Picture Hang Solutions

Picture Hanging Hardware & Supplies

Hanging Systems

Wall Buddies

 

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Keeps Pictures Level and Flush to Wall

Adds Strength and Stability to Frames

The Wall Buddies hanging system is offered in four different models, each designed specifically for either a wood or a metal frame.

Please read the specifications below carefully and make sure that you order the correct model and size for your application.

In essence, the Wall Buddies hanging system is a variation on--and a big improvement over--traditional sawtooth hangers.

All models of Wall Buddies Hangers are attached to the back of the frame at the top corners. Each set comes with two special wall hooks that catch and hold the sawtooth edges of the Wall Buddies Hangers and hold the frame snugly to the wall.

Large size Wall Buddies wall hooks are supplied with HWR-W-3300 (Wall Buddies for Large Wood Frames); smaller wall hooks are supplied with the other three types.

Do not substitute any other kind of wall hook when using Wall Buddies Hangers.

The two versions of Wall Buddies for wood frames (HWR-SW-4400 and HWR-W-3300) are supplied with the screws needed to secure them to the back side of a wood frame.

Small and Large Wall Buddies Hooks	Hook to Hanger Connection

The sawtooth edge of Wall Buddies Hangers allows the frame to be easily leveled on the special wall hooks without lifting the frame off the wall. Once adjusted, the frame will remain level.

One unique benefit of using Wall Buddies Hangers is that the hangers strengthen the upper corners of the picture frame--acting like corner braces--eliminating the stress on frame rails and corner joints that hook & wire hanging can produce on certain types of frames. This feature is welcome when hanging large pictures with narrow moulding, or any frame where potential frame stress from hook-and-wire hanging is an issue.

Wall Buddies Hangers are also a good choice for long or odd-size frames where standard hook & wire hanging methods would create too much outward lean of the picture from the wall.

Wall Buddies Hangers for wood frames come in two sizes, HWR-SW-4400 (small) and HWR-W-3300 (large). Use the small size for frames up to 24" x 30" (frames must be at least 6" wide) and the large size for frames larger 24" x 30."

Our Recommended Maximum Picture Weight: Do not hang pictures weighing more than 30 lbs. on HWR-W-3300 (large) Wall Buddies or more than 15 lbs. on HWR-SW-4400 (small) Wall Buddies.

The standard screw lengths we supply with the two wood frame Wall Buddies models will be appropriate for the majority of frames the hangers should be installed on. These standard screw lengths are noted in the table below.

We supply six (6) #4 x 3/8" screws with each set of HWR-SW-4400 and twelve (12) #4 x 1/2" screws with each set of HWR-W-3300. It is not always necessary to use all of the screws supplied. Often four screws are sufficient on the small wood frame version; eight or ten on the large. We supply the maximum number of screws possible to use with each set for those who want to be extra prudent.

If you wish, you can substitute a longer or shorter screw. The lengths available for substitution are listed in the table below. There is no extra charge for screw substitution.

Requesting a non-standard screw length for Wall Buddies hangers may delay the shipping of your order by a day or two.

To order a non-standard screw length for Wall Buddies, make your request at the time of ordering by using the Special Instructions/Comments box on the shopping cart form. Please be as specific and as clear as possible when making your request.

No action on your part is necessary if you want the standard screw length for your Wall Buddies order. Standard screws are sent automatically unless we receive a substitution request.

Always double check to make sure that the Wall Buddies screw length you use will not break out on the front face of your frames when the hangers are installed.

Reducing the length of hanger screws also reduces hanger holding power. Use shorter than standard screws only when absolutely necessary to avoid break out.

Wall Buddies Hangers for metal sectional frames are available in two models, Slide-In (steel) and Snap-In (plastic). The Slide-In model requires partial disassembly of your frame to install the hangers; the Snap-In model does not.

If you do not have prior experience assembling metal sectional frames, we recommend that you order the Snap-In type (see the instructions below to get an idea of what is involved). Both types are equally strong.

Our Recommended Maximum Picture Weight: Do not hang pictures weighing more than 15 lbs. on Metal Frame Wall Buddies.

Wall Buddies Plastic Snap-In Hangers are thicker (higher profile) than the other three models. To compensate for this extra thickness and allow the frame to hang plumb on the wall, Wall Buddies Snap-In Hangers come with two small plastic spacer tabs that snap into the metal frame's bottom rail channel on the back side of the frame--one at each bottom corner.

Metal Frame Snap-In, Underside	Snap-In Bottom Rail Spacers

 

Technical Note on Using Wall Buddies Hangers with Metal Frames

Wall Buddies Metal Frame Hangers will fit on all currently manufactured metal frames generically designated as #11 Profile moulding. This includes the metal moulding currently made by Nielsen, Clark, Designer, Alumaframe, Global Art, MCS, Decor and most OEM manufacturers. The #11 Profile category (and compatible profiles) constitute probably 95% of the current metal moulding market.

If you are installing older metal-framed pictures, you should be aware that metal frame moulding design has evolved over the years and Wall Buddies metal frame hardware may not fit inside the back channel of certain older, now obsolete style metal frames (typically pre-1980 manufacture).

There are a small number of these older extrusion profiles still being made, the so-called #186 Profile and #444 Profile. These profiles have a narrower back channel, measuring about 1/4" wide, compared to the standard 3/8" wide universal channel of the #11 Profile. Wall Buddies metal frame hangers will not fit on #186 or #444 profile metal frame moulding.

Wall Buddies metal frame hardware cannot be used on low-end crimped corner metal frames (also called "back-load" or "back-loaded" frames). Back-loaded metal frames do not have a back channel at all and look like this at the corners.

As long as the corner hardware and channel on the back side of your metal frame looks like this and the channel is 3/8" wide, Wall Buddies metal frame hardware will fit.

Manufacturer's Maximum Picture Weight Ratings

The Maximum Picture Weight Rating for each Wall Buddies model, as given by the manufacturer, is listed below.

For safety's sake we strongly suggest that you do not exceed more than half the manufacturer's maximum weight.

Please Note

• Wood framed pictures must be at least 6" wide to use Wall Buddies. Use standard sawtooth hangers if your frames are smaller than this.

• Metal framed pictures must be at least 11" wide to use Wall Buddies. Use a 5" Track Master hanger or a metal frame notched hanger if you have metal frames smaller than this that you want to hang without picture wire.

1. Place the frame face-down on a blanket or soft surface.
2. Install Wall Buddies Hangers on the back side of the frame at the top corners, just in from the edges of the frame, using the screws provided. Left and right hangers are marked. Depending on the weight of the frame, it may not be necessary to use all screws. Always pre-drill pilot holes for screws to prevent wood splitting.
3. Measure the distance between the arrow marks on the left and right hangers.
4. Nail the two special Wall Buddies wall hooks into the wall, spaced apart at this same distance and as level as possible. The wall hook nails should be located on the wall approximately 1 1/2" down from where you want the top of the frame to be for HWR-W-3300; about 1" down for HWR-SW-4400.
5. Hang the frame so that the sawtooth edges of each Wall Buddies Hanger rests on the exposed shank of the nail inside the special wall hooks.
6. With a slight lifting motion, slide the frame left or right to level it.

1. Place the frame face-down on a blanket or soft surface.
2. Carefully remove the metal springs under the frame top rail and set these aside.
3. Loosen the set screws on the steel corner plates at the top corners of the frame and then remove the top rail by gently pulling it directly back from the rest of the frame. Take care not to let the side rails splay out when removing the top rail.
4. Remove the steel corner plate and back plate from each end of the top rail.
5. Insert the left and right Wall Buddies Hangers into the channel of the top rail and replace only the tapped corner plates on top of the hangers. Discard the two back plates.
6. Reassemble the top rail into the rest of the frame. Be careful not to damage the glass or allow debris to enter the frame. Retighten the set screws on the tapped corner plates.
7. Reinstall the metal springs under the top rail.
8. Measure the distance between the arrow marks on the left and right hangers.
9. Nail the two special Wall Buddies wall hooks into the wall, spaced apart at this same distance and as level as possible. The wall hook nails should be located on the wall approximately 1 1/2" down from where you want the top of the frame to be.
10. Hang the frame so that the sawtooth edges of each Wall Buddies Hanger rests on the exposed shank of the nail inside the special wall hooks. With a slight lifting motion, slide the frame left or right to level it.

1. Place the frame face-down on a blanket or soft surface.
2. Snap the left and right Wall Buddies sections into the back side of the frame at the top corners.
3. Measure the distance between the center marks indicated on the left and right hangers.  
4. Nail the two special Wall Buddies wall hooks into the wall, spaced apart at this same distance and as level as possible. The wall hook nails should be located on the wall approximately 1 1/2" down from where you want the top of the frame to be.
5. Snap the two small plastic spacer tabs into the metal frame's bottom rail channel on the back side of the frame--one at each bottom corner.
6. Hang the frame so that the sawtooth edges of each Wall Buddies hanger rests on the exposed shank of the nail inside the special wall hooks.
7. With a slight lifting motion, slide the frame left or right to level it.

Related Pages

Track Master Hanger • Hook-Ups Standard Hanger • Hanging Systems Overview