How do I hang this piece of artwork?
March 10, 2015 2:11 PM Subscribe
I recently bought my first piece of art (yay!), which looks like this, but I don't know how to hang it up. It's about 41" x 41", with a wood frame, and it's fairly heavy. On the back are two heavy-duty rails about 5.5" long each, one in each corner at the top (closeup here and here) that are to be used for hanging.
The gallerist who sold the piece to me said that I would "only need a couple of rawplugs of medium length which would go into the wall for about an inch." However, English is not his first language and I'm not sure what a "rawplug" is. To me it looks like some sort of interlocking rail would be appropriate, but I am a novice. Any advice greatly appreciated!
The gallerist who sold the piece to me said that I would "only need a couple of rawplugs of medium length which would go into the wall for about an inch." However, English is not his first language and I'm not sure what a "rawplug" is. To me it looks like some sort of interlocking rail would be appropriate, but I am a novice. Any advice greatly appreciated!
Rawlplugs? (apologies for the UK-centric link) I'd really just hang it on two screws or hooks (which need wall plugs as linked, appropriate for your type of wall - brick, plasterboard, whatever).
Pro tip: Get your spirit level out. Measure again. And again. It's annoying as hell when the holes you drill are crooked and your picture is ever so slightly off. Ask me how I know.
posted by ClarissaWAM at 2:20 PM on March 10, 2015
Pro tip: Get your spirit level out. Measure again. And again. It's annoying as hell when the holes you drill are crooked and your picture is ever so slightly off. Ask me how I know.
posted by ClarissaWAM at 2:20 PM on March 10, 2015
You will find wall hanging supplies that mate with those rails. I have used them myself for heavy hanging.
Search for "picture hanging rails" or something similar. Do not hook those over screwheads as suggested above. Get the right part and hang it right.
An example: http://www.picturehangingsystems.co.uk/hanging-systems/beta/
Now, of course you will mount those parts in the link above with anchors and screws like those mentioned above, but you won't mount the art to the screws.
posted by TinWhistle at 2:33 PM on March 10, 2015
Search for "picture hanging rails" or something similar. Do not hook those over screwheads as suggested above. Get the right part and hang it right.
An example: http://www.picturehangingsystems.co.uk/hanging-systems/beta/
Now, of course you will mount those parts in the link above with anchors and screws like those mentioned above, but you won't mount the art to the screws.
posted by TinWhistle at 2:33 PM on March 10, 2015
That can work with a basic french cleat or aluminum cleat.
posted by rhizome at 2:57 PM on March 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by rhizome at 2:57 PM on March 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
If I were to buy anything, I would go with rhizome's aluminum cleat. If left to my own devices, I would probably have already made a French cleat.
posted by advicepig at 3:01 PM on March 10, 2015
posted by advicepig at 3:01 PM on March 10, 2015
My first thought was an interlocking cleat as well.
In the US those "rawlplugs" are called wall anchors. If the picture is heavy, I'd definitely suggest something like the art rails rather than hanging it off of two screws. Even if you get wall anchors rated for the weight, it could pull out. Much better to mount a rail directly to your studs in at least 2 places.
posted by muddgirl at 3:20 PM on March 10, 2015
In the US those "rawlplugs" are called wall anchors. If the picture is heavy, I'd definitely suggest something like the art rails rather than hanging it off of two screws. Even if you get wall anchors rated for the weight, it could pull out. Much better to mount a rail directly to your studs in at least 2 places.
posted by muddgirl at 3:20 PM on March 10, 2015
The interlocking aluminum cleats can be obtained in individual (short) sections as well as longer lengths.
I wouldn't think they would connect with the angle bracket that's already attached, though - I'd start fresh by attaching a length (or two short pieces) of the aluminum cleat material to the stretcher, and then another to the wall (into studs).
posted by BillMcMurdo at 4:12 PM on March 10, 2015
I wouldn't think they would connect with the angle bracket that's already attached, though - I'd start fresh by attaching a length (or two short pieces) of the aluminum cleat material to the stretcher, and then another to the wall (into studs).
posted by BillMcMurdo at 4:12 PM on March 10, 2015
Response by poster: Thanks for the advice, everyone. By the way, I should mention that I first discovered this artist in a post on the blue, by the man of twists and turns. So thank you double, MetaFilter!
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 6:54 PM on March 12, 2015
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 6:54 PM on March 12, 2015
Response by poster: I decided to have professionals from Alliance Art Glass install it. They did an excellent job, for about $100. You can see it hanging here.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 12:39 PM on March 26, 2015
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 12:39 PM on March 26, 2015
« Older Please reccommend an accountant in Los Angeles | Lasers- more effective than laying on hands? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
I believe he's suggesting you drill holes into your walls, drop a couple of these plugs in, add screws, and leave the screw not-entirely-screwed-in so the bottom edges of those rails catch on the flat inner part of the screw. That seems reasonable to me but I haven't encountered that specific type of hardware before.
posted by Tomorrowful at 2:19 PM on March 10, 2015