How to hang a 5 millimeter "hardboard" painting?

[Traverse]

My friend is an art major and gave me one of her oil paintings that I admired. It's on a 20" x 20" "hardboard" canvas (I'm well versed in art language).

It's 5 millimeter (0.5 centimeter) thick and has some weight to it. How does one hang something like this? Do they make dual nail frames?

Thanks!

 

[Apple fanboy]

My friend is an art major and gave me one of her oil paintings that I admired. It's on a 20" x 20" "hardboard" canvas (I'm well versed in art language).

It's 5 millimeter (0.5 centimeter) thick and has some weight to it. How does one hang something like this? Do they make dual nail frames?

Thanks!

Just mount it on some thin wood running around the edge I would think. We have a canvas at work maybe 6 times that size hanging on a single screw. It's a concrete wall though, so that helps.

 

[aaronvan]

My friend is an art major and gave me one of her oil paintings that I admired. It's on a 20" x 20" "hardboard" canvas (I'm well versed in art language).

It's 5 millimeter (0.5 centimeter) thick and has some weight to it. How does one hang something like this? Do they make dual nail frames?

Thanks!

Really, no picture?

 

[Traverse]

Just mount it on some thin wood running around the edge I would think. We have a canvas at work maybe 6 times that size hanging on a single screw. It's a concrete wall though, so that helps.

I'm not exactly sure what you mean. Could you post a picture of the edge of your mounted painting?

 

[twietee]

Well, first of all you'd have to decide if you want a visible frame or not.

There are for example metal clips one glues onto the back and you just put it onto a nail or two. But it's hard to get them off again. Like almost impossible if done right.

 

[Traverse]

Well, first of all you'd have to decide if you want a visible frame or not.

There are for example metal clips one glues onto the back and you just put it onto a nail or two. But it's hard to get them off again. Like almost impossible if done right.

What retailer website could I go to to look at frames and pins?

 

[twietee]

What retailer website could I go to to look at frames and pins?

I'll pass. Not from the US. But have you got a framing store nearby by any chance? I let them execute my stuff and had them recently apply those metal clips on one of these fairly huge metal-dibond canvases/panels. Since you won't need any glass or coating I guess I would just walk up to them and ask nicely. Don't think it's something special.


Or just ask your friend. Artists/painters do deal quite some time with how to hang their stuff properly onto a wall. Also hard to say if a frame wouldn't be beneficial - really depends on the item.

 

[Traverse]

Really, no picture?

I don't know what the topic of the class was, but she typically likes to paint darker, eerier stuff. I liked this one.

 

[Traverse]

Or just ask your friend. Artists/painters do deal quite some time with how to hang their stuff properly onto a wall. Also hard to say if a frame wouldn't be beneficial - really depends on the item.

I did. She wasn't sure because she can't hang anything in her apartment so she keeps them all organized in another room.

 

[twietee]

Ok, I don't think I'd use a visible frame with that (from what you can tell over the internet). But the edges would have been more telling tbh.

You can also apply (glue or via nail but be careful! - would glue it with Ponal myself I guess) just a small wooden bar, about 10-15mm height I guess, at the backside and just use that. Even better make it a real frame (each a side) and then apply a metal triangle in the upper two corners. But since the panel should be stiff in itself I don't think you'd have to.

If you go the metal clipping or the bar on the upper side make sure you apply an equally high thing (can be anything, there are fitting metal ones though) on the downside so that it hangs balanced and not slanting from top to bottom. Hope you can follow me.

 

[Traverse]

Ok, I don't think I'd use a visible frame with that (from what you can tell over the internet). But the edges would have been more telling tbh.

You can also apply (glue or via nail but be careful! - would glue it with Ponal myself I guess) just a small wooden bar, about 10-15mm height I guess, at the backside and just use that. Even better make it a real frame (each a side) and then apply a metal triangle in the upper two corners. But since the panel should be stiff in itself I don't think you'd have to.

If you go the metal clipping or the bar on the upper side make sure you apply an equally high thing (can be anything, there are fitting metal ones though) on the downside so that it hangs balanced and not slanting from top to bottom. Hope you can follow me.

Thank you. And here are some edge shots.

 

[CrickettGrrrl]

My friend is an art major and gave me one of her oil paintings that I admired. It's on a 20" x 20" "hardboard" canvas (I'm well versed in art language).

It's 5 millimeter (0.5 centimeter) thick and has some weight to it. How does one hang something like this? Do they make dual nail frames?

Thanks!

Basically gessoed Masonite, correct? Do you live in a humid climate & is the back coated with gesso/primer too? Hardboard is fiberboard and those fibers swell with changes in humidity. If the back isn't coated, the painting will bend concavely.

I still have some fiberboard oil studies from art school in Baltimore (super humid place in the summer) and even after gluing 1" x 2" wood strips to the back edges, they'd come loose and continue to curl after a couple years. Even after re-glueing & using brads. Coating the back of the painting with gesso and/or primer helps a lot.

If you've got the back coated and the board isn't curling, you can get 20" metal or wood sectional frames from any craft store like Michaels, etc., put the kit together & slide the panel in, then brace the back edges with the supplied metal bendy strips. The kit also comes with hook/sliders that fit within the back tracks and allow you to attach wire, or have hanging mounts. These sectional frame kits are only for 2 sides, so you'll need two 20" kits.

In art school we'd make cheap wooden frames using 1/4" x 1.5 or 2" wood lattice, stained, painted, or just varnished or waxed. Butt-joined corners attached to the sides of wood canvas stretchers with panel nails, or to 1x2" wood braces on the backs of masonite paintings.

On an actual canvas with stretchers you can recess the first lattice strip slightly so that the outer strip appears to float around the canvas, for a more high-end art school frame job.

 

[twietee]

Ok, I see. Matter of philosophy

If you want it 'neat' go for a nice frame, but then it should be professional in my opinion, and that's gonna cost a bit + you'd need to know what you want it to look like.

I have no problem with the raw stuff so I personally would go with the metal clippings. And if you don't feel like searching for those just apply the wood
beam/bar and be done with it. But think of the bar spacer (looked it up now).

But I'd put them not right under the border/edge. Give it some space so that eventually you can still frame it with no hassle. You'd have a (and here there is an important word missing I always want to know the translation for but never find it) "shadowy joint/gap" (Schattenfuge) - which is what I prefer anyway when having a 'frameless' object.

----------

Moisture is a good point though.

 

[Traverse]

Basically gessoed Masonite, correct? Do you live in a humid climate & is the back coated with gesso/primer too? Hardboard is fiberboard and those fibers swell with changes in humidity. If the back isn't coated, the painting will bend concavely.

I still have some fiberboard oil studies from art school in Baltimore (super humid place in the summer) and even after gluing 1" x 2" wood strips to the back edges, they'd come loose and continue to curl after a couple years. Even after re-glueing & using brads. Coating the back of the painting with gesso and/or primer helps a lot.

If you've got the back coated and the board isn't curling, you can get 20" metal or wood sectional frames from any craft store like Michaels, etc., put the kit together & slide the panel in, then brace the back edges with the supplied metal bendy strips. The kit also comes with hook/sliders that fit within the back tracks and allow you to attach wire, or have hanging mounts. These sectional frame kits are only for 2 sides, so you'll need two 20" kits.

In art school we'd make cheap wooden frames using 1/4" x 1.5 or 2" wood lattice, stained, painted, or just varnished or waxed. Butt-joined corners attached to the sides of wood canvas stretchers with panel nails, or to 1x2" wood braces on the backs of masonite paintings.

On an actual canvas with stretchers you can recess the first lattice strip slightly so that the outer strip appears to float around the canvas, for a more high-end art school frame job.

Thank you for this. I live in Florida so the humidity is terrible at times.

 

[CrickettGrrrl]

Thank you for this. I live in Florida so the humidity is terrible at times.

Baltimore can match Florida's humidity and then beat Florida into submission with filthy, still air.

Good resources for frame kits (and other art supplies), especially if you need sectional frames in half-inch sections (used to have them anyway):

http://www.jerrysartarama.com
http://www.cheapjoes.com
http://www.dickblick.com
http://www.utrechtart.com

While in art school, there was a terrific custom framing shop with incredibly good prices just off Dupont Circle and it was worth the trip into DC. Plus there was a guy in a kilt. That place is probably no longer extant, but it's always good to check out local frame shops for sales and great personal service.

Not to get huffy with you twietee, but when you're in art school and living on ramen noodles, art supplies are expensive, even with student discounts. Thus using crappy, heavy masonite instead of lighter-weight stretched canvas. Especially when you have to produce a painting a day for each life course. Students would pool together for 4' x 8' panels of masonite & homasote on sale and such. So framing had to be quick, cheap & dirty as well.

 

[Traverse]

Baltimore can match Florida's humidity and then beat Florida into submission with filthy, still air.

I chuckled at this.

Thank you for the references, I appreciate everyone's input as I don't know a lot about this kind of stuff.

 

[twietee]

Not to get huffy with you twietee, but when you're in art school and living on ramen noodles, art supplies are expensive, even with student discounts. Thus using crappy, heavy masonite instead of lighter-weight stretched canvas.

Huh? didn't see that coming..

 

[CrickettGrrrl]

Huh? didn't see that coming..

I beg your pardon. Really, I'm not trying to be huffy at all. It's just that I'm sure students would prefer good quality frames instead of lattice, sometimes there is no choice. Especially with annual tuition at MICA around $40,000 last time I checked.

 

[twietee]

I beg your pardon. Really, I'm not trying to be huffy at all. It's just that I'm sure students would prefer good quality frames instead of lattice, sometimes there is no choice. Especially with annual tuition at MICA around $40,000 last time I checked.

No problem. But OP is a student? Think he got it as a gift.

And hats off to students of the free arts (that's what it's called here) anyway. Didn't had the balls (or financial background) to do it myself..so best of luck to you!

 

[Traverse]

I beg your pardon. Really, I'm not trying to be huffy at all. It's just that I'm sure students would prefer good quality frames instead of lattice, sometimes there is no choice. Especially with annual tuition at MICA around $40,000 last time I checked.

No problem. But OP is a student? Think he got it as a gift.

And hats off to students of the free arts (that's what it's called here) anyway. Didn't had the balls (or financial background) to do it myself..so best of luck to you!

I'm a grad student so money isn't plentiful. The painting was a gift, but I really want to hang it with quality without spending too much. I'll check out both options.

 

[aaronvan]

I don't know what the topic of the class was, but she typically likes to paint darker, eerier stuff. I liked this one.

Cool, thanks. She's draws some influence from Francis Bacon, I see.

 

[Traverse]

Cool, thanks. She's draws some influence from Francis Bacon, I see.

I know she likes his "Study after Velázquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent" work.