How to Hang Heavy Wall Art: Framed Tapestries and Large Weavings
Most wall art is light enough that nobody thinks about it. A framed handwoven tapestry is not. Ours run from around 2 kg for the smallest framed pieces to 25 kg for the largest works, and the difference between a piece that hangs beautifully for a decade and one that comes off the wall is almost entirely about what happens in the twenty minutes before you hang it.
This is the practical guide we give our own clients. It is not a substitute for advice from someone who can see your wall, and where we are not qualified to advise, we say so.
First: what does your piece actually weigh?
As rough guidance for our work:
- Small framed tapestries: about 2–4 kg
- Medium framed tapestries: about 4–7 kg
- Large framed tapestries: about 8–15 kg
- Extra large and monumental works: 15–25 kg and up
- Rod-hung tapestries: significantly lighter than framed pieces of the same size
The two Huek panels above stand almost two metres tall — that is Elzbieta, who wove them, standing between them. Pieces at that scale are closer to hanging a cabinet than hanging a picture, and they deserve the same seriousness. The rest of that end of the catalogue is in the large woven wall hangings.
Second: what is your wall made of?
This matters more than the weight. The same 10 kg piece is trivial on brick and genuinely risky on plasterboard with the wrong fixing.
Brick, concrete, or solid masonry
The straightforward case. A correctly sized wall plug and screw will hold far more than any tapestry we make. Drill, plug, screw, done.
Plasterboard or drywall
The case that causes accidents. Plasterboard alone holds very little; a plain screw driven into it will pull out under a few kilograms, sometimes weeks later rather than immediately. You have two good options: fix into the timber studs behind the board — found with an inexpensive stud detector — or use proper cavity fixings rated well above the weight of your piece. For heavier works, fixing into studs is the option we would choose ourselves.
Timber, panelling, or something unusual
Ask someone local. This is exactly the point at which a hardware store or an installer earns their fee, and it is the reason we do not ship screws with our work.
Why we do not include screws or wall anchors
We are often asked about this, so the honest answer: installation conditions vary enormously between homes and between countries, and the correct fixing system depends on the wall material, the weight of the piece, and the mounting method. Including a generic plastic plug in the box would imply that it is the right one, and for a plasterboard wall it emphatically would not be.
Using incorrect wall anchors, especially on drywall or lighter interior walls, may result in the piece falling. Please verify your wall type and choose hardware appropriate for both the weight and the mounting method.
Hanging a framed tapestry
Every framed tapestry from our studio is prepared with four mounting brackets on the back — usually two near the top and two closer to the lower part of the frame. We recommend using all four points, not just the upper two. This holds the piece flush against the wall, spreads the load, and supports the structure of the frame over years rather than months.
The sequence that works:
- Measure the distance between the brackets carefully, on the piece itself rather than from the product page.
- Transfer those measurements to the wall, using a spirit level for the horizontal pair.
- Drill, insert fixings appropriate to your wall, and drive the screws leaving a few millimetres proud.
- Lift the piece onto the upper fixings first, then engage the lower ones.
For larger formats we strongly recommend installation by two people. Not because the weight is unmanageable, but because holding a large frame flat against a wall while locating four fixings alone is how frames get twisted and walls get scratched.
Hanging a rod-mounted piece
For works presented on a bamboo or metal rod, two screws or hooks are usually enough. Position them slightly beyond the outer edges of the textile, or in line with the rod length depending on the piece. Once the rod rests on the supports, the natural weight of the textile lets the tapestry fall into its intended shape — give it a few days to settle rather than pulling it into position.
Totipoa, at the top of this page, spans an entire wall and still hangs from a single rod, because the load is spread along its whole width rather than concentrated at two points. That is the quiet advantage of the rod format at scale. Always adapt the mounting to the weight of the work and the type of wall; the softer, fringed pieces in our boho wall hangings are the lightest to mount.
Height, spacing, and scale
The museum convention is to place the centre of a work at roughly eye level, about 145–150 cm from the floor. That works for a piece hung on its own on an open wall.
Above furniture, the rule changes: leave roughly 15–25 cm between the top of a sofa or sideboard and the bottom of the piece, so that the two read as one composition rather than two unrelated objects. And choose a width of around two-thirds of the furniture below — this is the single most common mistake we see. A tapestry that is too small above a wide sofa looks like an apology. If you are unsure, size up.
Our framed tapestries come in six standard sizes, and if none of them suits the wall, we weave custom dimensions — for many clients that turns out to be simpler than compromising.
Rooms that need extra thought
Stairwells and double-height spaces are where large weavings look their best, and also where installation is hardest — the entrance wall at the top of this page is exactly that kind of space. Plan how you will physically reach the fixing points before you buy, and consider whether the wall is reachable with a stepladder or needs a tower.
Bathrooms and steamy kitchens are not suitable for wool. Above radiators is workable but not ideal; hot dry air rising directly over a textile is not doing it any favours over years.
Frequently asked questions
Can I hang a framed tapestry with adhesive strips?
We would not. Adhesive hanging strips are rated for light frames and lose grip with temperature and humidity changes. Even our smallest framed pieces sit at the top of what those products claim, and the failure mode is the piece landing face-down.
Do I need a professional installer?
For small and medium framed pieces on solid walls, no — this is ordinary picture hanging done carefully. For heavy works, plasterboard walls, or high placements, the cost of an installer is small next to the value of the work.
Can a tapestry be re-hung in a different home?
Yes, repeatedly. Framed pieces in particular travel and re-hang well. Transport them upright and protected on the face.
What if I am not sure my wall can take it?
Ask before you buy, not after. Write to us with a photograph of the wall and we will tell you what to check. If your project involves several pieces or commercial installation, our trade programme includes installation support.
Full mounting details for every format are in our installation and care guide. If anything here does not match the piece in front of you, trust the piece and write to us.