Stack Overflow: How do you fix pictures that tilt forward from the back?
The gallery is a ten foot long alcove in the hallway.This is the only place in our house where I can hang my own art and change it out whenever I want.The hanging system was installed near the ceiling with sliding wires and height-adjustable hooks.These systems cost more than you think, but AS Hanging has more affordable ones.You are welcome to use the free plug, AS Hanging.
When I hung my first piece, I was surprised at how far forward it was.It was not clear to me why hanging a light frame on a long wire would cause it to tilt so much.I searched it and found it.
The topic of tilted picture frames is not discussed much on the web.Sometimes bad and misleading advice is given when it is mentioned.The San Fransisco Chronicle has an article titled, "How to Keep Heavy Flush Paintings Against the Wall." Written by a crafter, the author asserts that a heavy painting tends to lean forward under its own weight, which isn't attractive and can cause wall damage.
The idea that only heavy items lean forward is false, as my experience shows, even though the second part of that sentence is true.The author's solution is half-baked and may be well-intentioned.She tells the reader to thread a piece of wire through eye hooks on the sides of the frame to make sure the picture is not leaning forward.
When a wire is strung, the diagram at left shows how the tension increases.7 pounds of tension is generated by hanging a 7-lb frame from a single wire.If you string the wire tightly across the frame and hang it on a hook, the 7-lb frame could generate a 4o-lb force pulling inward on each side of the frames, potentially damaging it and crushing the art.
The Fine Art Trade Guild says stretching a wire tightly across a frame is the worst thing you can do with a heavy piece of art.People can still recommend the practice even though this has not stopped them.It is better for the integrity of the frame and the art to leave some slack in the wire and hang the item from two widely-spaced hooks, as shown later.
It does not answer my question about why frames tilt forward.I decided to answer this myself after failing to find an explanation on the internet.Readers were fascinated by bear with me.
This side-view can help you understand what's happening.A frame hangs from a wire at the top center of Figure A.This is a bad idea because the frame would probably be pulled out.There would be no reason for this frame to tilt.The center-of-mass of the frame is in front of a wire that is attached to the back of it.The frame tilts forward when the center-of-mass is at its lowest possible position, due to the Torque produced by this.
Most people in the Northern Hemisphere hang their pictures on a wall.A wall pushes against the bottom of the frame so that it doesn't tilt forward as much as a free-hanging frame would.The animation at left shows how a frame can be hung on a wall in the traditional way.
How much the frame tilts depends on where the wire is attached.conflicting guidance is offered on this by the online world.You should attach the wire to the frame one-third of the way down.Some say one-quarter of the way down or a certain number of inches from the top.Is there a definite answer or only opinions?Who is the real hero when it comes to belts and belt loops?
The hero in this case is geometry.The frame-tilt problem is going to be solved for the benefit of man and woman.Don't worry, there are no equations involved.
Click to enlarge the setup.A wire hangs a frame of length F on a wall.The maximum distance one can pull the wire away from the back of the frame is W.I assume the glass is mounted at the back of the frame, where the center-of-mass is halfway down.We want to find the lowest possible location of the center-of-mass when the frame is at equilibrium because we know F, B, C, D and W.We want an expression for the maximum values of y and g.
It took a few hours to find the right approach, but I got there.The chart at left shows how the slack in the wire and the position of the glass affects forward tilt.Most self-styled experts advise attaching the wire one-third of the way down from the top.
The center-of-mass 1/2 inch from the back of the frames correspond to the solid lines in this chart.When one follows the "one-third rule" and provides the same slack in the wire in each case, shorter frames tilt forward more than taller ones.
The chart shows how moving the center-of-mass to the front or rear of a frame impacts forward tilt.It may seem insignificant, but an increase in the depth of the rabbet would widen the gap at the top.The more the center-of-mass is from the rear of the frame, the more it tilts.
The chart shows how fastening the wire at different points on a 20-inch tall frame affects the forward tilt.Attaching the wire close to the top reduces tilt.One may ask, "Why not just forget the "one-third rule" and attach the wire one-sixth of the way down or three inches down from the top?"
The closer the wire is to the top, the less slack one can allow.The "one-third rule" is a compromise solution for traditional one-hook installations, where some forward tilt is accepted for the sake of having more slack and lower tension in the wire.
The frame's weight doesn't enter into the calculation.This means that a sheet of foamboard of the same dimensions and center-of-mass as a wood frame can be hung in the exact same way.
It is not true that heavy frames tilt.When the wire is closer to the center, the frames tilt forward more.The forward tilt is usually less than a quarter of an inch.The tilt can be noticeable if the frame is suspended on a long wire.
The calculator at the end of the post allows you to estimate the forward tilt of your frame.There are details below.
What have we learned and what should we do?If you want to hang pictures close to the wall without stress on the wire or frame, you should use two hooks and 45 wire angles.It is do-able, even though it may look a little complicated.
In the original version of the post, I provided a formula to help you with the installation, but in practice, it didn't go far enough.I posted a two-hook frame hanging calculator in a companion article titled "The "Hang It with Two Hooks" Calculator".The calculator suggests where to put the D-rings, how to install the wall hooks, and the length of wire to cut.The task is much easier now.
This post is all about reducing forward tilt without stressing the wire or frame, even though two hooks present the added challenge of ensuring they are level.Eliminate the wire and hang the frame directly onto the D-rings if you are up to the task.There are drawbacks to this method, one of which is the visibility of the hardware.
What about my gallery hanging system?Since we have to rely on a single hook, I suggest wiring the frame with just enough slack so that the cable hook can engage the wire close to the top rail.Attach an offset clip to the top rail and tuck the cable behind it.The forward tilt of a 20-inch frame hanging 30 inches below a cable track will be reduced to less than 1/2 inch.
The reader requested a photo of how the offset clip, cable, and cable hook are installed.The cable is behind the offset clip.I used a clear mirror clip instead of a metal one.
If you don't mind attaching something to the dust cover with glue, you can use Velcro strips instead of offset clips.
Several readers asked if I created a calculator to estimate the amount of forward tilt.I thought this was impractical because the answer cannot be found simply by plugging in the known quantities.I found that only one iteration is enough for two-decimal-place accuracy.I offer a one-iteration calculator.
The frame height, rabbet depth, wire-to-frame attachment point, and amount of slack in the wire are known quantities.The amount of forward tilt is returned by the calculator.
A full derivation of the problem is provided by me.If you don't want to look at that, please refer to the diagram above.We want to find the gap between the frame and the wall with the known variables F, B, C, D and W.
The easiest way to solve for y is to replace the angle formed by the bottom of the frame and the wall with g/F.This eventually led to the following expression.
To find the maximum value of y, and the gap between the top of the frame and wall at that location, we need to differentiate this equation with respect to g.
The post was updated on April 7, 2020 with a cleaner derivation, a gap calculator and an animated illustration of why frames tilt forward.This is the first part of a three-part series on hanging frames.The "Hang It with Two Hooks" calculator and the physics of hanging pictures are also included in the follow-up articles.
You are my hero, Craig!You have provided the information I needed as a professional painter, ex-framer and recovering perfectionist.Thanks to your diligence and sharing of your calculations, I can breathe easier when hanging my exhibition!Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
The math in this answer is way above my pay grade.I am very appreciative of your commitment to finding a solution.The center of mass would have had grave consequences due to the weight of the frame and the sentimental value I place on it if I had hung the picture without the forward lean.I was happy with the results of the project and knew I had to find a better solution for hanging.Again, thank you.There is a person named Denise.
I have an easier solution.The rubber is called Quakehold.Roll the small bits into balls.Press to the wall if you squeeze them on the top of the frame.The frame will hang straight.10 seconds is the total work time.
Keeping objects on shelves from shifting position, mounting posters without frames to a wall, or preventing the bottom of a frame from tilt are all recommended uses for Quake Hold Museum Putty.There is no mention of the putty being able to hang framed art without wires or hooks.It is possible that a wire and hook can be used to hold the top of a frame closer to the wall.It is not recommended for painted or porous surfaces.If you live in a dorm or have glass or metal walls, this product may be right for you.
The application statics, calculus and geometry are what I love the most.You are my hero this week.It is likely that your page will show up in a high school class soon.
Thank you for reading and for your comment.The problem may have a simpler solution than my approach, but I will leave that to the high-school students of the future.
I have several old and delicate oil portraits that are in large wood frames, some are on wood panels, and some on canvas, so weight varies.These have had poor care and are in need of different types of work, which is an entirely different subject and set of questions.I would like to hang some of them and get some good advice.The screw eyes and wire were in bad shape, small and loose, and although they were replaced more than 30 years ago, are of generic hardware store variety, zinc plated, not big enough.Or well mounted.Some of them have old fastenings that are fine stranded, heavy gauge copper wire, or finely twisted steel or iron wire.The holes in the back of the frame seem to allow for forward tilt.They need a larger diameter screw.There are ancient holes in the top of the frame that may have been used to mount an early electric light or lamp.I would like to place the brass screw eyes from the top of the frame.These paintings don't weigh much, so double the coated wire.Just mass for the hook and possibly tension relief, don't know if mass or wire size effects that at all.Since these paintings are so large or if just one will work, what type of hook to use to get the right spread and angle for wire on the wall.Is it okay to use a larger hook if it's specific to the size of the piece or wire?Thanks a lot.
Mr. Drake, thank you for reading.I am a former engineer and not a professional framer.The condition of the wood is my biggest concern.I would take the frames to a professional framer for advice if the wood has seen a lot of humidity and is very brittle.If the wood is in good shape, I would recommend it.
D-rings are better than screw-eyes.There is less forward-tilt because the D-rings are flat against the back of the frame.Throw those screw-eyes away because they act to pull the threads out of the wood and create more Torque at the wire-attachment point.
New holes are slightly smaller than the screw for the D-ring.The old holes should not be used.Don't worry if you are 1/6 the way down.
I like to use coated wire.The breaking strength for wires is shown on this site.Looks like it would be good for you.If you were forced to use a light-gauge wire, double the wire wouldn't be necessary.The overall force where the wire(s) attach to the frame does not change despite the reduction of tension in each individual wire.A good technique for attaching the wire onto the D-ring is shown here.
I use the smallest wall hooks I can get away with so that they are easier to hide and make a smaller impact on the wall.Smaller hooks can be used, because the total weight will be shared by two of them, if you use two hooks.My post describes how two hooks are better than one for reducing stress on the frame.It helps to use a level when placing your second hook.
It's easier to find a larger hook with the wire when hanging a picture.To make sure the large hooks are hidden by the frame, you may need to move your D-rings a little further down.If the canvas is exposed in the back, be careful that the hook is not large enough to touch it.
You can post a graph about the frame size and how it relates to certain angles.I need an accurate hanging tool to make it work out because I have a few big pictures to hang up.
With no general solutions at hand, you used a combination of mathematics and trial and error to find a solution.It seems that your solution is just that; "your solution."The solution side-stepped the 3rd Law of Motion with rules of thumb.It seems we are to assume that all frames have the same material density, which is negligible to their structural integrity.You mock the 1/3 rule instead of the 1/5 rule which is just trading one problem for another.Wouldn't it be worth the extra hardware to reinforce the entire frame and maintain precise control over the tension and location of the hanger area?
It is nice to know that your problem has been solved.The "1/3 rule" applies glass-supporting tension on the frame's sides and relief for the bottom.Maybe the experts are speaking from a position of experience and expertise.
There is no mention of jsinger, mass or coefficient of friction in this analysis.This is equilibrium mechanics.The center-of-mass of the frame wants to be as low as it can be, and the rest is geometry.The picture will get there sooner or later if the picture has not been hung at rest.
There is no uniform back-to-front weight distribution of art frames.It is a simplification that most people would make.The center of mass should be given the most weight if the glass is present, because it makes up most of the frame's weight.The back-to-front location of the center-of-mass is represented by the variable "d" in my equations.
There was some kind of trial-and-error involved.There wasn't.The justifications for my recommendations were provided by me.If you think mass is important with respect to forward tilt, you are free to do the experiment that I suggested, which was to hang a sheet of foam-board on the wall and see if it tilts forward the same as a heavy frame does.
If there is too much tension on the wire, glass can break.The purpose of this article was to help people resist the temptation to string a taut wire across the frame in order to make their pictures hang flush against the wall.There is a lot of bad advice about this.I agree with the physics presented.I hope you have a great day.
I am attempting to hang a heavy, wood-framed mirror from an AS Hanging wall mounted track system.I am concerned about the forward tilt.I plan on using two cables, each going down to its own D-ring on the frame.
Is there anything you can do to make the application better, such as adding offset hardware to the top of the frame so that the cables will form 45 degree angles?
I assume you are going to use two cables, each of which will run vertically from the track to individual D-rings on either side of the frame.I would suggest attaching the D-rings 1/3 of the way down, but you could go even higher.The 45 degree angle is meant to cover applications where there is a wire strung from one side of the frame to the other.Those comments do not apply to you because you won't have a wire running from side-to-side.If you want to minimize forward-tilt, you're going to have to tuck each of the cables behind an offset clip that you attach to the back of a frame.If that amount of tilt is still too much, you would have to put offset clips on the wall above the frame, and run the cables behind those clips.Some thoughts.Good luck.
If your frame has heavy glass, you might consider attaching two D-rings to the bottom member of the frame, and running each cable from the track down through the D ring on the side.Corner braces should be attached to strengthen the joints between the bottom and side members.
Your helpful comments were appreciated!It is very heavy glass.I don't want to drill into the brick wall of the room where the mirror will be hanging, so I'm doing a cable system secured to the ceiling.I think I will just attach the cables high up on the frame, try your offset clip trick, and cross my fingers.
Don't cross your fingers with respect to the weight of the mirror.When it comes to the cables and hooks, please measure the weight of your mirror and give yourself plenty of safety-factor.Make sure your attachment points are secure.Good luck.
After finding the same issue with a cable hanging system, I had the following questions.
1.The AS Hanging site suggested putting bumpers on the bottom of the frame to support it from the wall.Does this affect the gap at the top of the frame?
3.Multiple pieces on each cable is a reason to use a cable.The gap is affected by the weight of subsequent pieces.
4.Do you use a hook at the top of the frame or do you clip the cable to it?Is it possible to simplify the equations with a saw tooth hanger?
It would be helpful to have a spreadsheet with the equation and be able to type in variables.Take a look at the gap.I might try to shorten the cable by moving the track down the wall.My math is rusty.
I have to re-solve the problem to quantify the effect of bumpers placed at the bottom of the frame, but I can give you the results of a live experiment that I just did.There is a painting in my gallery.The wire has cable and slack in it.There is a cable track on the ceiling.The anchor point is at the top of the frame.I don't have an offset clip to hold the cable against the painting.There isn't a glass.There is a gap at the top.The interesting part is here.I put a thick shim on the wall at the base of the painting to make it look like the bumpers you mentioned.There was a 1-1/2′′ gap at the top of the painting.bumpers would make the painting float out from the wall, and the gap at the top would be larger than before.
Does the distance from the wall affect the gap?I would have to solve the problem again, but I offer this thought-experiment.The frame should be held by its wire in mid-air.Nothing is constraining this configuration, which has the greatest-possible forward-tilt.The wall will push back on the bottom of the frame as you move it closer to the wall.When the wire is attached to the wall, there will be a minimum gap at the top.Your frame will tilt forward if the ceiling track is from the wall.
The question about multiple pieces hanging on the same cable brings weight into the equation.This problem can't be solved by geometry alone.The painting should be hung on a long cable.Attach a piece of foamboard halfway up the cable.You won't see much if anything.If you switch the positions of the two items, you hook the painting halfway up the cable and the foamboard to the bottom.The foamboard hangs close to the wall because of the little tension in the cable below the painting.In part three of our thought-experiment, remove the foamboard and hang a painting at the bottom of the cable.The lower painting will create more tension in the cable than the foamboard did, and depending on the ratio of weights of the upper and lower paintings, it may now be taut enough to keep the lower frame from touching the wall.This gets complicated.If you wanted to double-up on paintings on one cable, you should tuck the lower half of the cable under the offset clip on the wall.This defeats the purpose of the cable system.If you want to minimize tilt, you should hang the heavier painting higher on the cable and the lighter painting below.
Unless you have a very light piece, like a 810 document, I wouldn't use a saw tooth at the top of the frame.The forward-tilt problem is solved because there is no slack and no wire.The piece can be hung from the D-rings mounted on each side of the frame to eliminate tilt.
The equation I presented can't be solved with logic.I used a spreadsheet to find each of the data points on the graph.I could write a program to do the iteration, but it is not the most important thing on my list right now.Thank you for your interest.
Thank you so much for writing this article!The explanation and solution was perfect for my husband and I.We can fix the tilt on the pictures.Thank you again!!
I was researching why they used to hang paintings that were tilted forward.Your answer was thorough and thoughtful.You are a picture hanger and a rocket scientist.Thank you.
Excellent post.I was trying to figure out why people hung pictures at a slant back in the 1800's.You don't see much in the old photos of shops and homes.
Is there a diagram of how the offset clip should be attached to the top rail of the frame?I understand the theory but not how to do it.
I have been puzzled over the tilt of my work for years.Thank you for figuring it all out!
I have worked as a Preparator in museums for over 30 years, and the first thing we were taught was to never hang from a wire, or hang the D-ring directly on the picture hook.There was no math, no geometry, and no chance of wire failure.It seems simpler.
I am not arguing with you.In order to make things level, one needs to be pretty precise.Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
Craig's piece of work is amazing.I am more of a ratio and proportion guy, but it is impressive.I agree with the sentiment of favoring D-rings over screw-eyes.Thanks to Amazon, you can get bags of 100 D-rings, complete with screws, shipped to you for about what you pay for the same number of screw-eyes at a big box store like Lowe's or Home Depot.
Just today, I noticed that I was running low on D-rings, thanks to John and the Amazon tip.
I have a mirror that is attached to wall anchor screws with no wires involved and it tilts away from the wall at the bottom.I think there has to be a reason why it doesn't want to lay flat.
It is very unlikely that the mirror is warped so that it curves at the bottom.The mirror would not lay flat at the bottom if something protruded from the back of the mirror.The last thing you should think about is whether your wall is truly vertical, that is, if it's possible that it bows into the room where you have attached the mirror, but doesn't go down the hallway.Good luck, Craig.
We got to work on the mirror.You were correct.I wondered how a mirror could be bowed or warped, but the backer board pushed it out from the wall.It isn't noticeable unless you really looked for it.It held when we put it at the bottom.Thank you for your help and reply.
The more slack wire hanging from two hooks is easy to hang.You can place the wire on the hooks one side at a time by reaching behind the picture.There is a slight slide left or right.A few kerfed 14 boards of various standard lengths can be used to measure the distance from the top of the frame to the hooks so frames are hung at the desired height, no matter the wire length.Place the kerf out on the back of the frame, put the wire in it, and lift up the board.Measure from the top of the frame to the wire to see how far away the hooks should be.I used to work in the gallery where the kerfs were made two inches down from the top edge to make it easier to add a second board.
The center of mass wants to be below the hanging point, rather than above it.It is easier to understand if you just think of verticalness.
The hanging point should be above the center of mass.If it is possible to attach wires to the inside of the frame, there will be less tilt.
The principle is similar to your item A in your second figure, which is a hook above the center of gravity.
I think it is more accurate to say that the center of mass wants to be as close as possible to the earth's center, given the constraints of the wire and the wall.
Thanks so much for the idea of adding a clip at the top of the frame to solve the lean that occurs on cable hanging systems.I will definitely try this and install a discreet wire hook.I have on occasion used a piece of the "Tacky" putty, which is sold in different strengths at craft stores, placing it on the back of a hanging clip itself and holding that to the wall.It only works on my small lightweight pieces if the space is temperature controlled and not susceptible to sunlight warming.
It looks like you have helped many people solve this issue over the last several years, and this article is still the best solution available, thanks for all your effort here Craig.Let's talk about how to light a salon style wall.That's right.
Spending my Covid-19 sabbatical making art and then a frame as I am lucky enough to have an on-site workshop.I was looking for guidance on hanging and your two sites were useful and entertaining.Thanks.
I tried to hang a tv like a piece of art, it was a distinct example of these forces at play.
Thank you for putting this on the internet.People take the time to do things like this on the internet.The solution I came up with after reading the comments was to use a product called Elmer's poster tack which is a common product here in England.My paintings have the wire holding them up, and the blu-tack holding the edge to the wall.
This happened when I hung a picture on my wall.The old Victorian house has picture rails.I like the diagrams and the math.I am going to rehang my pictures.
The hooks are attached to the wall, which could make leveling harder for clients.Would it be possible to use a simple hook in the wall to support the whole thing?
The hook needs to be solid for the total weight of the frame, but it should be easier for customers to hang.
You have a physics question.I am guessing that this will cause high tension in the section of wire between the two hooks that you want to attach to the back of the frame.The D-rings on the top of the frame would be pulled downward and toward the middle by your proposal.It's not a good idea to transfer a large portion of the load from the sides of a frame to the top member.Thanks for reading and for your idea.