Hanging Framed Art

How to Hang Your Art

We’re all guilty of using the guess and check method for hanging artwork from time to time. You do your best to eyeball it, hit the nail with a few swings of the hammer, and proudly hang your piece only to realize it’s as crooked as a three dollar bill. Repeat process 2 - 3 times before shamefully trying to cover up your hack job. If you’re tired of patching up your drywall, follow our tips below:


  • Weight: Rest assured that when you buy from Ao5, we’ll be sure to set you up with the necessary tools. For any other pieces of art, knowing how much the artwork weighs will determine what tools are needed.
    • 0 - 10 lbs: easy peasy, use a regular old nail and call it good
    • 10 - 25 lbs: get yourself a picture hanging hook to make sure your art is safely anchored to the wall
    • 25 lbs and up: you’ll want to be more careful about finding a stud, using wall plug anchors and attaching a wire to help redistribute the weight 
  • The Magic Number 57: For most pieces, you should aim to have the center of the art piece hit right at 57 inches from the ground up. This is considered eye level for the average person and will ensure you don’t have to strain to enjoy your artwork (this rule is not set in stone and should be amended as needed i.e. hanging art above furniture, for Lebron James, etc).
  • Consider the Wall: Will the piece be hanging on a wall by itself or part of a collection? Are you allowing enough negative space between pieces? Is the piece too small to be on the wall by itself? Will you be mixing and matching a few different artists and styles?
  • Lighting: This is where galleries really have a leg up, you would be amazed how different a piece of artwork can look without the proper lighting to accentuate the colors and texture. To avoid any buyer’s remorse, you may want to consider installing some accent lighting to illuminate your piece.

Look at you, handyman (or woman)! Now all you have to do is admire your hard work and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing your art is hanging securely on the wall.