Pictures won’t stay straight!

“TILT” – PICTURES WON’T STAY STRAIGHT

 

Liz from Forest Creek in Round Rock asks: I probably have 50 or more framed pictures and paintings hanging on the walls of my home. Some are fairly pricey paintings but many are just framed photographs of our kids or places we’ve been, things we’ve done or people we know… My problem is that they don’t stay straight on the walls. I’ve tried tape but that doesn’t seem to work. Any suggestions?

The Cause

Liz, Let’s first look at the cause of this. Many people believe that there are gremlins that come out in the early, early hours of the morning and skew hanging artwork. They are nocturnal creatures and do this just for fun. In Pflugerville, they are known as the Wee Cockeyeds.

Then there’s always the possibility that someone in your house is deliberately putting them out of plum just to irritate you.

I however suspect that the heavier artwork that is hung from the back using wire are less susceptible to this than the lighter photos that hang from a bracket on the back of the frame. These are much more difficult to keep hanging straight.

The Catalyst

It may be that people in your household are brushing up against said artwork or that a door is left open and a breeze blows them out of whack. But much more likely is the phenomenon known to kids (especially teenagers) as the closing of the door. We as adults refer to this activity as slamming the door. Although homes in Forest Creek are generally solidly built, a well slammed door can reverberate through the walls, rattle dishes in the kitchen sink and cause wall-hangings to be lopsided.

The Solution

I too have tried wrapping tape, masking tape, electric tape, even duct tape. They dry and fail quickly. So the solution is:

Sticky Backed Velcro tape! One side adheres to the bottom of the frame and the other to the wall. And it’s adjustable. If you didn’t get it exactly straight the first time just peel the two sides apart and try again.

To be certain that your pictures are level you can get yourself a 10 inch “torpedo level” at Walmart down on Palm Valley (79) or drive over to the Home Depot or the Lowes by 35 and 45. Cost no more than 4 or 5 bucks.

That’s it for now!

Later, the Miracle Maid

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