How to hang artwork

A Simple Guide to Nailing Gallery Height

Let's get those pieces hung at "gallery height"—which means the center of your artwork should be at eye level, 57 inches from the floor. (Some go up to 60" in rooms with tall ceilings, so the piece doesn't look small on the wall — but 57" is the standard default.) Ready? Let's jump in!

Tools You’ll Need

• Tape measure

• Level

• Pencil

• Hammer

• Hooks or nails

• Painter's tape (optional)

Instructions

Step 1

Mark eye level. Measure 57" up from the floor and mark it on the wall. (Tip: stick painter's tape down first, then pencil-mark on top of it — no marks on the wall!)

Step 2

Find the top-of-frame mark. Half your artwork's height, measured up from your eye-level mark.

• Example: 48" painting → 48 ÷ 2 = 24. Top of frame = 57 + 24 = 81"

Step 3

Find your wire drop. Pull the wire taut like it's on a hook. Measure from the top of the frame down to the taut wire. That's your wire drop.

• Example: wire drop = 16"

Step 4

Find your hook mark and nail it. Top-of-frame mark minus wire drop. Nail your hook there.

• Example: 81 − 16 = 65" → nail at 65"

Step 5

Hang it & level it. Voila!