When hanging shelves and pictures in your Summerville 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, it is important that you know and obey the 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. To avoid having shelves that are both ugly and dangerous, make sure to take time installing it. Properly installed shelves can last for years. Before you start the job, you need to know where you want to place the shelves or pictures. Next, you have to gather the proper tools and materials.
Check if your home is one of those that have drywall for their interior walls since this material 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 will probably need a stud finder to find them. To avoid damaging walls and floors and perhaps even injuring someone, it is important to place shelf supports and picture hangers on wooden studs to keep the shelves and pictures from falling.
Now you can 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. Hanging shelves at a height that would require a ladder will also require you to 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. The result may look out of balance or unprofessional if not done properly. 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). Carefully measure and mark the placement of each picture before proceeding to the next step.
Next, 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 all right to 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.
Educate yourself on the proper use of your drill driver before attempting to use it for the first time. If you are going 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. Ask for help when you’re about to install the shelf or picture. Ask someone to help lift and steady things while you work. Asking for a second 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. Choose the right adhesive for your needs. Remember, some adhesives may be permanent or removable.
By taking a few precautions and choosing the right tools, you can start hanging shelves and pictures on the walls of your Summerville 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 Distinguished Care a call at 828-342-9683. Our Summerville property managers will gladly assist you.
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