Only a few people will ever take the time to question the wire on the back of a picture frame. This sounds simple, pragmatic, and innocuous. Yet often, that tiny bit of metal will eat at your art after a while, and you may not be aware of it even happening.
Whether it be a crooked frame or subpar materials, poor hanging methods impact how your art looks and how long it will last.
This is why a lot of collectors are asking for professional art hanging services today rather than just the somewhat same DIY options.
Hanging Wire Hidden Problems
An obvious reason for utilising picture wire is that it is easy to mount. But it also creates multiple longstanding problems.
- Stretch under weight
- Shift unevenly
- Pull pressure onto frame corners
- Cause artwork to tilt constantly
- Increase stress on hanging points
At first, this movement might not look that significant, but over time it adds instability to the frame.
In some cases, physical artwork can even do so by distorting or loosening with intense tension.
Always Struggling with Crooked Frames
The number one frustration with hanging wire is movement. Frames never really hold to a perfectly straight line forever.
Now, any little vibration will move the wire. Most frames lean sideways when a door is opened nearby, you walk heavily next to it or you hit it by accident.
Does This Happen a Lot with Bigger Art?
This is why picture hanging in Melbourne is usually avoided in a single-wire setup for larger or more expensive pieces.
Wire can ruin the actual frame too.
Most think that the wire is only there to help support the artwork. In fact, it also continuously exerts pressure on the vehicle chassis.
- Loosen frame joints
- Crack weaker timber
- Bend hanging hardware
- Create uneven tension
Frames that are cheap (and older) are especially susceptible to this.
Professional wall art hanging services utilise secure mounting systems that evenly distribute the weight across the frame without the use of traditional hanging systems.
Valuable Artwork Needs Better Support
For owners of limited-edition prints, original art, or pieces with sentimental value, how you hang your art is more important than you might realise.
An inadequate support system leads to:
- Sudden falls
- Corner damage
- Torn backing materials
- Glass breakage
A damaged frame on one of your pricey pieces of art can quickly become pricey itself.
It is often said by experts in picture hanging that you should be using secure dual-hook systems or specific wall fittings rather than just hanging on the wire entirely.
Heat and Humidity Work Against You
The shifting temperatures in Australia can also impact the hanging wire.
Metal wire may shrink or stretch over time, especially lighting shining through glass or affected by moisture in a room. That can lead to more frame movement, or weaken your hanging points.
Corrosion may also occur slowly in coastal or humid areas.
Art professionals know which materials work better in which places and wall types.
Better Alternatives to Traditional Wire
Hanging systems of these days provide much better security than standard wire mounts.
Some popular alternatives include:
- Dual-hook mounting
- D-ring systems
- Security hangers
- Fixed wall brackets
- Gallery rail systems
This minimises movement and give more support to heavy/large pieces of artwork.
Such methods are utilised by picture hanging in Melbourne services for both residential and commercial spaces.
Final Thoughts
That little wire on the back of your frame might not seem like much, but it can cause some big headaches down the road. Not only does constant movement, uneven tension, and poor support compromise the integrity and aesthetics of your work;
That is not a prudent choice of not hiring professional art hanging services. This is about safeguarding what matters most.
Preserving your art is sometimes about fixing what nobody sees behind the frame.