Wire-hanger picture hanger
I saw a tv commercial the other day for an electronic laser level, and it was being touted as an invaluable picture-hanging tool.
They showed projecting the laser line onto a wall, so you could then easily hang all the pictures at the exact same height, while also making sure each one was perfectly level.
Now, electronic lasers are definitely indispensable tools for certain jobs, but who needs one to hang pictures? Not me.
First of all, framed pictures always look better when staggered, so I never hang them all at the same height. Also, if I want to see if a picture is level or not, I just stand back and look at it. If it looks crooked, I straighten it out.
And, lasers are useless when it comes to the most tedious part of hanging pictures: precisely marking the wall for the nail or screw that will hold up the frame.
Fortunately, I've got a simple and absolutely foolproof method for marking where to nail, and it requires nothing more than a wire clothes hanger and pair of pliers.
Use lineman's pliers or needle-nose pliers to snip a 12-inch-long piece of wire from a wire clothes hanger. Then bend 3 inches at one end of the wire at a right angle to form a handle.
At the other end, bend about 3/4-inch of wire to slightly greater than 90 degrees, making sure it points in the opposite direction as the handle (left).
Now use the pliers to cut a sharp point on the short end (below, right); this will serve as the wall marker.
To use your nifty new picture hanger, simply grab its handle and hook the pointed end under the hanging wire on the back of the frame.
Hold up the picture by the hanger until it's in the desired position, then gently push on the picture.
The pointed end of the hanger will leave a prick mark on the wall, showing exactly where to tap in the nail or drive in the screw.
No fuss, no muss, and no batteries required.
Posted by Joseph Truini | Categories: Quick Fixes & Tips | Permalink
(7) Comments
That is a great simple idea, but how do you handle the pictures that use 1 eye in the middle or 2 eyes on each side? Some picture frames are too heavy to use a common wire and a single nail. That is where a laser line would be helpful.
That is so clever!
I've hung large, heavy pictures with a sewing machine needle. Smaller,lighter items just need a regular sewing needle. I have yet to have one fall off the wall.
This is a great idea as far as it goes. It's not unusual for me to also want to center a picture horizontally, say between a piece of furniture and wall corner. I use Scotch 230 Drafting Tape, which is less sticky than regular masking tape, but masking tape will certainly work. I start my measurement work, put a piece of tape close to where I want it, then measure again and make a pencil mark on the tape. This keeps from marking the actual wall. I then measure from the top of the picture frame down to the stretched hanger wire, or to the other hanging hardware, and make adjustments accordingly. There are times when I'll have a few pieces of tape on the wall indicating preliminary measurement locations. Using a tape measure and level, plus the drafting tape allows one to determine a precise location for the wall hanger. Once you have that, place your hanger, remove all the tape, and hang your picture perfectly.
Hey Ron, Glad you liked the tip, and you're right you can't hang very large, heavy framed pictures, mirrors, etc., from a single nail. My preferred method is the French cleat, which uses two bevel-ripped boards. And if a frame has two screw eyes in the back, connect them with a wire, and use the tip shown. I've never seen a frame with a single screw eye, but I suspect you can hook the wire hanger onto it to locate the nail position.
Hi Phyllis, Thanks for writing, glad you liked the wire-hanger tip. Thanks, too, for your tip. I've never would've thought to use sewing needles. They're certainly rigid enough to support lightweight frames, and they'll leave behind a smaller hole, too. Thanks and good luck!--JT
Hey Bill, Great tips. I've also used tape to indicate nail positions; it's a great way to keep from marking up the walls. I typically use light-green painter's tape, which won't damage wall paint, and is easier to see pencil lines than the typical dark-blue painter's tape. The problem with this method, of course, is that it requires careful measuring and marking, which can lead to errors. The nice thing about using the wire hanger is that there's no measuring required.
You can actually hang fairly heavy stuff with a single hanger and wire. Ook (ooks.com) makes picture hangers used in most major museums, and they've sold hooks and wire that are rated up to 100 pounds for quite a long time. They recently added a 160 pound version, but I didn't see any new wire added to support that. They also sell tremor/kid resistant hangers up to 75 pounds, and have insured hangers that will cover what you use them on for a given dollar amount. They also have some that will support up to 300 pounds on certain types of walls.