New to picture hanging? We know what that feels like. You hone in on one tool, then fall down the rabbit hole only to discover other factors to consider such as weight capacity, wall compatibility, frame type, the material used by your picture—it gets a tad overwhelming.
There’s no better way to cut through the noise than to start with the basics, and when it comes to picture hanging, that means art hangers.
Art hangers are the most common type of picture hanger, and for good reason. This hanging solution is very versatile and includes wood frame hangers, metal frame hangers, sawtooth hangers, and foamboard hangers.
In this introductory guide, we’ll be delving into what makes every type of hanger compatible with your wall, picture frame, or decor. By the end, you’ll be hanging pictures and decor in your space with confidence in your choice of hanger.
4 Types of Picture Hangers Basic Guide
Wood frame hangers
The first category of hangers is specifically for frames that are made of wood. If you have a picture frame built from softwood or hardwood, it’s best to use its hanging counterpart to avoid decor mishaps and risk damage to your frames.
Wood frame hangers keep well underneath the frame and are generally invisible. This makes them a great option if you’d like to keep a clean look and a seamless display, whether it’s for framed artwork and pictures or decor items like mirrors and clocks.
We offer four types of hangers designed for wooden frames:
Depending on the type, wood frame hangers support items that are three pounds to as heavy as 250 pounds.
There are two ways to install wood frame hangers: with or without a picture wire. A picture wire is helpful when hanging something that needs a bit more support. You would need to put only one hole in the wall, and it's an easier way to hang pictures compared to lining up D-rings or other wood frame hangers with several nails on the wall. But there are a few more things to note before you decide on this option.
Between your frame hanger and picture wire, always go by the lower weight rating when it applies.For instance, if you are using a D-ring with a weight rating of 25 lbs and your wire is rated for 100 lbs, you would go by the lower weight rating when mounting items, which in this case would be 25 lbs.
With a picture wire, consider also that you might have issues with frames sliding on the wire as well as tilting. For heavier items, instead of using wire, we would recommend cleats , which can support items as heavy as 750 lbs.
To sum it up, if you have a wooden frame or other wooden decor, wood frame hangers are the way to go. If you’d like to learn more about wood frame hangers, check out our buyer guide Everything You Need to Know About Wood Frame Hangers, which compares the technical specifics of each hanger and walks you through every step of every hanger’s installation process.
Metal frame hangers
Just like wood frame hangers, metal frame hangers are also designed to work with a particular kind of frame—metal frames.
If you have a metal frame, check the back of it and you’ll notice that there’s a groove running along the edges of the whole frame. This open channel is specially designed for metal hangers, and you can easily snap, slide in, or clip onto it.
To make the most of Picture Hang Solutions metal frame hangers, you’ll want a standard metal frame profile, or the #11 profile which includes the metal molding currently made by Nielsen, Clark, Designer, Alumaframe, and most original equipment manufacturers (OEM).Sleek and modern, this thin metal frame profile is great for hanging lightweight items like photographs, prints, drawings, and posters.
Our wide selection of hangers for #11 profile metal frames includes:
Take into account the weight and size of your metal frame when deciding on a hanger. Only the wall buddies metal slide-in hangers have been designated with a weight capacity (up to 30 pounds), while the other hangers’ capacity depends on how heavy your metal frame itself is.
As for size, the bigger the frame, the more hangers you might need. For instance, if you had a medium-sized frame, we’d recommend mounting it on two notch hangers instead of one.
To delve deeper into each type, feel free to check out our ultimate guide on metal frame hangers: Everything You Need to Know About Metal Frame Picture Hangers. There you’ll find a list of brands that have the #11 profile metal frame and how to install each hanger step by step.
Sawtooth hangers
The third type of art hanger is so called because of its unique design—spiky teeth similar to the cutting edge of a saw. This feature creates a straightforward picture hanging experience and makes this hanger well-loved.
Sawtooth hangers are a great option to consider if you’re pressed for time or if you have several frames to mount. They’re ideal for small or light frames and decor and come in various sizes. Simply screw or hammer them onto the back of your wooden frames and you’re all set to hang them.
There are 3 main fastener types our sawtooth picture hangers come in:
- Screws for wood frames
- Nail prongs for canvases
- Snap-in for metal frames
For canvases, lightweight frames, or decor that weigh 7 pounds or less, say no more—sawtooth picture hangers are here to the rescue. But what if you have a heavier frame? We offer a heavy duty sawtooth hanger that holds up to 25 lbs and even a mega sawtooth hanger , which supports wall-mounted items over 250 pounds, although for this amount of weight, we would recommend using a cleat if possible.
In short, sawtooth hangers are simple, quick, and inexpensive alternatives for picture hanging. Plus, they offer a solid range in weight capacity and function as a heavy-duty hanger for oversized artwork, pictures, and wall decor.
Interested in reading more about sawtooth hangers? Our guide, Everything You Need to Know About Sawtooth Hangers, is a good place to start. It covers what factors you need to consider when weighing your hanger options and shows you how to successfully install a sawtooth in one go.
Foamboard hangers
Also known as the familiar foam core, foamboard is a lightweight material comprising three layers of paper and foam. You’ll usually find it in picture frames as backing material and support when mounting prints and artwork.
It’s been in use since the 1950s in many ways, from home decor and architectural scale models to film sets, props, and digital printing. Being easy to cut, laminate, print on, and emboss, it’s a versatile material that many people across several industries use.
You can choose from 3 foamboard hangers at Picture Hang Solutions:
These hangers are your best bet if you’re using foam board for your unframed pictures or if you have foam-mounted pieces that are ready to go in your decor. They’re all easy to attach and cost-effective.
Because foam board is so lightweight, these hangers only support up to 3 pounds. To make sure your pictures are secure, we advise using two of each hanger.
There are a few things to keep in mind when using this type of hanger though, such as avoiding the use of picture wires. A wire will cut through the soft foam after a while (or quickly if you’re unlucky). In addition, hangers that are made of plastic can be used only once. Because of these limitations, being thorough in choosing the right picture hanger for your foam-mounted pictures is key.
We go in-depth about everything foamboard hangers in our buyer guide, Everything You Need To Know About Foam Board Hangers. Check it out to learn more about each type of foam board hanger, how to install them, and some professional tips to ensure your hanging experience is painless.
Now that we’ve covered all of our main categories of picture hangers, let’s summarize the key details in a general comparison chart. You can use this chart as reference and go back to it any time.
Aside from the technical specifications in this chart, wall compatibility is also among the most important factors to take into account when deciding on a picture hanging tool. But whether or not your picture hanger is compatible with your wall depends largely on the hardware it will be mounted with—that is, the hook, screw, or anchor, etc.
Bonus: Specialty hangers
Other than the four main categories of art hangers, there are some hangers that don’t quite fit the above descriptions and go a little beyond picture hanging. These are specialty hangers, and they tend to have a more niche purpose.
- Mirror clips - These are clear hanging clips for medium to large mirrors that are ¼” thick. They’re ideal for frameless mirrors or artwork and are a durable hanging solution, being able to carry up to 20 pounds.
- Clip-It Strip - A clip-it strip is a hanging system primarily built for home, office, and business use. It’s essentially a paper and picture holder in a roller function for attaching sticky notes, memos, receipts, tickets, stationery, and other paper paraphernalia.You can mount it on drywall, plaster walls, refrigerators, cabinets, and many other surfaces.
Final Thoughts
There’s a picture hanger for every frame and every need—you just have to search in the right place. We hope this beginner’s guide was useful in your hunt for the perfect art hanger, whether that’s heavy duty picture hangers, no nail picture hangers or drywall picture hangers.
Just remember: we’re only one email away if you need more help choosing between them!
Happy hanging!
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