When hanging shelves and pictures in your Dawsonville 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. So that you can avoid injury, you must know proper safety guidelines.
Take the time to do the job correctly– that is one of the things to know about hanging shelves and pictures safely. A rushed job may make your shelves both ugly and dangerous. Properly installed shelves can last for years though. Before beginning the job, you need to know where you want to place the shelves or pictures. Next, you need to gather the proper tools and materials.
A lot of homes have drywall for their interior walls. This is not strong enough to hold heavy objects. To hang shelves and large pictures, you will need to anchor them to the wooden studs in your walls. You might need a stud finder to find them. It is important to place shelf supports and picture hangers on wooden studs to keep the shelves and pictures from falling. This will prevent wall and floor damage as well as minimize the chances of injuring someone.
At this point, you can plan out the placement of your shelves and pictures. To ensure that your installation will result in proper placement, use a measuring tape, pencil, and a level. If you will be hanging shelves at a height that would require a ladder, make sure you use 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. If not done the right way, the outcome may look out of balance or unprofessional. As a general rule, the center of a framed picture should be located approximately 57 inches above the floor (this is eye level for the average person). Before proceeding to the next step, measure and mark the placement of each picture carefully.
Determining what type of screws, anchors, and brackets you will need to support the item’s weight is the next step. For shelves, be sure to include the weight of the objects that will be stored there. You can overestimate the weight, just to be safe. To place screws, anchors, and brackets in the studs and walls, you will probably need a drill driver or other power tool.
Ensure that you educate yourself on the proper use of your drill driver before attempting to use it for the first time. Hanging shelves or pictures on a brick or concrete wall will require a masonry bit and plastic anchors to install the screws required to hold the shelf or picture in place. It’s a great idea to have someone to help lift and steady things once you’re ready to install the shelf or picture. Get another pair of eyes to check out your work. An objective opinion on your placement and measurements never hurts, either.
Pictures can also be secured to the walls by other methods such as double-sided adhesives. This is an option you can go for if screws, drills, and power tools are not something you are comfortable working with. Remember, some adhesives may be permanent or removable. Choose the one that best suits your needs.
By taking a few precautions and choosing the right tools, you can start hanging shelves and pictures on the walls of your Dawsonville rental home in no time.
Need a new rental home to hang your art? Check out our current selection of rental listings and give Real Property Management Stellar a call at 706-864-5456. Our Dawsonville property managers will gladly assist you.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.