How to Hang Your Canvas

Every canvas from us arrives with a hanging wire already fitted across the back. Here is how to hang it centred, at the right height and perfectly level, with two hooks or with one.

You will need: measuring tape · pencil · spirit level (or a level app on your phone) · screws with wall plugs, or picture hooks · a drill for brick or concrete walls · a helper to hold the canvas

Hanging on two hooks

Best for any canvas wider than about 24 in. Two hooks hold it level and stop it tilting.

  1. 1

    Find the centre of the canvas

    Measure the width and halve it. Mark the centre on the back, along the top bar. 48 in wide → centre at 24 in.

    half half CENTRE back of frame
  2. 2

    Choose the hook spacing (S)

    Go out about ¼ of the width on each side of the centre. These are your two hook points. 48 in wide → S = 12 in each side.

    S S pull the wire up at the two dots
  3. 3

    Measure the drop (D)

    Pull the wire up tight at both points, the way the hooks will hold it, and measure from the top edge down to the wire. For example, D = 4 in.

    D top edge of frame
  4. 4

    Mark the wall

    Hold the canvas where you want it and mark the wall at its top-centre. From that mark go down D, then out S to the left and right. Use a level so both marks sit on one straight line.

    where the frame will sit top-centre mark D S S hook hook
  5. 5

    Fix the two hooks

    Brick or concrete: drill at each mark, tap in a wall plug, then the screw. Leave about 1 cm out, pointing slightly up. Plywood or gypsum: use picture hooks or gypsum anchors. The point where the wire rests must sit exactly on your marks.

    ~1 cm out, angled up wall + plug
  6. 6

    Hang and level

    Lift the canvas, slide the wire over both hooks, then nudge it left or right until the level reads straight. Two hooks keep it from tilting over time.

    level & done

Hanging on one nail

For smaller canvases: how to get it centred and at the right height with a single nail or hook.

  1. 1

    Measure the drop (D) and height (H)

    Hook a finger under the wire at the centre and pull it up tight. Measure from the top edge down to the wire. Note the canvas height too. For example, D = 5 cm, H = 60 cm.

    D H back of frame, wire pulled up at centre
  2. 2

    Find the centre line on the wall

    Decide what the canvas centres on: the wall, or the sofa, bed or console below it. Measure its width, halve it and draw a light vertical line. The nail goes on this line.

    half half sofa / bed centre line
  3. 3

    Work out the nail height

    Open wall (canvas centre at eye level, about 150 cm):

    Nail = 150 + (H ÷ 2) − D150 + 30 − 5 = 175 cm from the floor
    Above a sofa or bed (a 15–20 cm gap above the backrest):
    Nail = backrest + gap + H − D85 + 20 + 60 − 5 = 160 cm from the floor
    floor 150 cm to frame centre nail height
  4. 4

    Mark and fix the nail

    Measure the nail height up from the floor on the centre line and mark it. On brick or concrete, drill, plug and screw. With a picture hook, the bottom of the hook, where the wire rests, goes on the mark, not the nail.

    centre line your mark (nail height) nail goes in up here wire rests here → on the mark
  5. 5

    Hang, centre and level

    Hook the wire over the nail and slide the canvas until the wire's centre sits on the nail and the level reads straight.

    centred & level

Quick height rules

145–150 cmfrom the floor to the centre of the canvas (57–60 in), standing eye level
15–20 cmgap between a sofa, bed or console and the bottom of the canvas (6–8 in)
¼ widthhook spacing either side of the centre when you use two hooks

Not sure which size suits your wall? See the size guide by furniture.

Watch it done

Two hooks

One hook

Download the guides

Save them to your phone or print them for the day you hang.

Two-hook guide

Two-hook guide

PDFImage
One-nail guide: centring and height

One-nail guide: centring and height

PDFImage

Hanging questions

Does my canvas come with a hanger?

Yes. Every canvas, whether floater, classic or wrapped, arrives with a hanging wire already fitted across the back. All you add is one or two hooks or screws suited to your wall.

Should I use one hook or two?

One hook is fine for canvases up to about 24 in wide. For anything wider, use two hooks about a quarter of the width either side of the centre: the canvas hangs level and stays level, even when it is dusted or nudged.

How high should I hang it?

So the centre of the canvas sits 57 to 60 in (145 to 150 cm) from the floor, which is standing eye level. Above a sofa, bed or console, leave 6 to 8 in (15 to 20 cm) between the furniture and the bottom of the canvas.

What hooks or screws do I need for an Indian wall?

Most walls in India are brick or concrete under plaster: drill a hole, tap in a plastic wall plug, then drive a screw into it, leaving about 1 cm out. On plywood or gypsum board, use picture hooks or gypsum anchors. A nail alone in plastered brick can work loose over time.

How do I stop it from tilting?

Use two hooks rather than one, and when you measure the drop, pull the wire up tight at the hook points. If a single-hook canvas keeps tipping, slide it until the centre of the wire sits on the hook.

I rent. Can I hang it without drilling?

A wall-adhesive hook rated above the weight of the canvas will hold the smaller sizes; use two for balance. A stretched canvas with no glass is far lighter than a framed print of the same size. Write to hello@thegalleryofarts.in with your size and we will tell you what it weighs.

Is there a video?

Yes. Two hooks: watch on YouTube. One hook: watch on YouTube.

More answers on our FAQ page.

Still stuck? Before you drill, check for hidden wiring and pipes near switches and taps.
Send us a photo of your wall on WhatsApp or write to hello@thegalleryofarts.in, and we will help.