How to Hang a Canvas Print (and How to Clean It)

Short answer: To hang a canvas print, mark the spot, fix a nail or screw hook in the wall, hang the canvas by the hanger or wire on the back and check it with a spirit level. Centre it about 145 to 152 cm (57 to 60 in) from the floor. To clean it, dust it with a soft, dry cloth, and for a stubborn mark use a barely damp microfiber cloth, never a soaked one and never a spray.

A canvas is one of the easiest prints to hang. It is light, it has no glass and mine arrive with a hanging kit. A few details decide whether it ends up straight, safe and looking good for years, so here is the method I use, together with advice from print shops and framing experts.

What you need

You don't need much: a pencil, a tape measure, a spirit level, a hammer or a drill and screwdriver, and a hook, nail or screw that suits your wall. For plasterboard or brick use a matching wall plug. A second pair of hands helps, because holding a canvas level against the wall while you check it is easier with two people.

How to hang a canvas print, step by step

1. Pick the wall and check behind it. Make sure no cables or pipes run behind the spot where you want to drill. Avoid a wall that gets hours of direct sun, and keep canvas away from the cooker and the shower (more on that in Canvas vs Framed Print).
2. Choose the height. With nothing below the picture, centre it at 145 to 152 cm (57 to 60 in) from the floor, which is roughly eye level and the height most galleries use. Print shop Tribeca Print Works gives about the same range, 56 to 60 in. Above a sofa or bed it is different: leave 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 in) above the sofa back or 15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 in) above the headboard, as explained in the wall art size guide.
3. Mark where the hook goes. Hold the canvas against the wall and draw a light pencil line along its top edge. Then measure from the top edge down to the hanger on the back (or, with a wire, pull the wire taut and measure to its highest point). The hook goes that distance below your line. Helloprint points out that the canvas will hang slightly above a mark made on the wall, so measure rather than guess.
4. Fix the hook. A nail is enough for a small, light canvas. For a bigger one, or for plasterboard, use a screw with a wall plug or a hook rated for the weight. Check the rating on the pack.
5. Hang it and level it. Lift the canvas onto the hook and put a spirit level on the top bar. If it tilts, shift the canvas a little, or move the hook if it is wrong by more than a few millimetres.
6. Add small bumpers. Self adhesive felt or rubber pads on the bottom corners of the back keep the canvas from tilting and from rubbing the paint. Tribeca recommends them too.

Which hanging method to use

There is more than one way to hang a canvas, and the right one depends on the size and on how much you want to avoid holes.

Method	Good for	Keep in mind
Hanger on the back and a nail or hook	Most canvases	Centre the hanger near the top of the wooden frame so the picture hangs flat.
Wire between two D-rings	Larger canvases	Fix the rings about a third of the way down the back and leave a little slack in the wire.
Nail with the top bar resting on it	A quick fix without a hanger	Leave the nail sticking out enough to carry the wooden bar, and use more than one nail for a bigger canvas.
Adhesive picture strips	Rented flats and light canvases	Strips have a weight limit (Tribeca mentions about 16 lb or 7 kg for large ones) and Helloprint warns that they won't hold a large, heavy canvas for long. I would only use them on the smallest size, on a clean, smooth wall.

My canvases are fabric on slim 2 cm wooden bars, so they are light, and a single hook is usually enough even for the 60x90 cm size. If you would rather give it a frame, read the section on framing a canvas in Canvas vs Framed Print.

How to clean a canvas print

Most of the time, dusting is all a canvas needs. The rest is a few things to avoid.

• Dust regularly. Go over the whole surface and the sides with a soft, dry cloth or a feather duster whenever you dust the room.
• For a mark, use a barely damp microfiber cloth. Wring it out until it is only slightly moist, wipe lightly and rinse the cloth often, so you don't spread the dirt. Lumaprints suggests a mild soap solution if plain water doesn't do it. I would test any cleaning on the back edge of the canvas first.
• Let it dry completely before it goes back on the wall, because trapped moisture can lead to mould.
• Avoid chemical cleaners, sprays, sponges and brushes, hard rubbing, and soaking the canvas. They can lift the ink or damage the fabric.
• For a stain that won't come off, ask a professional art cleaner instead of trying stronger products.

How to clean a framed print

The plexiglass on a framed print is easier to look after, but it scratches more easily than glass. Use a soft, lint free microfiber cloth with mild soap and water, or a cleaner made for acrylic. Skip ammonia based glass cleaners and vinegar, which can damage acrylic, and skip paper towels, which can scratch it. Put the liquid on the cloth, not on the picture, so it doesn't run under the edge of the frame. The wooden frame itself only needs a dry cloth.

Keeping a canvas looking good

Where you hang it matters as much as how you clean it. Direct sun fades colours over the years, steam and grease are hard on fabric, and the more a print is touched, the sooner it needs a clean. A calm wall in indirect light, away from the cooker, the shower and the radiator, is the best place for a canvas. You'll find ideas for the right wall in my Living Room and Bedroom collections, and every picture is available as a canvas print in three sizes.

Last updated: October 2026

Read next: Wall Art Size Guide: What Size Art Goes Above a Sofa or Bed (and How High to Hang It) and Canvas vs Framed Print: Which One Suits Your Room?

About the author

Soma is the photographer behind CozyPhoto4u, capturing Vienna architecture, city nights and nature with a real camera. Every photo in the shop is Soma's own work, never AI generated, and available as a canvas or framed print.

Frequently asked questions

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How do you hang a canvas print?

Mark the height on the wall, fix a nail or screw hook, hang the canvas by the hanger or wire on the back and check it with a spirit level. Centre it at about 145 to 152 cm (57 to 60 in) from the floor if nothing stands below it.

How high should I hang a canvas print?

Hang the centre of the picture at roughly eye level, 145 to 152 cm (57 to 60 in) from the floor. Above a sofa or bed, leave 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 in) above the sofa back or 15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 in) above the headboard.

Can you hang a canvas print without nails?

Yes, with adhesive picture strips, but only for a light canvas on a clean, smooth wall. Strips have a weight limit, so check the pack, and I would not use them for the larger sizes.

How do you hang a canvas print without a hanger or wire?

Drive a nail into the wall so that it sticks out far enough to carry the top wooden bar, and rest the canvas on it. For a larger canvas use two nails. My canvases come with a hanging kit, so you shouldn't need this.

How do you clean a canvas print?

Dust it with a soft, dry cloth or a feather duster. For a mark, wipe gently with a microfiber cloth that is only slightly damp, then let it dry fully. Don't soak it, don't spray it and don't use chemical cleaners or rough sponges.

Can you hang a canvas print in a bathroom or kitchen?

Only with good ventilation and away from steam, splashes and grease. Moisture is bad for the fabric and the wooden bars. Read more in Canvas vs Framed Print.