Who it is for
It is for collectors and commercial rooms with a piece whose weight or size needs a cleat, a rail, or two people. It is the wrong job if the structure itself has not been checked.
Heavy & Oversized Artwork Fixing
Heavy and oversized fixing is for pieces that cannot sit on a domestic picture hook, such as large canvases and long panels. It is a two-person visit across the UK when the wall can take the load. Send the weight, the wall, and the postcode on the quote form, or WhatsApp the same details.
- 485Reviews recorded for this studio
- InsuredPublic liability covers the installation visit
- QuotedThe price is set from the piece, the wall, and access
- FRM-399Heavy frames are not left on unsafe cord or wire
FRM-399 is published hanging guidance from the Fine Art Trade Guild. We are not stating a Guild membership.
How the work varies
French cleats
A timber or metal cleat when the frame can take one and the wall can take the load.
Masonry anchors
Used in brick and concrete after we know what is behind the plaster.
Two-person lifts
Required when one person cannot offer the work to the wall without loading the frame edge.
Included, and what we do not do
- A load check before the lift
- A fixing specified for that wall
- The piece seated and level
- A second look at the fixing once the weight is on it
- We do not provide a structural engineer’s calculation.
- We do not hang a piece from a ceiling grid.
- We do not proceed if the wall is hollow and the weight needs masonry we cannot reach.
The visit
- Weigh or read the given weight
- Choose the fixing
- Drill and test
- Lift, engage, and check
How the quote is built
Heavy work is quoted as a two-person visit plus the hardware. The quote changes if the wall is concrete, the piece cannot come up the stairs in one piece, or a lift is needed.
- Given weight
- Stair and door clearance
- Concrete, stud, or stone
- Whether a cleat has to be made to the frame
When people book, and how to prepare
People book when a canvas has torn its wire, a sculpture shelf has pulled out, or a new work will not fit the hook left by the last piece.
Tell us the weight if you have it from the gallery or shipper. Clear the stair if we are carrying it up.
Do not test a heavy work by pulling down on the frame. If it shifts, stop and book a return.
Questions on this service
How heavy is too heavy for a hook?
A bent light hook is already too light. If the piece is awkward for one person, we price it as a heavy visit.
Do you need the weight in writing?
It helps. Without it we judge from the frame, the crate, and a test of the wall, and we will refuse the hang if that is not enough.
What fixing is used for a heavy canvas?
A cleat, a rail, or masonry anchors, chosen after the weight and the wall are known. A domestic picture hook is not used for this work.
Do you need a structural calculation?
We do not supply an engineer’s calculation. If the wall or the building needs one, that has to exist before we drill.
Areas we cover
Other services
All services
Picture Hanging & Alignment
Level, spaced, and fixed so a single frame or a full gallery wall sits exactly where you planned it.
View service
Mirror Installation
Secure fixing for hallway, bathroom, and statement mirrors, including heavy glass.
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Gallery Artwork Installation
Hanging for private galleries and home collections, from a salon wall to a single work.
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Corporate Office Display Hanging
Reception art, meeting-room sets, and branded displays installed around a working office.
View service