D-rings are popular picture hangers because they keep frames flat against the surface, unlike screw eye hangers. They’ll stop your wood frames from sticking out needlessly AND will ensure they stay secure on the wall.

Now you probably guessed it from its name, but a d-ring is a d-shaped steel ring with a doubled-over steel strap. The strap can have anywhere from one hole to five holes.

A single screw d-ring is ideal for hanging lighter frames up to 25 pounds. But if you need to hang medium-sized pictures weighing up to 40 pounds, use our d-ring with two screw holes.

More screw holes mean more screws to drill onto the side rails of wood frames and more hanging power, which is better for hanging heavier items.

You can use two d-rings by themselves or with picture wire to hang artwork on a nail or hook. It’s easy to thread the wire through the rings. See our tying instructions here.

 

Want to hang heavier frames or mirrors? You’ll want to use a heavier duty strap hanger.

A strap hanger is a type of d-ring with several screw holes to keep the hanger from giving out (screw tear-out can happen when the item is heavy). This picture hanging hardware is also available in narrow and wide widths.

Like other d-rings, you can use a strap hanger on its own or with picture wire. But for extra-heavy frames, we recommend doubling the hangers and wire as an added precaution.

A sawtooth hanger is one of the most used picture hangers around. It’s normally designed for lightweight frames and pictures, but some types can support heavier items.

We have a varied collection of sawtooths available, ranging from small sawtooth hangers with screws to large nailess sawtooth hangers and the Wall Buddies hanging system.

Read this comprehensive guide to learn more about sawtooth hangers, the different sawtooths available, and how to use them.

Super Steel Hangers

The super steel hanger is a multiple screw hanger, but it's less bulky than d-rings and strap hangers. It offers screw support both above and below the wire.

If your frame is narrow or made of soft wood, this type of picture hanger will do a great job of securing the frame to your wall. It also works great for heavier items up to 100 pounds.

We have 2-hole and 4-hole variations of the super steel wire hangers in stock.

So, Which Type Should You Choose?

Choosing the picture hangers that best suit your wooden frames is a science. You can’t just guess!

You need to make sure it fits these requirements:

• Size: Does the hanger fit on the frame or item that you are hanging?
• Weight: Can it hold the weight of the item you are hanging?

How Much Weight Can Each Wood Frame Hanger Hold? 

Some wood frame hangers can only support pictures weighing 3 pounds. Others can carry frames up to 20 pounds. There’s also the mega strap picture hanger that can hold artwork as heavy as 250 pounds.

To know which one to pick, measure your frame first. You can use a bathroom scale to do this. Then, check out this breakdown showing our various types of picture hanging hardware:

 

An Easy Step-by-Step Guide to Installing Wood Frame Hangers

Now that you’ve picked out the best picture hanging hardware, it’s time to learn how to install it to your wood frame. There are two methods you can use — with picture wire and without.

Below, we show you how to do both for d-rings and strap hangers:

D-Ring

With Picture Wire

1. Place your frame face down on a soft surface.
2. Measure and mark one frame side rail between one-quarter and one-third of the way down from the top of the frame. Repeat this with the other side rail. You’ll install the d-rings on these side rails.
3. Position each d-ring at an angle that will match the wire’s when the frame is hung.
4. Pre-drill holes for the screws. Make sure you don’t drill through the front of the frame!
5. Attach the d-rings to the frame using screws. See first if the screws are the right ones for the picture's weight and the frame's thickness.
6. String picture hanging wire to the d-rings. Again, the wire size will depend on the picture's weight.
7. Keep the wire relaxed enough so that when it’s pulled taut against the frame's back, its center point reaches around half the distance between the top of the frame and the d-rings’ position.
8. Hang the picture on the hook and enjoy!

Without Picture Wire

1. Put the frame face down on a soft surface.
2. Align each d-ring vertically at the top corners on the back of the frame. They should be at an equal distance.
3. Pre-drill the screw holes to stop the wood frame from splitting.
4. Attach the d-rings to the frame.
5. Place the rings on picture hooks or screws already embedded into the wall.
6. You’re done. Nice work!

🔨 Important: The picture hooks or screws should be aligned on the wall. They also need to maintain the same distance as the hangers on the frame.

Strap Hanger

With Picture Wire

1. Put the frame you want to hang face down on a soft surface.
2. Measure between one-quarter and one-third of the way down from the top of your frame. Mark this distance for both of your frame's side rails. One strap hanger will be installed on each side rail.
3. If your frame is wide enough, align the strap hangers with the angle the picture wire will take on when the frame is hung and the wire is taut.
4. Pre-drill the screw holes to keep the wood frame from splitting. Avoid drilling all the way to the front part of the frame.
5. Use the appropriate screws to attach the strap hangers onto the frame.
6. Add heavy picture hanging wire to the hangers.
7. Keep the wire slack enough so that when it’s pulled up against the frame's back, the wire's center point extends around half the distance between the top of the frame and the strap hangers' position.
8. Hang the frame on heavy picture hooks or wall anchors.

🔨Pro Tip: For heavy pictures, you can double the wire and the strap hangers to boost the support. You can also just use a mega strap hanger if your frame is wide enough.

Without Picture Wire

1. Put the frame face down on a soft surface.
2. Align strap hangers vertically at the frame's top corners. Measure and mark their positions. They should have an equal distance.
3. Pre-drill the screw holes to stop the wood frame from splitting. Avoid drilling through the frame's front surface.
4. Attach the strap hangers to the frame using the right-sized screws.
5. Choose a place to hang your frame. Mark the location with a point centered along the frame's top edge.
6. Hammer picture hooks to the wall. Make sure they're leveled and follow the exact spacing as the hangers.
7. Secure the strap hangers' rings on the picture hooks anchored to the wall.

🔨Pro Tip: Install the strap hangers down far enough from the frame's top edge. This lets the frame hide the picture hooks when it's displayed on the wall.

Now that you know about the different wood frame picture hangers and how to choose and install them, we hope you feel more confident about buying the perfect one.

Also, feel free to browse the rest of our collections! Our shop has picture hanging hardware for all your needs.

 

See Also: Related Products