How to use the picture hanging and gallery wall calculator
- Choose the layout: one picture at a set height, one picture above furniture, or a row of matching pictures.
- Enter the picture width and height, and the hanger drop, which is the distance from the top of the frame down to the wire or hook when it is pulled tight.
- Enter the wall or furniture width the picture is centered on, plus the center height, the furniture height and gap, or the number of pictures and spacing, depending on the layout.
- Read the hook height and the positions to mark on the wall, and measure from the floor and from the left edge of the space.
Formula
Center height = the value you enter, or furniture height + gap + picture height / 2
Top of frame = center height + picture height / 2
Hook height = top of frame - hanger drop
Row width = n x picture width + (n - 1) x gap; end space = (wall width - row width) / 2
Hook position of picture i = end space + (i - 1) x (width + gap) + width / 2
All measurements are in inches. The hook is assumed to be at the horizontal center of each frame.
Worked example
A 24 by 36 inch picture centered at 57 inches with a 3 inch drop has its top at 75 inches and its hook at 75 - 3 = 72 inches (6 ft 0 in). Its bottom is at 39 inches.
Above a 34 inch high console with an 8 inch gap, the center is 60 inches and the hook is at 75 inches. Three 24 inch wide pictures 3 inches apart on a 120 inch wall make a row 78 inches wide, leaving 21 inches at each end, with hooks 33, 60 and 87 inches from the left.
Measure the drop
Pull the wire or the hanger up as it will sit on the hook and measure from the top edge of the frame to the highest point of the wire. That is the drop. Use the hook position, not the nail head, if your hanger sits above it. Marking the hook height from the floor, then checking with a level, avoids a crooked row.
Choosing a center height
A center near 57 inches above the floor is a convention some galleries use for eye level, and it is only the example default. You may choose a lower center in a room where people sit, or above furniture, where the picture should relate to the piece under it. The value is yours to set. See room proportions with the rug size calculator and the TV size and viewing distance calculator.
Hang it safely
Heavy frames and mirrors need anchors rated for their weight, or a stud. Find studs with the stud calculator layout, and match the paint around the new holes using the paint calculator. This tool gives positions only and does not choose hardware.
Assumptions and limits
- The 57 inch center height, the 8 inch gap above furniture, the 3 inch hanger drop and the 3 inch spacing are examples, not rules.
- One hook at the center of each frame is used. Two hooks, hanging rails and sawtooth hangers need other measurements.
- Picture sizes include the frame, and all pictures in a row are the same size.
- A row wider than the space, or a hanger drop taller than the picture, is rejected.
Frequently asked questions
How high should I hang a picture?
The default centers it 57 inches above the floor, which is only an example, and there is no fixed rule. Adjust for ceiling height, furniture and who views it, then confirm the hook height with the drop.
How far above a sofa should art hang?
An example range is about 6 to 10 inches above the furniture, so the art reads as part of the group. The gap is an input, so try different values.
How do I find where to put the nail?
Measure from the top of the frame down to the wire when it is pulled tight, then subtract that from the height of the top of the frame. The result is the hook height.
How far apart should pictures in a row be?
Two to three inches is an example gap, but it depends on the size of the frames. Keeping the same gap everywhere looks consistent.