3 Ways to Hang a Panel Print

Panel prints are prints that have no sort of hanging hardware on them. Aside from being easy to produce without the fuss of adding any hanging hardware that extends out, they are relatively easy to package and ship. When I talk about panel prints, I am referring to images printed directly on Chromaluxe® HD Metal Prints, Dibond® Metal Prints, Gatoboard® Prints and a few more in which you do not have to opt for any hanging hardware. I suppose it can also include paper prints which are mounted to Gatorboard® or even artboard but, generally prints which are mounted are almost always destined to be framed. You of course can frame a panel print but many times people want to hang them by themselves. So, the question may arise on how best to do this.

Velcro Strips

Everyone should know what Velcro is. It’s what anyone five and under or 70 and over has on their sneakers instead of shoelaces. In case you are NOT familiar with them, Velcro consists of two strips, one has more rigid fibers and the other will have a more felt like feel. The rigid fibers are meant to bond with each other and can hold a substantial amount of vertical pressure. Velcro makes an excellent option to hang pictures and panels. In order to use Velcro strips, you will need to find ones that have adhesives on both sections. This can be a little difficult to determine what is appropriate, but I would closely read the label to see which is rated for walls.  I have found these at places such as JoAnn’s Fabrics, Michaels and Hobby Lobby.

These come in a variety of sizes and strengths. Make sure that you use ones suitable for handling the weight of the panel on a wall.

Command Strips

These are the easiest to find and function in a similar fashion as Velcro.  Unlike Velcro, each side is the same and there are hundreds of plastic fiber hooks that latch onto each other. In addition to Amazon of course, they will be at almost any big box hardware store such as Home Depot and Lowes. I also see them at my local supermarket, Walmart of Target. Just make sure you use the proper ones based on weight constraints.

Command Strips come in a different weight categories. These 4 lb strips are okay for smaller panels but you can also find ones rated up to 16 lbs. Easily found at places like Walmart to Amazon.

Silicon Tape Strips

This is perhaps my favorite. Care should be used when seeking these out. You want to make sure they are removable and are not meant to damage the wall. You may find them at your local hardware store, but I have easily found them on Amazon. These usually come in rolls of about 10 to 15 feet. Cut four of these into strips of three to four inches with scissors and place on the back of the print. One side will already be sticky and will stick to your panel and the wall facing side will have a release liner which you will peel away.

EZlifego Double Sided Tape is  a one that we recommend. There are other brands almost identical and they can easily be found on Amazon.

How to Apply and Hang

I prefer to mark where I am going to position the panel beforehand with some masking or blue painters tape. When doing this, position just above where the top of the panel should be located so you have a visual reference to line up the panel. Use a level surface to make sure the tape is perfectly horizontal.

Apply the strips. I find that about four in each corner is sufficient for almost any panel up to about 30×40. Once you go any larger,  you may want to use more than just the four in the corners. These should be positioned vertically. In the case of the Velcro and Command Strips, you will want to have both sides attached.

Place strips (about 3″ per strip) on each corner of the back of the panel. Position them so they are vertical for maximum weight distribution handling.

Once these are placed on the back of the panel in each corner, remove the release liner from the strips and position the panel on the wall  lined up with the tape.

Press firmly on each corner.

Finally, remove the reference tape you first applied to the wall and admire your work!

All these are meant to be removable and can be repositioned several times on any smooth or not overly textured interior wall. If your wall has a pebbled or slight stucco texture to it, then any of these options should still work however, I would consider applying a small nail or thumbtack to the section on the wall if using the Velcro or Command Strip option. Avoid hanging directly on any sort of brick and do not use outside. For outside hanging you will probably need to come up with a more permanent solution that involves industrial strength glues.

None of these are meant to harm the paint on your wall however, since I cannot account for all types of paints and surfaces, please do this at your own risk. Just like for outside, there are other options such as adhesives and glues however, a glue is probably meant to be permanent and will take the finish off the wall if you try to remove the panel.

I should mention that any of these options can also work for canvas and some frame options. Frames tend to be heavier, especially when you add acrylic glass; however, in most cases these should be able to accept the weight of a stretched and mounted canvas print. Some of the smaller sized frames and canvas will usually come with a sawtooth hanger, but personally I am not a big fan of these. So, if you are like me, you may want to remove it and try one of these options.

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3 Replies to “3 Ways to Hang a Panel Print”

  1. I really enjoy FINERWORKS. I’ve been using them for years on the gifts I make from images — always first class and the support I have received over the years has been exemplary. I take every opportunity to recommend you and your services.

    This was good scoop on hanging prints ….. never thought of this. Thank you !!

  2. Really helpful. I have avoided this printing option because I did not know how to advise a client on hanging. Thanks!

  3. Great article, thank you. I’ve been using the Command Strips on my panel prints from FinerWorks and they work great! If you pay attention to the size and weight, the strips hold the piece securely and can be removed easily from both the wall and the print if you need to move the panel. The strips are cheap and easy to find, and they make the print float slightly above the wall which looks really nice.

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