How to Hang Aluminium Prints
by William Kenny
5 Minutes
Wondering how to hang aluminium prints for maximum visual impact and maximum stability? Follow our simple guide for the best results!
Aluminium prints of your photos make for exceptionally striking wall art – and if you want the full breathtaking effect, good installation is essential. Our customers aren’t always sure that they’re hanging their prints correctly. So to clear up any confusion, here’s our simple guide to hanging aluminium prints for optimal visual impact!
Contents in Brief:
- What to Avoid
- Recommended Hanging Methods
- How-To Guides
- Other Methods You Can Use
How Not to Hang Your Print
First a quick overview of what not to do when hanging your aluminium print.
Don’t Use Tape, Sticky Putty, Etc
An aluminium print sees your photo reproduced on a metal composite panel – a lightweight plastic core between two slimline sheets of aluminium. We’ve spent years perfecting this design to get the very best toughness-to-weight ratio.
But no print constructed from metal is going to be as light as a feather.
Everyday household solutions like double-sided sticky tape and Blu Tack won’t be strong enough to support your print with the dependable stability you need for complete peace of mind.
Try Not to Spoil the Aesthetic
The borderless, minimalist design of your aluminium print is part of its overall aesthetic. We chose a no-frills approach to keep attention focused on the glowing colours and exquisite definition of your image. Your print fits effortlessly into a modern, uncluttered design scheme.
Drilling holes through the metal composite panel (for nails, steel posts, etc) will mean compromising the flawless look of your image, no matter how clean your work is.
But no need to worry. There are solutions out there which preserve the physical integrity of your aluminium print in full...
Methods Recommended by MYPICTURE
We recommend using one of two hanging solutions: either the hanger plate or the aluminium backframe.
We feel these two methods have everything going for them. They give you reassuring structural resilience. They’re slim and discreet, staying tucked away out of sight when your print is on the wall. They leave your beautiful print whole and unblemished.
And best of all…for a modest extra price, they’re available to order from our shop.
Simply add the hanger plate or aluminium backframe to your order when you’re taken to the Choose Format page after uploading your photo.
Note: To make things even easier, you’ll only be offered either hanging solution if it’s suitable for the size format you’ve selected. We use the following system:
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Prints smaller than 60 x 30cm: Only hanger plate offered.
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Prints from 60 x 30cm to 90 x 50cm: Both hanger plate and aluminium backframe offered.
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Prints larger than 90 x 50cm: Only aluminium backframe offered.
Hanger Plate How-To
This is a simple but effective design for small or medium prints: a stripped-back metal plate with a layer of powerful adhesive on one side and a protruding ridge on the other that will rest on a screw or hook.
Your plate will arrive coated with removable anti-adhesive paper. Once this is peeled off, the plate can be stuck to the back of your print – and as soon as the adhesive has set, it’s ready to hang.
Full instructions:
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Step 1: Using fine sandpaper, rub the area at the back of your print where you want to attach the hanger plate. Then clean the area with a lint-free (e.g. microfibre) cloth dampened with meths. Leave to dry.
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Step 2: Place the hanger plate (with anti-adhesive paper still attached) on the back of your print. Ensure it’s in the exact position you want, then trace out its outline.
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Step 3: Remove the anti-adhesive paper from the hanger plate. Check the back of your print again for dirt, then press the hanger plate into position, evenly and firmly.
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Step 4: Lay your print face down on a flat surface and leave it for 24 hours so that the adhesive can dry and harden.
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Step 5: Stick the self-adhesive rubber bumpers to the back of your print in the bottom corners. These will hold the print at an even distance away from the wall to avoid scrape damage and give you that all-important “floating” look.
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Step 6: Rest the ridge at the back of the plate on a screw or hook on the wall. And you’re all done.
Aluminium Backframe How-To
The heavy-duty choice. If you’ve splashed out on a large-format aluminium print and you want the safest, most elegant installation for your new purchase…accept no substitute.
The aluminium backframe will hold your print at a slight distance from the wall. The backframe itself stays hidden away, so the print seems to “float” without any noticeable support. The effect suits the stripped-back aesthetic of the metal print perfectly.
The backframe consists of four bars forming a rectangle. Each bar has an open middle section, the lower edge of which functions as a robust lip that can be rested on screws etc.
Full instructions:
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Step 1: Providing you added the aluminium backframe to your MYPICTURE order, your print will arrive with it already firmly attached at the back. Yes, your print arrives ready to hang!
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Step 2: EITHER: Insert screws into your wall on a level. Make sure the screws aren’t wider apart than the open section of the upper bar of your backframe. OR: Using screws, affix a hanging cleat (a.k.a. French cleat) evenly on your wall. Make sure the cleat isn’t wider than the open section of the upper bar of your backframe.
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Step 3: Rest the lip of the upper bar on the screw heads or on the hanging cleat.
Bonus benefit: The backframe works as an extra layer of resistance to temperature stress and other environmental factors – meaning the risk of your print starting to curve is reduced to virtually nil.
Other Popular Hanging Methods
Here’s an overview of other methods which are commonly used. Of course, this list is by no means comprehensive.
All these methods are structurally sound, but they will change the appearance of your print – worth bearing in mind if you chose the aluminium print for its unique aesthetic.
#1 Frames
You can of course fit your aluminium print inside a wooden or metal frame – frames are easily available with hanging hardware already attached. The resilient surface of your print means there’s no need for a glass cover.
Framing your print will mean that the silvery edges of your print are covered up – but choosing a metal frame will more than compensate. Just watch out for scratches when you insert your artwork!
#2 Metal Posts
Mounting posts made from stainless steel go straight through your print (one at each corner) and will float it at an even distance from the wall. The barrels of the metal posts are screwed into your wall, then the threaded caps are attached to the barrels, holding your print in place.
It’s a contemporary, rugged look that suits the aluminium print, but drilling clean holes in your artwork calls for an expert hand – and some image detail being lost behind the caps is unavoidable.
#3 Stands for Desk Display
OK, strictly speaking this doesn’t count as hanging – but smaller aluminium prints can be stood up on any flat surface. Easel backs, easel stands and grooved stands are a simple alternative to wall installation. Widely available in metal, wood or acrylic – or try bamboo for a nice organic contrast with your metal print.
Final Word
We hope this quick overview will help you in displaying your beautiful printed photo memory to the absolute best advantage!
It’s worth mentioning again that metal prints can be weighty, so safety first. We recommend using rawl plugs to insert all screws, regardless of wall surface – you’re aiming for maximum strength.
A stud finder will locate the upright timbers (i.e. studs) in your walls, helpfully guiding you to the most resilient spots for installation.
And of course, the most important part of installing your aluminium print is the aluminium print itself! If you haven’t got yours yet, you can fix that here.