Most pictures that end up crooked, or on the floor, were hung with the wrong fixing for the weight or the wall. A small print on a nail is fine. A framed canvas, a heavy mirror or a gallery wall of fifteen frames is a different job, and that is where a picture hanging service earns its keep: the right fixing for each item, set at a sensible height, level, and lined up with everything around it.
Voltify Contractors hangs pictures, mirrors and framed artwork in homes, rented flats, offices and communal areas across East and South-East London. It is one of the fitting jobs within our handyman and property maintenance work, so it is often booked alongside other small jobs on the same visit.
What Is on the Back Decides the Fixing
Before anything goes on the wall, it is worth turning each frame over. The hanging hardware on the back tells you a lot about how it should be fixed.
| Hardware on the back | What it means for hanging |
|---|---|
| A single wire or cord | Easy to hang, but the item can tilt and slide sideways. Two hooks spaced apart keep it level and stop it drifting. |
| Two D-rings | Hung on two fixings measured to match the rings, so the frame sits flat and stays level. The better option for anything of size. |
| Sawtooth hanger | Designed for small, light frames only. Heavier items are better with D-rings added. |
| Mirror plates or keyhole slots | Screwed directly to the wall, so the fixing positions must be marked accurately. Common on mirrors and heavier frames. |
| Nothing at all | Canvases and some mirrors arrive without hardware. Suitable fittings, or a timber cleat for heavy pieces, are added before hanging. |
Old picture wire is worth checking too. Wire that has stretched, frayed or rusted is replaced rather than trusted with a heavy frame.
Mirrors Carry More Weight Than They Look
A mirror is glass on a backing board, often inside a solid frame, and it is usually heavier than a picture of the same size. It also tends to go in the places where a fall would do most damage: above a fireplace, over a console table, or in a hallway people walk past all day.
For larger mirrors, the fixing is planned around the weight and the wall rather than whatever came in the box. Heavy mirrors are commonly hung on a split-batten (French cleat) or on multiple fixings, so the load is shared. On a chimney breast, the brick and plaster in older houses can be soft or crumbly, so fixings are placed where they will grip rather than where the tape measure first lands.
Bathroom mirrors need care with tiles and moisture. Tiles are drilled with the right bit to avoid cracking, and fixings are chosen to cope with a damp room. Illuminated and demister mirrors need an electrical connection as well as fixing; the wiring and the position of the mirror in the bathroom are handled through our electrical services.
Floor-standing mirrors and mirrors fixed to furniture are secured differently. A tall leaning mirror should be anchored to the wall so it cannot slide or tip, which is often done at the same time as furniture assembly.
Heights, Spacing and Getting Things Level
Pictures are often hung too high. A common starting point is to put the centre of a picture at roughly eye level, around 1.45 to 1.5 metres from the floor, then adjust for the room:
- Above a sofa or sideboard, the picture relates to the furniture rather than the wall, so a gap of a hand’s width or so above the furniture usually looks right.
- In a hallway or on a staircase, pictures often step up with the stairs, keeping the same height above each tread.
- In a dining room, where people are seated, pictures can sit slightly lower.
- Next to a TV, shelf or window, the tops or centres are aligned with those features so the wall reads as one arrangement.
Pictures are levelled to true level with a spirit or laser level. In older properties the ceiling, skirting and picture rail are often not level, so a frame lined up with them can look right from one angle and wrong from another. Where that happens, the options are talked through before the first hole is drilled.
A Picture Hanging Service for Gallery Walls and Groups
A gallery wall looks easy and is the job most likely to go wrong without planning. The approach that works is to lay the frames out on the floor first, agree the arrangement, and then transfer it to the wall with paper templates or measured marks, so every fixing is placed before any frame goes up.
Consistent gaps between frames matter more than the frames matching. A grid needs equal spacing on every side; a looser salon-style arrangement usually works best around a shared centre line or an invisible outer edge. If the arrangement includes shelves for smaller objects, our shelf installation service can be planned into the same layout.
Picture Rails, Rentals and Walls You Would Rather Not Drill
Not every wall should be drilled. Some alternatives are worth considering:
- Picture rails. Many Victorian and Edwardian homes in London still have them. Picture rail hooks with cords, chains or rods let pictures hang without touching the plaster, and they can be moved easily.
- Rental properties. Tenancy agreements often restrict drilling. Adhesive strips suit only light frames on sound, painted walls, and they can pull paint off when removed. Check with the landlord or agent first; many are happy for pictures to go up if holes are filled at the end of the tenancy.
- Freshly decorated walls. New paint needs time to cure before anything is fixed or stuck to it. If a room is being redecorated, hanging pictures after our painting and decorating work is finished avoids marking the new finish.
- Plasterboard. Light frames can go on suitable plasterboard fixings; heavy mirrors and large frames are better fixed into a stud or on fixings rated for the load. Where old fixings have left torn plasterboard, the damage is repaired first, or through our drywall and wall repair service if it is extensive.
Before drilling, the wall is checked for hidden cables and pipes, which often run vertically above and below sockets and switches.
Offices, Receptions and Communal Areas
Artwork, framed notices and mirrors in offices, reception areas, hotels and managed blocks are usually hung in larger numbers and need to line up along corridors and between rooms. Where pictures in a public or communal area should not be lifted off easily, security fixings can be discussed when you enquire so the right hardware can be confirmed. This work can be scheduled through our commercial property maintenance service.
Cost and What to Send Before the Visit
The documented minimum call-out is £80 for the first hour. The total depends on how many items are being hung, their size and weight, the wall types, whether a gallery layout needs planning, whether hardware has to be added to the backs of frames, and whether old fixings need removing and filling.
It helps to send photos of each item and its back, approximate sizes and weights, photos of the walls, and any layout you have in mind. Hanging pictures pairs well with other small jobs, so if you have a list, a single handyman visit can cover it. Contact Voltify Contractors to arrange a visit between 7am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, or check the areas we cover.
