You’re thrilled because you’ve just brought home the perfect tapestry to really tie that one bland room together that’s been giving you trouble. You’re in love with everything – the colors, the pattern, the size, the way it complements the furniture. As you look around from wall to wall fantasizing about exactly how exactly you’re going to position it, you realize you may have overlooked one small detail… you’ve never hung a tapestry before. Whoops.
How To Hang A Tapestry With A Rod Pocket
Most commercial tapestries these days have a convenient pocket of fabric that runs along the top and back of the material for convenient hanging. (It looks pretty much like a curtain rod.) If your new decoration has one of these, you’re in luck! Your room is going to look transformed in no time.
Hang From Hanging Rod
There are plenty of decorative hanging rods (for tapestries or for curtains) in all kinds of colors and designs, so choose one that matches the rest of your room’s decor. Be sure to buy a rod that will fit into the rod pocket of your new tapestry. You want to find a rod that’s only slightly longer than the width of your tapestry, and that will support the weight of the tapestry if it’s made of a thicker, heavier material. (A rod that’s 1/2 an inch to 3/4 inch in diameter will hold a medium to large size tapestry under 10 pounds.)
Decide where you want the tapestry to hang on the wall. Ideally, the center of your tapestry should be eye level for a person of average height.
Drill holes spaced apart so that the brackets of your rod sit just slightly outside the edges of the tapestry. Measure with a level so you can ensure your tapestry doesn’t end up hanging crooked.
Secure the brackets to the wall using the holes you’ve drilled, making sure to use the correct screw for your wall type.
Feed the rod through one bracket hole, then through the tapestry’s rod pocket, then through the final bracket hole and secure the ends of the rod.
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How To Hang A Tapestry Without A Rod Pocket
If you find your tapestry doesn’t have a rod pocket, you can always attach one by sewing folded fabric along the back of the top edge. If the idea of getting near your brand new tapestry with a needle and thread freaks you out though, fair enough.
Mount Your Tapestry On A Frame Or Canvas
Stretch the tapestry along a solid canvas or wooden frame that’s smaller than the total length and width of the tapestry. Fold the extra tapestry around the sides to the back and staple down. Secure the tapestry to the wall using nails or screws as you would a painting.
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Tips
- Don’t use adhesives to mount tapestries to a wall, as it’s quite likely they will damage the textile.
- Never hang a tapestry on rings as the weight of the fabric may cause the material to drag and tear.
- Small nails or pushpins can work as a temporary hanging solution, but shouldn’t be used long term. These will eventually cut the threads of the material and create holes in the weaving.
