most often, a small nail, screw, or dowel is placed on the wall.

1. If you live in a brick building – use a small nail;
2. For wooden structures, nails are also suitable;
3. If you live in a concrete panel building, you'll need to drill dowels into the panel with a drill;
4. For drywall, there are special dowels that can be recommended at the store.
   

If you are hammering nails into a brick building, you can do it with a regular hammer. Let them stick out about 2 cm from the wall. You can place the painting directly on the wooden stretcher bars, or hang the painting by the hooks (a serrated metal element, triangle, or other, mounted on the back of the stretcher).

Another option is with string (thread used for hanging). If the wall painting has a frame, a thin string/dense thread stretched behind the frame connects the two sides, which you can hang on the nail.

Be sure to carefully inspect the place where you'll place your oil painting to avoid nailing in the wrong spot. For example, ask someone to hold the painting against the wall so you can see if you like its position. This is important for measuring where to place dowels/nails, etc.

Once you're satisfied with the positioning, it's advisable to mark the spot with a small dot on the wall. Don't worry too much about leveling the painting, as hanging it from the middle allows for easy adjustment.

Types of Mounts for Oil Paintings

For your convenience, we’ll show the types of elements on the back of the painting that are used for mounting it on the wall in your home.

• Directly on the stretcher (very convenient for smaller paintings); Simply place/hang the stretcher (the wooden part at the back of the painting) on the nail on the wall.
  
• Using a triangular element, as shown in the picture below;
• Using a long serrated element;
• With thin string attached to the middle part of the stretcher;
  
• On a cornice with a cord – a cord stretched symmetrically on nails on either side of the back of the stretcher. The cord is hung on a special metal cornice for hanging artworks.
• Hanging system – used when paintings need to be frequently changed in a room, typically in galleries or art stores. High, near the ceiling, special slats are placed, which allow long cords to move freely. On these cords are placed metal fittings (1, 2, 3) where paintings with metal hangers can be attached. Another method is to measure the middle of the stretcher’s width, mark it with a pencil, and on either side of this mark, two small nails are driven in. A cord or thin string is tied between them, acting as a hanger. If you have many paintings, you can use this system to change their placement, creating variety for yourself.

Other Recommendations

1. Measure the wall where you want to place the artwork to ensure it's the right size for the space.
2. Avoid exposing paintings to direct sunlight for long periods and excessive moisture, as this can cause mold to develop on the canvas.

Additional recommendations on caring for oil paintings can be found HERE.