hanging a bunch of frames
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- ldww
i want to hang 35 4x6 frames in my living room (5 across and 7 down) all spaced evenly and such.
anyone know an EASY way to do this, without having to measre each one individually. or maybe somewhere that sells frames that are attached to eachother.
- shellie0
potter barn had soemthing like that but not 35 frames though. it was on a smaller scale like 9 or 16
- Gorbie0
Just something I thought of off the top of my head....
Create the grid in illustrator. Print on transparency. Use a projector to show the grid on the wall.
- ldww0
is this what you are talking about shellie? http://ww1.potterybarn.com/cat/p… thats kinda cool...
gorbie, i am kinda hoping to not have to pound 35 nails into the wall... and that would be nearly impossible to keep level
- kodap0
I saw a great structure for that, but it was on a shop somewhere, its was formed with a few cables and inserted pins to hold the frames by the cables that extended from the ceiling to the floor (without touching on the wall..) I loved that
- Bluejam0
Gorbie's a genius.
I was gonna suggest using string, sticky tape and a level to grid yer wall up...
Do what the Big G says...
- ldww0
i tough about attaching string or chain between each frame and then just nailing the top on to the wall and the rest would hang, but i know someone out there must sell something like this.
- Gorbie0
Thats pretty large. I don't know if you'll have any luck finding something pre-fabricated.
If you created the grid like I was saying.. you could put dots where the nails would go. 4x6 shouldn't require large nails, either.
I think I'm gonna try that just for kicks. :)
- shellie0
idww: thats one that i saw. i saw another in the store. i suppose with that one you could exapand downwards.
- unknown0
as per Gorbies suggestion, you would have to use a level above the projector to ensure that the projecter was level. Then you'd have to know that the baseboard/wall was level with the floor that the projector sits on.
Are all the frames identical, and have identical hanging features?
If yes, I would do this: Purchase a level, or a chalk line. I think that some chalk lines have a leveling guage somewhere on them.
With either, choose where you want the nail to go into the wall. let's say you're using the level.
I would first take a tape measure and measure a vertical height from the floor (assuming the floor is pretty level) in several places, to a point on the wall you want the pictures hanging at.
Once you have a few points, use the level between two points to see if they are level.
If they are, you can use the level as a straight edge and draw a very light line with pencil or something easy to remove.
Once that line is there you can start measuring with a tape measure equal distances from the point where the nail will go in.
This way you get even spacing horizontally and vertically.Seems quite a process, I know, but there doesn't seem to be a really quick way to do this and do it right.
And, first, I would measure you're availabe wall space from left to right and calculate how many frames you can put up and how you can space them:
- mayo0
have you already got the frames? why not get a big piece of nice matte board, cut out the 4x6 areasin a grid on there, make a frame around it and hang up just the one piece, then?
- Bio0
i worked in a museum of art for about 4 years in college. probably the easiest way i have found to hang multiple works (if they are all the same size) it to take some butcher paper or newsprint (anything that will tear easily). take your T-square, tape measure, or anything that will give you consistent and straight marks.
you can measure out 2 centerpoints on that paper and just tick off where they should all go.
hell, you can even set the frame down and draw it out, then find where you want it to hang. and put a dot.
it's really quite easy.
anyway, once youve got all your marks, you can level the paper on the wall, tack it up and drive your hanging nails in everywhere you have a dot. then just tear the paper away.
anyway, that is how i used to do it when we had a new show come in. =)
- mayo0
if you've already got the frame, what about buying a large wooden board, paint it something that offsets the frames, attach the frames on the board and then brace the board on the wall. that would still be less than 35 nails in your wall if that's your biggest concern.
- unknown0
good idea bio.
- Bio0
i think my explanation sounded a lot more complicated than it actually should have.
. . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .and then nail the fuckers.
haha. dig me?
- mayo0
Sorry if my ideas are coo-coo looney bins, but i've been hooked on "While you were out" and "Trading Spaces" tv shows, and they do this type of stuff all the time.
- unknown0
oh god mayo be careful of those shows, they are a black hole.
one moment it's noon and an episode has just come on, the next minute it's 5 hours later, 10 shows later and you're brain has likely turned to goooo.Some of the stuff they do isn't fit for a prison.
- ldww0
trading spaces rocks
good idea bio too, would be alot easier to lay it out on the floor then put the paper on the wall. i would try the projector one, but i do not have one... so i can't... use it... yea.
also i COULD just use a big mat board, but i think a bunch of lil frames would look cool.
- Gorbie0
rent one. they're cheap.
Or go with Bio's idea. Because he has actually done it before!
- mayo0
ldww, glue the frames to the matte board.
mg33, NO DOUBT. Heaven help me if there is a marathon for one of those shows, because i WILL watch it. Not too hip on the Trading Spaces Family edition though. the one episode i saw, a little girl was all talk and no work. i wanted to drag her by her ponytails and stick her head in a can of paint, then kick the can around the yard a few times. I should be careful though, she was almost as tall as me...being 7 years old as she was....
- Bio0
cool. i would be leery of a projector. you might run into some trouble with some kinds because they tend to warp images a bit. might look good for viewing, but i wouldnt trust it to keep things perfectly square.
the larger the space, the more likely it is to get off if you dont have it perfectly levelled and focused. twas a good idea though!
it is really pretty damned easy to just lay it all out on your floor or you can even tack it up against the wall and measure it out. whatever is easier for you. my floor is hard and hurts my knees. =p