Fix a picture that won't hang straight

Sort out why your picture hangs wonky, then rehang it level with the right fixing for your wall type.

FP-01Work out why it's hanging crookedTake the picture off the wall and look at the back. A single central hook or one nail lets a frame pivot and drift off level every time it's touched. Uneven hanging wire, or D-rings fitted at slightly different heights, does the same thing. If you see only one hanging point, that's almost certainly your problem.

FP-02Plan a two-point fixing insteadTwo fixing points, level with each other, stop a frame swinging or tilting. If your frame has D-rings or eyelets, fine — you'll fix through those. If it only has a single hook or wire, fit two small screw eyes into the frame's back, about 50mm in from each side, at the same height.

1 each · Screw eyes (pack of 10)

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FP-03Remove the old fixing from the wallPull out the old nail, hook or picture hook with pliers, working gently so you don't chip the plaster. Fill the hole with a dab of filler if it's more than a couple of mm wide, and leave it to dry while you do the next steps.

1 each · Multi-purpose filler (small tube)

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FP-04Work out what's behind the wallRun a stud detector or a strong magnet across the wall where you plan to fix. A magnet that catches on a line of screw heads roughly 400mm or 600mm apart means plasterboard on timber or metal studs — tap either side of that line and listen for a hollow sound between them. If you're not sure, drill a small pilot hole: pale dust means timber stud or masonry behind, fine grey swarf means metal stud, and a hole that goes in easily for 10mm then hits nothing solid usually means dot-and-dab or a stud gap. Lath and plaster feels slightly springy and sounds different again — thin timber laths under old lime plaster, common in pre-1930s houses.

1 each · Stud detector

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FP-05Mark your two fixing points levelMeasure the gap between your two D-rings, eyelets or screw eyes on the back of the frame. Hold the frame roughly where you want it, mark the top edge lightly in pencil, then use your spirit level to mark two points at that height, spaced to match the gap you measured.

FP-06Before you drill: check for cables and pipes, and choose your fixingCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, not just in the usual safe zones, and a cheap detector can miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, or behind metal-backed plasterboard — a metal stud frame can confuse the detector further. Sweep the area with your detector, then still treat the wall as if something's there until you've drilled a shallow test hole and checked what came out. Find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns freely before you start, so you can shut the water off fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling. For a picture frame this is nearly always a light job, but the check only takes a minute and it's worth doing every time.

FP-07Drill and fit the fixing for your wall typeSolid brick or block: drill 6mm to 7mm, 35–40mm deep, fit a wall plug and a picture hook screw or 40mm screw. Plasterboard on timber studs: drill a 2–3mm pilot hole into the centre of the stud and drive in a 40mm wood screw directly — no plug needed. Plasterboard on metal studs: never use a wood screw or plastic plug, they strip straight through 0.5mm steel — use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or hollow-wall toggle rated for the weight. Fixing into plasterboard between studs (no stud there): use a plasterboard toggle or spring-toggle fixing rated for at least double the picture's weight. Dot-and-dab: use a fixing long enough to pass through the plasterboard, the adhesive dabs and reach solid masonry behind — usually 60–75mm, with a suitable plug. Lath and plaster: drill through a lath where possible, not just the gap between laths, and use a longer plug or a plasterboard-rated toggle, as the plaster alone will crumble.

1 each · Wall plugs (mixed pack)

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1 each · Picture hook screws or 40mm wood screws (pack)

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1 each · Metal-stud self-drilling fixings (pack of 4)

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1 each · Plasterboard spring toggles (pack of 4)

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FP-08Hang the picture and check it's levelLift the frame onto both fixings at once so the weight is shared evenly from the start. Rest your spirit level along the top edge and nudge the frame until it reads level. Give it a light push on each corner — it shouldn't rock or tilt.

FP-09Tidy upVacuum or brush up any drilling dust from the floor and skirting. Bin the old fixing and any offcuts. Wipe the frame and wall down if there's plaster dust on either.

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