Picture Hanging Safety

Hanging pictures is large part of any home or business interior update. Lots of home projects involve cutting or drilling through walls, but hanging pictures is the most common. How do you know what’s safe to hang a picture and what isn’t? How can you be sure that you are not hitting electrical wires?

How to hang a picture and consider your electrical wiring:

• Electrical wires typically run either vertically, up and down the side of a stud or horizontally.
• The vertical wires are typically pretty easy to avoid: avoid drilling above a receptacle or light switch.
• The horizontal runs should have enough space to avoid most damage, unless you drill into the hole in the stud that they pass through.
• When hanging a picture, it’s best to drive the nail into a wall stud for superior strength.
• A single 1 1/2-inch (4d) or 2-inch (6d) finishing nail will support most pictures, even when nailing between studs. The trick is to drive the nail into the wall at a steep angle, at least 45 degrees.

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