How to hang wood art on a wall?

If you’re looking to add a little bit of style, ambiance, and warmth to a room, then consider hanging wood art. It’s easy to do and requires minimal tools which DIYers and homeowners most likely have access to.

Wood art is surprisingly adaptive, meaning that it can seamlessly blend with a lot of contrasting aesthetics. Don’t worry If you’re new to all of this, hang around as we show you the ropes to wall-hanging wood art.

What are the types of wood art can you hang on the wall?

Wood art, as art, comes in a wide variety – from simple signs and painted wood panels to more intricate pieces such as pyrography, sculptures, carvings, and intarsia. Even wood art forms that hang on wall squares.

Basically, anything that resembles a form of expression that uses wood as a medium is wood art.

Why hang wood art on a wall?

1. It saves space and reduces clutter.
2. A wall offers plentiful space to mount art that would otherwise be too large to be put elsewhere.
3. Wood art can add luster and life to dull and bland-looking walls.
4. It highlights your artistic skills and craftsmanship, especially if the piece is personally hand-made.

Things to consider before hanging wood art

The last thing you want is your wood art falling after wall-mounting. Avoid unnecessary damage and accidents by considering the following:

Weight of the wood art

Wood art comes in various forms. While most light wood art hangs fine, heavy and large pieces, such as carved dioramas and embossed sculptures, will need more mounting points and fixtures to evenly distribute and support their weight.

If not properly set up, your wall and the art piece can fail.

Wall type

Identify what wall you’ll be mounting on. Brick and concrete walls are strong and can support even heavy objects.

Plaster or drywall on the other hand is hollow so you need to find solid timber inside the wall for a fixing/ anchor point. Reinforcement might also be needed for medium to heavy-weight pieces. You can find stud distances here.

Location

Where to hang reclaimed wood wall art on wall, you ask? To determine whether the location is suitable for your wall art, find the answer to these questions:

Is it safe to hang there? Is it flammable? Does the room have a draft? Knowing factors such as these helps you take necessary precautions to alleviate problems down the line.

Fixing weight captivity

Your wall fixings should be able to fully support your art without failing. When choosing fixings, be sure to do some research and check their packaging for information regarding weight and dimension tolerances.

Its position

Make sure that your wood art forms that hang on wall will be eye-pleasing in the intended mounting position and that it does not obscure any other elements on the wall.

If you’re hanging something heavy on drywall, use a stud finder to identify good positions that offer ample support.

What fixings to install to hang wood art?

Screws. Using screws alone is suitable in most cases. Installation is simple and only needs a screwdriver at the very least, though you can also use power drills for more consistent anchor points. Conventional screws are perfect for light pieces made of softwood.

Coach Bolts. Coach screws and coach bolts are much stronger and more capable than regular screws. Unlike regular screws, these have a hex head and are driven mainly by a power tool like an impact driver. Their wider diameter allows them to hold and support heavier loads.

Hollow Wall Anchor. These are often combinations of screws and a  locking mechanism [1] that creates a strong mounting point on drywall. Some make use of a metal casing that collapses against the interior wall to anchor itself while others, like toggle bolts, have a spring-loaded wing that expands after insertion.

Wall Bolt. If you plan to install something very large and heavy on brick or concrete, a wall bolt is recommended. It consists of a screw and a metal casing that expands and grips the material to create a super heavy-duty mounting point.

How to put D-rings or wire at the back of wood art?

Here’s how to make a backing for hanging wood art on walls and the basics of attaching d-rings or wires.

Tools and material needed:

• Wood art
• D-ring
• Hanging wire
• Screws
• Screwdriver
• Tape measure or ruler
• Pencil
• Pliers

Procedure:

1. Measure ⅓ down from the top of your wood art This will be the level where the D-rings should be attached. Mark it with a pencil.
2. Screw in your D-rings.
3. Measure out the hanging wire before cutting them with pliers to length. It should not be too long that it touches the upper edge of the frame. Provide an allowance for you to be able to secure the wire to the rings.
4. Loop both ends of the wire through both D-rings at least twice to prevent slipping.
5. Wrap the excess wire around itself to secure it to the D-rings. Snip off the ends and apply aluminum foil or tape so that they do not poke and injure you.

How to hang wood art?

Before you, we talk about how to hang wood panel art on a wall, what will you need?

Tools and materials needed:

• Wood art with necessary mounting hardware
•  Hand or power drill 
• Screws
• Screwdriver
• Fixings
• Tape measure or ruler
• Pencil
• Level (optional)

Procedure:

1. Mark locations where you’ll be placing the fixings. If you’re using more than one fixing, use a level to make sure that they’re all even.
2. Drill the appropriately sized holes.
3. Install the fixings/ hocks and fasten them into place.
4. Test if all the fixings are hanging the wood art securely by pulling or pushing down on them with moderate force.
5. Grab your wood art and place it on the wall with the hanging wire slightly above the fixings.
6. Slowly slide the wood art down until you feel that the fixings are supporting the piece. 
7. Adjust and tilt the art piece until it appears level with the wall.

How to hang wood art without drilling holes?

1. Use strings

If the wall has molding or any other surface where you can hang, you can use strings.

Simply attach hooks for hanging wood art on the wall at each end and cut them to length depending on how high you wish it to hang.

Just check beforehand that the molding can support the art piece, don’t use strings for anything heavier than 16oz. 

2. Use double-sided strips

Double-sided or command strips provide a non-damaging way of mounting things to your wall, provided that it’s not too heavy.

It’s important to consider the temperature and humidity in the room when using double-sided strips as that can affect their adhesion.

Ideal temperatures should not go lower than 18°C.

3. Make a DIY hanger for wood art

If there are already existing holes or fixings, you can create a DIY hanger to hang multiple wall art pieces.

These have to be small and light as there will only be one anchor point between your wall and all of the pieces on the hanger.

4. Use pegboards

Ditch having to drill holes for hanging wood art you can just use one of these. A lot of pegboards easily mount onto existing fixings, while others use adhesives.

Pegboards are extremely customizable to fit any kind of look and are extremely flexible given the many points you can orient art to suit [2] or follow a certain aesthetic. They’re also removable, making them great non-permanent options for wall-hanging.

Other ways to display a wood art

1. Use the mantel

The mantel of your fireplace is a good spot to place small and medium-sized wood art on.

Since it usually serves as a room’s centerpiece, placing art on the mantel ensures that they also get due recognition. Just take extra care to ensure that they don’t catch too much heat.

2. Use an easel

It’s not just for painting.

If you have a spare easel lying around, you can place any suitably sized wall art on it.

It gives an interesting look akin to art pieces in a demo or exhibit.

3. Use a cabinet or bookshelves

Cabinets and bookshelves are perfect places for wood art to sit.

Small paintings, carvings, and sculptures can populate an empty space on a cabinet or shelf to add a little color and variety.

4. Get creative

Probably any object that can support weight and has a flat, and level surface. It could be a ladder, painted empty tin cans, even plywood and/or repurposed chairs.

Be creative, just like the pieces you wish to display.

Conclusion

Hanging wood art adds beauty and depth to a room. With variety, wood art can really help interiors come to life, adding luster and sometimes even comfort to both work and living spaces.

With different shapes, sizes, and weights, it’ll pay off to know how to best hang and mount wood art. Get creative and do remember to know your walls to avoid those falls.