Best way to hang photos facing outward in a window

[SquarePeg]

I need to hang some photos facing the street in a window for display. What is the best way to do this? I was thinking of using wire attached at the corners and hanging them from above but is there a better way?

 

[tirediron]

Framed? On board? How large? How large is the window? How many? Are we there yet?

 

[vintagesnaps]

You want to hang pictures in a window? Oh wait, do you mean for them to be seen from outside? at home or someplace else?

Using picture wire seems like it could work, I don't know if it would work better at the corners or in the center. Or maybe both; it probably depends on the size what would best support the weight of the frame.

Maybe try looking at some art supply websites for info. or resources on hanging artwork where it would be suspended rather than against a wall.

 

[benhasajeep]

The trick is to have the wire or what your hanging it with be secured at the top of the frame / mount. If you use the typical lower hanging locations on the back. It will tilt slightly as it hangs. Would be best if you can hang from the top edge.

I have hung aluminum framed prints by drilling holes in the top just little larger than the diameter of the wire. Then take the length of wire and put through the holes. And crimp on a cable crimp lock. That keeps the wire from coming up through the hole. And allows the picture to hang straight from the top with no other hardware shown besides the cable from either side.

If the aluminum extrusion allows you to do it. Drill the hole closer to the front of the frame as thats where the weight is. Helps it to hang more vertical. The frames / extrusions I made the frames from used screwed in corner brackets. So the top bar of the frame was secured firmly with the sides. Basically the frame could handle being hung from the top extrusion.

 

[SquarePeg]

Framed? On board? How large? How large is the window? How many? Are we there yet?

It's a big window. A restaurant. This is for our town's annual art walk. Four 8 x 10 photos in one window - not framed, mounted on wood, not sure what that's called. And in the other window there will be two or three 16 x 20 - not framed wrap canvases. They are all pretty light weight. Another wrinkle is that the window, though large, has lettering across the middle at about eye level so I'll need to be under and/or above that.

You want to hang pictures in a window? Oh wait, do you mean for them to be seen from outside? at home or someplace else?

Using picture wire seems like it could work, I don't know if it would work better at the corners or in the center. Or maybe both; it probably depends on the size what would best support the weight of the frame.

Maybe try looking at some art supply websites for info. or resources on hanging artwork where it would be suspended rather than against a wall.

Yes to be seen from outside. See above - it's a restaurant with floor to ceiling windows in the front. If I use picture wire from the center they will be a pita to get straight I think.

The trick is to have the wire or what your hanging it with be secured at the top of the frame / mount. If you use the typical lower hanging locations on the back. It will tilt slightly as it hangs. Would be best if you can hang from the top edge.

I have hung aluminum framed prints by drilling holes in the top just little larger than the diameter of the wire. Then take the length of wire and put through the holes. And crimp on a cable crimp lock. That keeps the wire from coming up through the hole. And allows the picture to hang straight from the top with no other hardware shown besides the cable from either side.

If the aluminum extrusion allows you to do it. Drill the hole closer to the front of the frame as thats where the weight is. Helps it to hang more vertical. The frames / extrusions I made the frames from used screwed in corner brackets. So the top bar of the frame was secured firmly with the sides. Basically the frame could handle being hung from the top extrusion.

I should be able to hang them from the top edge. I'm going over there tomorrow to investigate the space a bit further.

Thanks All for your thoughts on this.

 

[weepete]

Sounds like a job for a picture rail

 

[480sparky]

I gotta ask what's above or over the windows you have to work with.

 

[SquarePeg]

Sounds like a job for a picture rail

I can’t do anything permanent.

I gotta ask what's above or over the windows you have to work with.

I’m going down there today to look and see. I’ll take some pics.

 

[Designer]

If I use picture wire from the center they will be a pita to get straight I think.

At first, I was thinking of florist wire, because it's thin, but of course, there will still be those little kinks and curves, so then I thought about using some kind of string or heavy thread. And thread comes in colors!

The thread could be a continuous loop going down one side, across the bottom, and up the opposite side, so no screws into the wood. Maybe staples.

You could then cover up the staples with white painter's tape. If the wood was white. And if you had some white painter's tape.

 

[Gary A.]

This would be a lot more work and expense ... but, (the big but), ... I would think of employing a carpenter and design a large solid frame that could be set on the floor via legs/feet. Inside the large frame could be smaller frames with which could fit whatever has to be fit. The interior spaces could be non-symmetrical, sorta looking like a Mondrian looking affair. (One could fit other artworks in the frame, ceramic, gold/silver smithing, glass, et al.) Bracketing the frame to the wall(s) would provide stability. The frame could support some lighting.

 

[Dave442]

I've hung pictures like that with fishing line. Just used eye screws, one near each corner on the top of the frame. The fishing line is one long piece (down from the ceiling - through one eye - through the other eye - back up to the ceiling) so you can just slide the frame a bit to level it. I used a length of line so the prints were on a table when the line was connected to the ceiling. Then just had one side fixed to the ceiling and the other I just pulled through another eye screw in the ceiling until the frame was at the right height. All the extra line wrapped around a small piece of wood and taped and left up against the eye. This also makes it easy to pull the frames up and then check how it looks and go back and adjust the height.

As you have multiple frames, I would put up a picture rail as Weepete mentioned. That way you just need two mounting points on the ceiling for the rail and the rest are all on the rail.

Check that there is not a breeze in location, either natural or from heating or a/c. I've use some weights taped on the bottom inside of the really light frames to keep them from just fluttering around.

 

[vintagesnaps]

They make picture wire... craft stores should have it, or maybe hardware stores.

Or maybe something like Gary's talking about, that would be cool if the organization has someone to make something and if there's enough time. Maybe some easels to prop the artwork on would work. Of course I don't know what kind of budget the group has that's doing the art walk because easels probably aren't the most budget friendly option.

What do they usually do to promote the art walk? Have they done displays in local businesses in the past?

 

[SquarePeg]

Definitely not a lot of time and no budget for buying/building anything elaborate. A friend is a carpenter and would be willing to help if it's something simple. I'm heading down there today to see the windows. Hopefully there is something above them that I can hang some wire from. I think there are curtains in the windows so there must be some type of hardware up there - hoping it's something I can use.

 

[Gary A.]

If you want to be artsie-fartsie ... stack ‘em up on ladders or crates, milk crates, et cetera. (artsy-fartsy, artsee-fartsee ...?)

 

[Designer]

Before you and your friend start building some type of hanging frame, make a mockup and have him hold a photo inside while you go outside to look at it. Make any adjustments in the planning stages, not after the frame is already up.