showing art

sharing a vision
with infinite viewpoints
sun in the bright grass

picture hanging measurements
picture hanging measurements

free gallery wall calculator makes positioning hanging fasteners easy so you can focus on the layout

  • suitable for home or gallery
  • use one or two hook hanging methods
  • full version is at hangcalc.com a progressive web app you can add to your home screen

Input what you need to, choose the results you want

There are many ways to hang pictures depending on fastening methods available, personal preferences, tools and equipment etc. These can range from simple arbitrary placement, use of centerlines, center points or edges; and may use simple tools like a spirit level and tape measure, or precision location using lasers. All are perfectly valid methods.

If you consult YouTube or an AI Chatbot, chances are you will get complicated instructions often involving lots of painter's tape and placing mock-up layouts on the wall. I think these are often unnecessary and wasteful.

The approach I prefer is to simply lay the works out in front of the wall, or on the floor, then arrange and rearrange until the set feels right. Maybe so that no one piece dominates and there is an appealing distribution of content, colors and tones etc. After that, do a sketch on paper with key parameters, like alignment heights, inter-work and end spaces. These will set the framework. As a reference the center point (mid-line alignment height) is generally suggested to be 57 inches or 1450 mm high. Spacing between works will be closer in clustered works - perhaps 3 inches or 80 mm, but wider to expansive layouts. Centerline and other key positions are useful to mark on the wall with tape, eg. to mark golden ratio positions (eg. with scratchpad calculator's length/phi) etc.

Then measure the works. Three or four measurements may be needed for each artwork:

  • vertical:
    1) outer vertical height
    2) drop to fastener(s)

  • horizontal:
    1) outer horizontal width
    2) inside adjustment to fasteners (if using more than one)

Armed with these measurements, use the calculator to determine fastener positions. Other distances used for positioning: vertical height on wall; horizontal inter-work or first/end spacing (ie. to previous edge); and, vertical inter-work spacing for a vertical group.

All this can be done without sticking mock-ups on the wall. Painters tape is super useful for marking start and end points, reference heights, and center points. But, there is no need to cover a wall with it. All the work can be done with a pencil, tape measure and spirit level (ideally one with a measurement scale on it).

I hope the calculators can be used to make relevant and helpful calculations for your purposes.

Using

Input what you need to, choose the results you want
* the main calculator is for horizontal layouts
* use solo to install works one by one in any position
* use horiz to calculate horizontal spacings
* vertical groups use vert button.

Have fun!

picture hanging calculator diagram
picture hanging calculator diagram

main calculator

print

step 1. overall wall setup

  • the main calculator is for horizontal row layouts: step 1 defines overall features used in step 2 (horizontal spacing) and step 3 (individual works)
details

Four measurements may be needed for each artwork:
* vertical: 1) outer vertical height and 2) drop to fasteners
* horizontal: 1) outer horizontal width and 2) inside adjustment to fasteners (if using two)

Other distances used for positioning: 1) vertical height on wall, 2) horizontal inter-work or first/end spacing (ie. "to previous edge"); and 3) vertical inter-work spacing for a vertical group

The "number of works" field is used in calculations and should match entries made

Type aligment height for works in decimal numbers e.g. mm or inches to 2 decimal places

This field is required

Type total width of wall or wall section

This field is required

Type number of work positions on wall/section

This field is required

step 2. horizontal spacing

details
  • outer width of a vertical group may be width of widest work in that position
  • "horiz" can be used if just determining horizontal spacing

Type width of work 1

This field is required

Type width of work 2

This field is required

Type width of work 3

This field is required

Type width of work 4

This field is required

Type width of work 5

This field is required

Type width of work 6

This field is required

Type width of work 7

This field is required

Type width of work 8

This field is required

Type width of work 9

This field is required

Type total width of all other works if >9

This field is required
details
  • options shown:
  • first, for complete horizontal section including first/end spaces
  • second, not including first/end spaces, ie. "section width" from step 1 is not used
horizontal
total width of works
space available between works
even space between all works including ends

not including ends

  • set inter-work calc group

    Type width of desired inter-work horizontal space for section with zero ends

    This field is required
    width of group
  • set group calc inter-work

    Type your target overall group width with zero ends

    This field is required
    inter-work space

step 3. individual work calculations

details
  • drop is to center of taught frame wire; or if 2 fasteners to top of D-rings; or stretcher depth if resting on nails or screws
  • inside adjust is for a two point hang only and is edges to D-ring centers; or, a set distance
  • "solo" can be used to hang each work one-by-one
  • "vert" can be used if there is a vertical group in a work position, the widest work in that group will often be the work position width for horizontal spacing

Type width of work

This field is required

Type the height of work

This field is required

Type horizontal distance to previous work or wall edge

This field is required

Type work drop to fastener

This field is required

Type inside adjustment for work if 2 fasteners used

This field is required

Type your notes about the work here

This field is required
  • mid-line at alignment
    vertical
    height of work's fastener
    height of top edge
    height of lower edge
    horizontal
    previous edge to center
    if two fasteners:
    previous edge to 1st fastener
    distance from 1st to 2nd fastener
    distance from centerline to fasteners
  • top edges at alignment
    vertical
    height of work's fastener
    height of lower edge
    horizontal
    previous edge to center
    if two fasteners:
    previous edge to 1st fastener
    distance from 1st to 2nd fastener
    distance from centerline to fasteners
  • lower edges at alignment
    vertical
    height of work's fastener
    height of top edge
    horizontal
    previous edge to center
    if two fasteners:
    previous edge to 1st fastener
    distance from 1st to 2nd fastener
    distance from centerline to fasteners

full pwa version at hangcalc.com

hangcalc screen shot
go to hangcalc.com

specific purpose calculators

  • three specific purpose calculators are included if you just want to calculate horizontal spacing, hang an individual work or one at a time; or hang a vertical group of works
using "horiz"
  • enter data into the "inputs" section, ie. the section width, each work's width and how many works. The results provide options for adjsting your spacings in various ways
using "solo"

  • a pop-up lightbox form asks for all the inputs you need and provides all the results required to hang a single work

  • enter data into the inputs section, ie. a work's chosen reference height and other details. The results are shown for vertical height options (ie. top edge, mid-line or lower edge at the reference height level) and relevant horizontal measurements for one or two fasteners

  • you can use the main form or horiz button to determine horizontal spacing. You can then use solo for each work in turn using the calculated horizontal space as the "to previous edge" entry

  • Works can also be placed arbitrarily or after pre-planning the set-up. For pre-planning solo results can be printed out with notes

  • solo also includes an option to measure fastener positions from a previous work's last fastener. This is useful if you want to place fasteners before hanging the works. To use this feature add the inside adjustment for the previous work to the solo calculator. This allows you to measure from the previous work's last fastener, and this can sometimes speed up the process. For example, using a level with a measure scale, one end can be rested at zero under the previous work's fastener and the horizontal distance to the solo work's first or center fastener can be read and marked quickly.

solo work diagram with previous work option
using "vert"
  • enter inputs for as many works as required up to a maximum of six. Inputs and results for both vertical and horizontal measurements are shown in the diagrams below

centers aligned

  • for center aligned groups a group section width needs to be set to establish a centerline
inputs and results for center aligned vertical group

edges aligned

  • the group's vertical edges can be aligned to the left or right
inputs and results for edge aligned vertical group

PEMDAS calculator included

for on-the-fly calculations, and has a temporary notes area

Results area, expressions can be entered here

This field is required

Type notes here

This field is required

Useful resources

A4 planning notes template

pdf template for your layouts

  • great to use as a background in a notes app
  • use alongside hangcalc.com in a split screen on your iPad
download notes pdf

A4 artwork measurement sheet

pdf for collecting artwork measurements

  • collect all you artwork measurements in one place before you begin
  • helps get you ready to use the calculator
download measures pdf

art installation guide

doing an install?

  • some tips on art installation
  • outline of basic calculation methods
download guide pdf

on viewing art

everyone has a unique viewpoint

the world's infinite and ubiquitous uniqueness changing from moment to moment requires a determined mental effort to break the bonds of 'ordinary' perception

unique viewpoints
viewing art

1. overall wall setup

Alignment height =

Set section width =

Number of works =

2. horizontal spacing

Width 1 =

Width 5 =

Width 9 =

Width 2 =

Width 6 =

Width other =

Width 3 =

Width 7 =

Width 4 =

Width 8 =

Total width of works =

Total space available between works =

Even space between all works (inc ends) =

Options for end / inter-work space:

Set inter-work space = then first/end space =

Set first/end space = then inter-work space =

Set group inter-work = then group width =

3. current individual work calculations

Individual work note:

Work width =

Work height =

Drop to fastener =

Inside adjust =

To previous edge =

Vertical height of fastener(s) by alignment type

Mid-line aligned =

Top edges aligned =

Lower edges aligned =

Horizontal measurements

Previous work/edge to center =

If 2 fasteners, previous work/edge to 1st fastener =

distance from 1st to 2nd fastener =

and, distance from centerline to fasteners =

print

solo work

inputs

reference height

Type aligment height for works in decimal numbers e.g. mm or inches to 2 decimal places

This field is required

work width

Type width of work

This field is required

work height

Type the height of work

This field is required

to previous edge

Type horizontal distance to previous work or wall edge

This field is required

drop to fastener

Type work drop to fastener

This field is required

if 2 fasteners:

inside adjust

Type inside d-ring adjustment for work if 2 fasteners used

This field is required

option

if measuring from previous work's fastener add adjustment

previous inside adjust

Type inside adjustment from work edge to fastener of previous work, eg. to center fastener or to 2nd if two

This field is required

Type your note data here for printout

This field is required

vertical results

horizontal results

to previous edge
previous edge to center
if two fasteners:
previous edge to 1st fastener
distance from 1st to 2nd fastener
distance from centerline to fasteners
to previous fastener
previous fastener to center
if two fasteners:
previous fastener to 1st fastener
1. inputs

Reference height =

To previous edge =

Work width =

Work height =

Drop to fastener =

Inside adjust =

Previous inside adjust =

2. fastener height options

Mid-line at ref height =

Top edge at ref height =

Lower edge at ref height =

3. horizontal

Previous work/edge to center =

If 2 fasteners, previous work/edge to 1st fastener =

distance from 1st to 2nd fastener =

and, distance from centerline to fasteners =

Option:

Previous work's fastener to center =

Previous work's fastener to 1st fastener =

Notes:

horizontal spacing

inputs

Type total width of wall or wall section

This field is required

Type number of work positions on wall/section

This field is required

Type width of work 1

This field is required

Type width of work 2

This field is required

Type width of work 3

This field is required

Type width of work 4

This field is required

Type width of work 5

This field is required

Type width of work 6

This field is required

Type width of work 7

This field is required

Type width of work 8

This field is required

Type width of work 9

This field is required

Type total width of all other works if >9

This field is required

results

horizontal
total width of works
space available between works
even space between all works including ends

not including ends

  • set inter-work calc group

    Type width of desired inter-work horizontal space for section with zero ends

    This field is required
    width of group
  • set group calc inter-work

    Type your target overall group width with zero ends

    This field is required
    inter-work space

vertical group

inputs

reference height

Type aligment height for vertical group in decimal numbers e.g. mm or inches to 2 decimal places

This field is required

number of works

number of works in vertical group

This field is required

even vertical space

even vertical space between works

This field is required

work details, top first

vertical

work #

work height

drop to fastener

1

Type the vertical height of work 1

This field is required

drop to fastenerdrop to fastener

This field is required

2

Type the vertical height of work 2

This field is required

drop to fastenerdrop to fastener

This field is required

3

Type the vertical height of work 3

This field is required

drop to fastenerdrop to fastener

This field is required

4

Type the vertical height of work 4

This field is required

drop to fastenerdrop to fastener

This field is required

5

Type the vertical height of work 5

This field is required

drop to fastenerdrop to fastener

This field is required

6

Type the vertical height of work 6 and above

This field is required

drop to fastenerdrop to fastener

This field is required

group height

group height

if target height

target group height

Type your target overall group height

This field is required

new even vertical space

results

verticals by reference type

horizontal

work #

work width

inside adjust

1

Type the width of work 1

This field is required

Type the inside adjustment of work 1

This field is required

2

Type the width of work 2

This field is required

Type the inside adjustment of work 2

This field is required

3

Type the width of work 3

This field is required

Type the inside adjustment of work 3

This field is required

4

Type the width of work 4

This field is required

Type the inside adjustment of work 4

This field is required

5

Type the width of work 5

This field is required

Type the inside adjustment of work 5

This field is required

6

Type the width of work 6

This field is required

Type the inside adjustment of work 6

This field is required

if group edge aligned

to group edge

add set distance before edge

This field is required

if group center aligned

group section width

width of wall section for the group, eg. widest work + 2x set inter-work space

This field is required

prev edge to centerline

results

horizontals by alignment type