Picture rail molding

Consider stepping back in time, to more than a century ago, to discover an elegant, damage-free and flexible option for hanging pictures or artwork.

Picture rail molding consists of one and one-half- to two-inch strips of painted wooden molding that adhere high on walls, usually at the same level as tops of window trim, and run parallel to the floor throughout the room.

This molding looks sharp and even adds an element of elegance to a room. But it also performs a workman-like function: supporting metal or wire hangers that suspend pictures or artwork on walls. Hence the name: picture rail molding.

Our ancestors often used picture rail molding to hang their pictures or art at a time when putting holes for hooks or nails into traditional plastered walls was difficult or impossible. If the picture-hanger could get a hole through the hard plaster, the puncture usually cracked the brittle plaster, seriously damaging the wall.

Now, an old solution has become fashionable and practical again. Even for those who don’t have old-fashioned plaster walls, picture rail molding is an aesthetically pleasing approach to art or picture hanging that looks sharp and works as well as it ever did to avoid wall damage.

Picture rail molding is the perfect solution for anyone who frequently rotates pictures or artwork in a space. This can include an art-inspired homeowner or the owner or manager of an office or commercial space who seeks a regularly freshened look. These systems also work ideally for apartments or other rented spaces, where the landlord doesn’t want new tenants breaking into walls to decorate with hanging pieces.

The molding looks a lot like chair rail, but is placed high on a wall. Wire or rails hang on th top of the molding and drop down, supporting the pictures or art below, usually up to 60 pounds.

Hanging a heavier item? Picture rail molding still works. Just make sure the molding is properly secured to the wall. Then opt for stronger (usually heavier-gauge) wire, rails or even fine chain to do the job.