Your wife wants you to hand a wall full of picture frames

[Cooler]

Here is an easy way to make sure your pictures are hanging at the perfect spot on the wall.

First:  Cut a piece of brown kraft paper to the exact size of each of the frames and label them so you know which piece of paper represents which picture frame.

Second:  Fold each of the pieces of paper in half left to right.  The crease in the middle will represent the center of the frame from left to right.

Third:  Take the wall hook that you intend to use and hook it on the framing wire in the middle of the frame.  Hold the corresponding piece of kraft paper with the fold near the hook. With a marking pen mark the spot where the nail has to be driven.  (Not the hook end; mark the nail location.)

Fourth:  After all the pieces of kraft paper have been marked for their nail location, open the papers to the unfolded condition and tape them to the wall in the intended locations.  Stand back and make sure the locations are correct (or have your significant other check it).

Fifth:  After the locations have been approved, nail the hooks right onto the pieces of paper at the nail location spot.  

Sixth:  Tear away the kraft paper (one at at time) replacing each one with the indicated picture frame.

Seventh:  Stand back and admire your work.


Note:  This is much quicker and far more fool proof than measuring.  You can use newspaper for this if you don't have kraft paper available.  Just check that the tape that you use to mount the paper to the wall does not damage the finish or wall paper.

This is especially useful when doing "wall arrangements" but it works well for one or two pictures if the location on the wall is critical.

[ronwhit]

Now that is clever!  Thanks for this hint.

[Snipe Hunter]

I just ask the wife where she wants them and put them there. That way, I can't be wrong.

[Foggy]

I just ask the wife where she wants them and put them there. That way, I can't be wrong, but its my fault anyway.

[giradman]

Cooler - that's a great concept - could have used a year ago - BUT, we are reconverting our son's room back to a bedroom again (been used for a general purpose room) after several decades - presently there are numerous family pics and diplomas that need to be re-arranged - believe that I'll use your method for this purpose - thanks!  Dave

[Cooler]

Make sure you rip down one template and immediately replace it with the corresponding frame. If you don’t do that you will spend hours trying to figure out which picture goes where. Just 5 frames equals 25 possibilities and about 250 minutes of rearranging—or about four hours. So replace each template with a frame as you remove them.

I did this for years for my framing customers and the all appreciated it.

[JosephP]

If my wife wants a wall full of pictures, I'm buying a rotary level 

[crokett™]

I just ask the wife where she wants them and put them there. That way, I can't be wrong.

This.

[Bluepine]

If my wife wants a wall full of pictures, I'm buying a rotary level 

A 3 axis laser level is needed even if you never use it again, perfection has no limits.

[JosephP]

Self leveling...heck yeah.  Just say the word and it will be here in 2 days with Prime.