Pulling the wire in from two closer-together hooks makes it sit higher than it did when you measured it flat between the D-rings. We use your wire drop and D-ring spacing to work out exactly how much higher — first calculating the full length of your wire, then figuring out how far it rises when pulled taut between the narrower hook spacing. That rise is subtracted from your marks, so the painting — not the hooks — ends up centered at the eye level you chose.
Want to see the exact math?
We work in four steps, using the four measurements you gave us: D-ring spacing, the distance from the top edge of the frame to the D-rings, wire drop, and your eye level.
Wire length. When your wire is pulled fully taut between the two D-rings, it forms a triangle. You measured both your D-rings and the wire's highest point down from the same top edge, so the difference between those two numbers is the triangle's height — how far the wire's highest point sits above your D-rings. Using that height and half your D-ring spacing, we find the length of half the wire with a Pythagorean theorem calculation, then double it for the total.
Hook spacing. We split your D-ring spacing into three equal parts: D-ring to hook, hook to hook, and hook to D-ring. That's why hooks sit a third of your D-ring spacing apart — it's the spacing that keeps all three segments equal.
How high the wire rises. With the hooks closer together than the D-rings, the wire's middle sits higher than it did when measured flat. We use the wire length from step 1 and the hook spacing from step 2 to calculate exactly how much higher.
Your final marks. We take your eye level, add half your frame height (to find the top of the frame), then subtract how much higher the wire sits. That gives the exact height for both pencil marks — so once hung, the center of your painting lands at the eye level you chose.
Let's Hang a Painting
Art never looks quite right when it's too high or too low. You might have heard it should be at eye level—but since hanging wires have "slack," you can't just hammer a nail and hope for the best. This app measures your frame and wire, then tells you exactly where your hook—or hooks—belong.
One hook or two?
One hook is quick and simple. Two hooks share the weight and keep the painting from tilting.
Before we begin
This app works for paintings with a single wire and one hook or nail, hung on an open wall.
Set your eye level
This is where the vertical center of your painting will sit. A painting often looks best when the midpoint is hung between 56–60 inches. We suggest 58 inches, but feel free to adjust if you wish.
in
Please enter a valid eye level to continue.
That's quite low for a painting's eye level — tap Next again to continue if this is intentional.
Measure the frame height
Measure the outer frame from top edge to bottom edge. Don't include any wire or hardware.
in
Please enter the frame height to continue.
Measure the wire drop
Flip the painting over. Pull the middle of the wire up as tight as it will go, then measure from the top edge of the frame down to the wire's highest point.
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A wire drop of 0 is possible if the wire is very tight, but most frames have some slack. If that's the case here, tap Next again to proceed.
Measure between the D-rings
Flip the painting over. Measure straight across from where the wire sits in one D-ring to where it sits in the other.
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Please enter the distance between the D-rings to continue.
Measure from the top edge of the frame to the D-rings
Still on the back: measure from the top edge of the frame straight down to where the D-rings hold the wire.
in
Please enter the D-ring distance from the top to continue.
Measure the wire drop
Pull the middle of the wire up as tight as it will go, then measure from the top edge of the frame down to the wire's highest point.
in
A wire drop of 0 is possible if the wire is very tight, but most frames have some slack. If that's the case here, tap Next again to proceed.
Here's your mark
Measure up from the floor and make a small pencil mark at:
--
Eye Level--
Frame Height--
Wire Drop--
Here are your marks
Make two pencil marks at the same height, centered where you want the painting. Both marks go at: