Whenever you are hanging shelves and pictures in your Wilmington rental home, it is crucial to do so as safely as possible. Household accidents and falls result in over 30 million doctor’s office and emergency room visits each year. To avoid injury, understanding well, and complying with proper safety guidelines are very necessary.
The very first detail to figure out regarding hanging shelves and pictures safely is to take the time to do the job correctly. Properly installed shelves can last for years, however, a job that’s done hastily can make your shelves both ugly and dangerous. Before you even start, you should need to know where you want to place the shelves or pictures and then gather the proper tools and materials.
Most homes have drywall for their interior walls, which is not strong enough to hold heavy objects. To hang shelves and large pictures, you will surely need to anchor them to the wooden studs in your walls. To distinguish and find them, you may want to use a stud finder. It is crucial to place shelf supports and picture hangers on wooden studs to keep the shelves and pictures from falling, in all probability affecting walls and floors and potentially even getting someone injured.
Following that, plan out the placement of your shelves and pictures. Use a measuring tape, pencil, and a level to ensure that your installation will result in proper placement. Once you are hanging shelves at a height that would require a ladder, always remember to observe proper safety precautions. Ladders alone injure more people than any other household accident.
For pictures, the height at which you hang your pictures is critical. In case that gets done unsatisfactorily, the effect could look out of balance or unprofessional. As a general guide, the center of a framed picture should be located approximately 57 inches above the floor (this is eye level for the average person). Measure and mark the placement of each picture with caution before starting off to the next procedure.
Then, you would have to determine what type of screws, anchors, and brackets you will need to support the item’s weight. For shelves, be sure to include the weight of the objects that will be stored there. It is a great idea to overestimate the weight, just to be safe. To place screws, anchors, and brackets in the studs and walls, you might need a drill driver or other power tool.
See to it to educate yourself on the proper use of your drill driver before attempting to use it for the first time. In case you want to hang shelves or pictures on a brick or concrete wall, that would require a masonry bit and plastic anchors to install the screws required to hold the shelf or picture in place. Once you’re ready to install the shelf or picture, think of calling for someone there with you to assist lift and steady things. And a different perspective on your placement and measurements never hurts, either.
If screws, drills, and power tools are not something you are comfortable handling, pictures can also be secured to the walls by other methods such as double-sided adhesives. Remember, some adhesives may be permanent or removable, so make sure to just choose the one that best conforms to your requisites and needs.
By taking a few precautions and choosing the right tools, you can start hanging shelves and pictures on the walls of your Wilmington rental home in no time.
Need a new rental home to hang your art? Have a look at our current selection of rental listings and give Real Property Management Champion a call at 910-782-4488 to talk with one of our Wilmington property managers today.
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