How to hang your wall art.

So you’ve finally chosen that amazing photo that you want to display on a canvas or a framed print in your home. Now, all that’s left is figuring out where and how to hang your print, which may seem pretty tricky at first. If you’ve ordered from Canvaspop (wise choice) then you’re off to a great start.

However, there are some important things to consider when hanging your custom prints. Below is a simple guide on how to hang art prints. Step by step, we’ll take you through what you need to know to hang your wall art perfectly every time. Ready to hang?

1. Picture perfect placement

When it comes to the placement of your wall art, there are two main things to consider: the size of the piece and the best height to hang it at. First things first, you’ll want your wall art to complement the space which means it should be appropriately sized for the spot you choose.

As a general rule of thumb, your wall art should take up between 50-75% of the available wall space. This means a big piece is usually needed to fill up a big space, such as above the couch or fireplace, for example, otherwise, your canvas will look out of place.

Don’t get hung up on this if you have a smaller piece, you can either place it somewhere with less available wall space, lean it on a shelf or even pair it with other pieces to create an eye-catching gallery wall. For more sizing tips you can read our blog How to pick wall art that's the right size for your space.

For the most aesthetically pleasing decor, you should aim to have the center of your canvas print roughly at eye-level. While this may sound a bit arbitrary since heights vary, imitate the pros by hanging it approximately 57 inches off the ground, which is the standard for art galleries.

Also, if you’re hanging your piece above furniture, give it some room to breathe by hanging it between 6 to 12 inches above the top of the furniture.

2. Gather your supplies

Before starting the process, having all the necessary hanging equipment on hand will help ensure that your prints hang straight and level. You’ll need a measuring tape, a level, a hammer, a pencil, and some painter’s tape.

Check the back of the artwork to determine the type of hardware you're working with. Different sizes of frames include varied hanging hardware, including sawtooth hangers, hooks or come with a hanging wire.

For a small (8"x10") to medium (18"x24") Canvaspop piece all you’ll need to hang it up is a hammer and a nail. Every standard-sized print comes with a sawtooth hanger built in to make hanging your masterpiece even easier!

For a large Canvaspop piece (larger than 20"x30"), you’ll need a picture frame hanger. All very large prints come equipped with a wire for hanging, making the picture frame hanger perfect for these pieces. Other supplies you’ll need are measuring tape, a level, a hammer, a pencil, and some painter’s tape. Hang in there, you’ve got this!

3. Does it measure up?

Once you’ve made your pencil marks or taped out where your print will hang, you can then take a step back to easily see how it will look. That way, you’ll know it’s ready and in the perfect spot before putting the hammer to the nail.

A very important thing to remember is to also account for the space between where the nail sits and the top of the art. That is, you must measure the length from the hooks, or the top of a taut hanging wire, to the top of the frame or canvas so that you know it sits correctly and that way you know you’ll nail your decor.

4. Hang it up!

It's time to hang the canvas or framed print you've carefully selected for your wall. Once you've picked the best space for your art, mapped out your perfect placement on the wall, hammered your nail or attached your hooks to the wall, simply hang your canvas prints from a hook or nail by looping the wire or sawtooth around it.

5. Hanging multiple pieces

Don’t shy away from hanging multiple pieces or a gallery wall just because it may seem more daunting. In reality, it doesn’t take much more effort than hanging a single piece and looks incredible.

Start by first choosing a center item and arrange the other pieces around it. The best way to do this is by building your arrangement on the floor first and then once you’re happy with the layout, prepare your wall as you would with a single piece by outlining the different pieces with painters tape and measuring from where the canvas will hang. Remember to still use the same placement rules: The multiple prints or gallery wall should take up 50-75% of the available wall space and be approximately 57 inches off the ground or between 6 to 12 inches if they are placed above furniture.

When creating a gallery wall, you’ll want to ensure the overall look is balanced. You can achieve this by having an equal amount of weight on either sides and ensuring that both sides follow a similar theme or frame style.

When hanging pictures in even numbers, try creating symmetrical shapes. For example, if you have four prints, hang them in a square, keeping the spaces between them uniform and relatively tight. When hanging pieces in threes, go vertical. This arrangement is perfect for sofa walls and hallways and allows you to achieve volume without cluttering the space. We recommend leaving about 4 inches between the prints.

6. Space to breathe

When hanging multiple pieces, the space between each canvas or framed print should not be overlooked. Generally speaking, you can leave 2-5 inches between each frame for proper spacing. If you’re hanging in even numbers, you can hang them 1-2 inches apart for tight spacing or 4-6 inches for normal spacing. When hanging 3 pieces side by side or as a triptych, it’s recommended to leave 4-6 inches in between.

Get creative with you wall art

Don't be afraid to break some rules to achieve unique and aesthetic layouts. You can experiment with various arrangement styles and prints to determine how they will appear on your wall. You can also stray from the standard norm of hanging artwork at eye level and hang your pieces higher. Play around with your prints until you figure out what works for you.

Try propping a larger piece against the wall or table if you lack the time and patience to mark and drill through walls to hang your artwork. This might help you attain a more modern and laid-back appearance with minimal effort.

Putting up wall art is a creative challenge. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Almost everybody gets it wrong the first few attempts. As you practice, you'll learn what works and what doesn't, and you'll be able to avoid typical pitfalls.

Above all, remember that the standard practices are not cast in stone. If following them doesn't give you your desired results, don't shy away from breaking them.

Get expert help

Planning and hanging new prints can be pretty challenging, as you must have gathered. Fortunately, you can leave this hassle to the experts and never have to worry about misplaced artwork again.

Your memories are as important to us as they are to you. Let us help you print and preserve them on the highest-quality materials. We're experts at this — we've helped hundreds of clients like you.

Hopefully after reading this blog you feel better equipped on how to hang prints! Now all that’s left is for you to get creating your perfect print today!