How to Use a Sawtooth Picture Hanger

Sawtooth picture and mirror hangers are one of the easiest to use pieces of hardware you can use. They’re easy to install and can support up to 20 pounds, and they fit flush to the wall. If your project is heavier than 20 pounds you will need to explore other options, such as a French cleat or D-rings and stranded wire. There are three basic types of sawtooth hangers: The first type is self-attaching, and the one that can only support up to 8 pounds, is the style with sharp insert points on the back side, the second type has 2 holes, is available in several sizes. Sawtooth hangers work well with framed pictures, inexpensive framed posters, and canvas art on a stretcher frame. The weight of the art will determine the type and size of the hanger.

To avoid damaging your artwork, or the face of the frame, place soft fabric, like a bed sheet, over a clean flat space, like a dining room table with pads on the top. The table’s surface and the padding should be large enough to support the entire front side of your project as this is where you will install the sawtooth hangers. The first thing to do is measure the width of the frame and mark the center point with a pencil. This is the point where you will mount the hanger. Now, using one finger, hang the frame from that finger at the center point. If it hangs level, that’s the point where you want the center of the hanger to be fixed. If the frame droops to one side, move your finger towards that side until it hangs level and mark that spot as this is where you will locate the hanger. For a wide frame, you could use 2 sawtooth hangers but, it is not recommended because you would find it very difficult to get the frame to hang level, as the beauty of a properly mounted sawtooth is that it makes leveling the frame a no-brainer.  Of course, you should always use quality hardware and some of the best you will find is Tech Team’s #839 sawtooth hanger set  https://techteamproducts.com/product-category/picture-and-mirror-hanging/  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JS1LBRQ?ref=myi_title_dp  has everything that you need. There is even a you tube video  https://youtu.be/h7GNlQPaCs8 or you can do a hey Alexa or hey Siri search for ore ideas.

Sawtooth picture and mirror hangers are one of the easiest to use pieces of hardware you can use. They’re easy to install and can support up to 20 pounds, and they fit flush to the wall. If your project is heavier than 20 pounds you will need to explore other options, such as a French cleat or D-rings and stranded wire. There are three basic types of sawtooth hangers: The first type is self attaching, and the one that can only support up to 8 pounds, is the style with sharp insert points on the back side, the second type has 2 holes, is available in several sizes. Sawtooth hangers work well with framed pictures, inexpensive framed posters, and canvas art on a stretcher frame. The weight of the art will determine the type and size of the hanger.

To avoid damaging your artwork, or the face of the frame, place soft fabric, like a bed sheet, over a clean flat space, like a dining room table with pads on the top. The table’s surface and the padding should be large enough to support the entire front side of your project as this is where you will install the sawtooth hangers. The first thing to do is measure the width of the frame and mark the center point with a pencil. This is the point where you will mount the hanger. Now, using one finger, hang the frame from that finger at the center point. If it hangs level, that’s the point where you want the center of the hanger to be fixed. If the frame droops to one side, move your finger towards that side until it hangs level and mark that spot as this is where you will locate the hanger. For a wide frame, you could use 2 sawtooth hangers but, it is not recommended because you would find it very difficult to get the frame to hang level, as the beauty of a properly mounted sawtooth is that it makes leveling the frame a no-brainer.

Count the teeth on the hanger to locate its center then put the center over the center mark on the frame making sure that the teeth face down and the long axis of the hanger is parallel to the long axis of the top frame rail. You will note that the tooth part of the hanger is relieved from the mounting flanges and / or the nail-in tabs. The flanges art the part that get mounted flush to the frame. This way a nail head on the wall will be able to engage the teeth on the hanger – same idea for the nail less style. For the nail less style, you only need to use a light hammer to tap the points into the wood of the frame making sure that they are driven in far enough so that the hanger flanges are flush to the frame. Keep in mind, this type of picture hanger is only recommended for light weight applications. For the screw on hanger, get it centered on the frame and mark the locations where the screws will go. Now measure the diameter of the screws you will use and using a drill bit that is 50% of this diameter drill pilot holes to a depth equal to the length of the screws. By taking this step, you will avoid the screws splitting, or cracking, the frame. Finally, use a screwdriver to anchor the hanger to the frame being careful not to overdrive the screws which would weaken their hold.

Obviously, the final step is to hang the art. Decide where you want it located, take the appropriate measurements, and place a screw, or a nail, at that point. Now it is only a matter of having the teeth of the hanger engage the head of the nail / screw and leveling the art.