We are giving my dining room a much-needed makeover and I wanted to add a victorian style gallery wall. So in this post, I am going to be showing you some simple tips on how to hang multiple pictures on a wall.
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The first step is to arrange all your pictures and items on the floor in front of the wall you plan on hanging them. Be mindful to lay pictures within the same spacing of the wall space you are working with.
If you don’t feel comfortable eye-balling it, measure the wall space with a measuring tape.
Take a picture of how you have it arranged so you don’t forget. Like I have done.
Using WRAPPING PAPER for hanging pictures
Make a template/ outline of all the frames and items using wrapping paper. You can also use butcher or kraft paper.
Simply trace an outline of all the picture frames and cut them out.
For the more ornate/ detailed frames, I just did a rough trace. Don’t feel like you need to get every detail. The goal is to have a close enough idea of how things will look.
Then arrange the templates on the wall to see how you like the arrangement. This helps you get a pretty good visual of how the pictures will look on the actual wall space before you make any holes. It’s also a simple way to make changes.
Next, it’s time to start hanging your pictures.
Using PAINTER’s TAPE for hanging pictures
First, measure the top of the picture frame down to where the nail is going to be on the back of the frame. Then make a strip of painter’s tape the same width as the picture frame. Next, line the painter’s tape right beneath the hanging hardware and mark right where the nail is going to go in the center of the picture.
Then measure the distance between the nail and where the top of the frame is on your template and place the painter’s tape on top. Hammer in your nail, rip off the piece of paper, and your picture is ready to hang.
Using TOOTHPASTE for helping hanging pictures
Another easy way to mark the nail holes is, believe it or not, toothpaste.
Add a dab of toothpaste to the nail bracket on the back of the picture where the nail is going to go.
Then simply press it up against the wall and the toothpaste will mark the spot to where you need to add the nail. This easy method doesn’t even require any measuring.
I found that the toothpaste works best with sawtooth hangers and the easiest way for ring hangers is using painter’s tape.
You could use either method with both types of picture hangers though. It’s more about personal preference.
Here are a few other tips for hanging a wall gallery
Which picture to start with? / How to start a wall gallery
I found the best way to start is to start with the piece of art that you plan on being the center point and focal point.
I chose a larger frame to be the center picture.
Renter-friendly picture hanging options
WAYS TO HANG PICTURES WITHOUT HOLES
There are a ton of renter-friendly options if you can’t make holes in your walls. Here are a few options:
WAYS TO HANG PICTURES WITH VERY MINIMAL HOLES
Here are options that make very minimal/ small holes that you can easily fill with a white fill stick.
- Picture super hook aka Hercules wall hooks (great for heavy pictures that have a picture wire hanger)
- 3m CLAW picture hangers
Best place to get picture frames for a gallery wall
The best place, hands down, to buy picture frames is thrift stores. I have saved so much money buying most of my frames via thrifting. You can easily change the color of a frame to fit your design with a little bit of paint.
Another place great for buying frames is Amazon. I’ve also had some luck finding picture frames at craft stores like Hobby Lobby, especially when they are on sale.
And now here is our finished wall gallery!!
What do you think of our new victorian style inspired wall gallery? I have a few other things I would like to add later but so far I LOVE IT.
If you try these tips out let me know in the comments. Were any of these helpful or not?
I am pleasantly surprised how well the toothpaste trick worked but of all of these methods, the wrapping paper to make templates is the best hack.
PIN THIS FOR LATER!
Also, comment below if you have any other tips on how to hang multiple pictures up on a wall.
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