How to Hang a Picture Frame Straight

A crooked frame or a wall full of extra nail holes is frustrating, but hanging art neatly is mostly about measuring once and marking carefully. Here’s how to get it level and at a comfortable height on the first try.

Pick the Right Height and Spot

A common guideline is to place the center of the artwork about 57 to 60 inches from the floor, which is roughly eye level for most adults. Over a sofa or console table, leave about 6 to 10 inches between the furniture and the bottom of the frame. Before you commit, have someone hold the frame up, or tape a paper template of the same size to the wall and step back to look.

Match the Hardware to the Weight and Wall

• Light frames: a small nail or picture hook driven at an angle into drywall.
• Medium frames: picture hooks rated for the weight, or drywall anchors.
• Heavy mirrors and large art: anchors rated for the load, or screws driven into a wall stud.
• Plaster walls: put a piece of painter’s tape over the spot before drilling to reduce cracking.

Use a stud finder before drilling, and avoid the areas directly above or below outlets and switches, where wires often run.

Measure and Mark

1. Lightly mark the wall where you want the top center of the frame to be.
2. On the back of the frame, pull the hanging wire taut toward the top and measure from the peak of the wire to the top edge of the frame.
3. Measure that same distance down from your first mark and mark again. That’s where the hook goes.
4. If the frame has a sawtooth hanger or a single D-ring instead of wire, measure from the top of the frame to the hanger.
5. For two D-rings, measure the distance between them, then use a level to mark two points that same distance apart on the wall.

Hang It and Level It

1. Install the hook or anchor at your mark, following the package directions.
2. Hang the frame and set a small level on top of it.
3. Nudge the frame until the bubble is centered.
4. Press a small piece of removable poster putty or a felt bumper onto the lower back corners to keep it from shifting.

Two hooks spaced apart hold a wide frame steadier than one and make it much less likely to tilt. Step back after hanging and look from across the room, since slight tilts are easier to spot from a distance.

Handy Shortcuts

• Stretch painter’s tape across the back of the frame over both hangers, mark their positions, then move the tape to the wall to transfer the exact spots.
• For a gallery wall, arrange frames on the floor first, then trace paper templates and tape them up.
• Keep spacing between frames consistent, often 2 to 3 inches.
• In rentals, use removable adhesive strips for light frames and stay within their weight limit.