There are few things more frustrating than having to put multiple holes into your drywall just to hang a picture frame correctly. One would think that, in this age of advanced technology where anything seems possible, we would have developed a standardized frame hook that cures all of our frame-hanging woes. Unfortunately, we still have single hook frames that can't hold a picture straight or two-hook frames that we can never measure just right. Well now you can put all of your bad frame hanging experiences in the past. In this article we'll cover the basics of hanging different types of frames and share some frame-hanging hacks that will help you get it right the first time--every time.

Choosing the right hook for the job

Over the years several cutting edge innovations have occurred in the work of frame hooks that you may never have even heard about. Monkey hooks, for example, weren't front page news when they hit the shelves, but they should have been. These painfully simple hanging hooks push right into your drywall and secure themselves on the back side holding up to 50 pounds (wow!), no hammer necessary. You can also go with tried and true nails, anchors, and wall plugs. The important thing to remember when using these methods is to consider the weight of your frame. A 10-pound monster of a frame shouldn't be put on the shoulders of one lonely nail that isn't even penetrating a stud. That's a for-sure way to break your frame and rip up your drywall as it comes crashing to the ground.

Placement is key

It isn't a picture hanging party without someone standing behind you saying "up a bit more" for 10 minutes while you lose circulation in your arms. You'll need a partner standing back a bit to tell you exactly where it should go. It's essential that they tell you where it should be hung so they can't blame you if they don't like the placement later on. If you don't have the luxury of a picture hanging partner, try tracing a part of the frame (extremely lightly in pencil) on the wall and standing back. If you're hanging a gallery or a frame that you want to align with another object on the wall, don't try to "eyeball" it. Get out the tape measure and be meticulous when measuring the dimensions for the other object.

Hanging Hacks

Thanks to the internet, there are several picture framing hacks that will make this whole process a lot easier. They are:

• Use painters tape for marking and leveling. If you want the frame to line up with one near it, simply run the tape along the lower edge of the frame that's already hung to where you want the new one to be.
• For frames with two hooks, run a wire between them and hang it on a single nail. It is virtually impossible (for me anyway) to get two nails exactly level for hanging a picture.
• If you must use two nails, use your level as a ruler. Put one nail into the wall and rest one side of the level on it. Move the other side up or down until it's level and then mark exactly where the next nail should be.