Before grabbing your hammer, flip to the back of the frame and see if you’ll be working with hanging wire, D rings, or sawtooth hangers. Where to place the nail requires a bit of thinking.
If there’s a wire…
Pull the wire tight and measure the distance to the top edge of the frame. Measure down from the pencil mark or tape that same distance, mark the spot, and drive in the nail.
If there’s a sawtooth hanger…
Use a nail with a bit of a head to grab underneath the hanger. If the sawtooth is close to the upper edge, picture hooks may not work as they will show above the edge of the frame.
If there are D hooks…
Measure from the top of the frame to the top of the hook, and from the sides of the frame to the center of the hooks to find and mark the spot to drive the nail. Double check your math by measuring from the left center to the right center of the back of the frame. Or, run a wire from D hook to D hook to make for easier hanging.
Important to note…
If you’re using a picture-hanging hook, make sure the hook—not the nail—is level with the spot you marked.
Whether you use a nail, a picture hanger or a wall-plug anchor depends on the weight of your piece. For heavier pieces, use a stud finder to locate a stud. If that position works, great. If not go with an anchor and screw.
Usually, nails can be hammered into drywall without causing damage. But you want to pre-drill a hole in plaster walls before nailing or screwing in an anchor.
Article originally appeared in March 2024