How High to Hang a Canvas: Getting the Height Right the First Time

Most canvases that look wrong on a wall are hung too high. People put them where the wall looks empty, not where the eye wants to land. A few minutes of measuring puts a Letters in Linen canvas at the right height, and the same rule works for the one you design in the Canvas Builder.

The basic rule

Hang the centre of the canvas at around 145 to 150 cm from the floor. That is a comfortable eye level for most adults, and it keeps the words readable without craning. Measure to the middle of the canvas, not to the top, because a tall canvas and a short one then line up naturally with the eye.

Adjust for furniture

When a canvas hangs above furniture, treat the two as a unit. Leave about 20 to 25 cm between the top of a sofa, sideboard or bed and the bottom of the canvas. That gap makes the two feel connected. If you are tempted to go much higher, the canvas will look as if it is floating.

Adjust for who sees it

In a hallway or a landing, where people stand, the eye-level rule works well. In a room where people mostly sit, such as a dining room or a living room, hang a little lower. Think about where most eyes will be, not where yours are right now.

Allow for the words

A canvas with words low on the canvas, set at the bottom, looks best a touch higher on the wall. A canvas with words set at the top suits a slightly lower position. The Builder lets you choose, so think about the wall as you decide. Our guide to where to place your words explains how.

Measure once, mark once

1. Decide the centre height, and mark it lightly on the wall with a pencil. 2. Measure down from the top of the canvas to the hanging point, using the actual hook or wire when pulled tight. 3. Subtract that measurement from your centre height plus half the canvas height, and mark where the nail or hook goes. 4. Tape paper cut to the canvas size to the wall first, and check it by eye.

Check with a spirit level

Even a very slight tilt is obvious in a canvas with straight lines of text. Check the hook position and the canvas with a spirit level, and adjust before it is final. Our guide to hanging a canvas safely covers the fixings.