In June 2022 we will be increasing our prices after more than 10 years of keeping them steady. 🙁
Over this period we have absorbed incremental price rises from various suppliers and sought to offset these with ever greater business efficiencies.
Unfortunately we have experienced a large shift in the price of our factors of production which cannot be offset. As an example, our courier & freight bill alone has increased by more than 400% since before COVID-19.
Recently we added a range of picture hanging hardware with the mindset of supplying great quality and innovative products that fill users with confidence when hanging art.
We began this journey by purchasing samples from a number of manufacturers around the globe for evaluation.Early on it became obvious that whilst many of the components looked similar they certainly were not!
When considering the samples we compared the following:
Thickness & weight of materials used
Finish of the materials
Design of components
Craftsmanship of production – some pieces were much better stamped, created and assembled than others
At this point we discarded a number of manufacturers who didn’t meet our standard and proceeded to additional testing with the remainder.One of the key tests here was a ‘load test’ as per the video of the ‘strap hanger load test’ above.
Whilst we do not recommend using any product outside it’s specification we want to demonstrate to you that we take product testing seriously so that you can be confident in the products we supply. We hope you find the ‘load test video’ useful.
It is our intention to continue to add products to our range inline with this philosophy.Please do contact us if you have any requests or feedback.
Both ‘The Gallery System’ and ‘Slimline Art Hanging System’ have some ability to absorb fluctuations that regularly occur in walls due to age or bricks that weren’t originally expected to be seen.Sometimes a compromise has to be made but usually a solution can be found.It is also true to say that both systems can conform to minor curves in walls although we highly recommend using extra wall anchors and fixings when installing in this fashion and certainly the ‘Slimline Art Hanging System’ is more forgiving in this application.
If however, you have some architecturally or otherwise design curved walls on which you are wanting to place a picture hanging system, then we have the solution for you!The process is called ‘cold rolling’ and we have been working on developing a process to ensure we can provide neat curves to your specifications without damaging the surface of the track which would traditionally require refinishing at great expense.
For simply curves, please contact us with the radius of the required curves and the circumference lengths for a quotation.We love a challenge though, should you have a more complex requirement please provide a drawing with the relevant specifications.
That’s all for this week! Do let me know if you have any picture hanging system questions!
Over the years however we have had one reoccurring issue that sometimes causes the system not to work correctly or at all!
If we look at the ‘Lighting Wand’ we can see that it has two prongs designed to bite into the low voltage ‘blue cable’ and provide current to the globe.It is very important that these prongs make a good connection to provide the appropriate current to the globe.Interestingly, in days gone by when we used incandescent globes, the globes would light up even if a proper connection was not made.However, modern LED globes are far more digital and if they don’t receive a minimum current will not light up at all.
So, how do we ensure the Lighting Wand prongs are making appropriate contact with the blue cable?
This is simply a case of installing the wands using the following method:
1. Turn the ‘key’ on the lighting wand to open the lock and allow the wand to mate with the track.
2. Place the wand on the track with the flat edge of the lighting wand firmly (and flatly) against the track.
3. Using your hands, squeeze the lighting wand down onto the track and in turn seating the prongs into the blue cable.
4. Now lock the lighting wand in place with the key.
The secret here is to ensure that the lighting wand is squeezed into place with one’s hands before locking it in place with the key.Using the key to lock the wand in place without squeezing it down will lead to a poor connection at best and most likely no connect at all; subsequently the system not functioning correctly.
Once you have done this once or twice it becomes second nature and is a quick and easy way of ensuring ‘The Gallery Lighting System’ is properly setup and will function correctly.
That’s all for this week, if you have any picture hanging system questions, please do let me know.As always, I’d be delighted to help.
Are you looking for a Picture Hanging System from IKEA?
Over the years we have had a number of customers that have been looking for a Picture Hanging System they viewed at IKEA but actually IKEA has never sold a system in Australia!
Don’t despair, we can help you hang your PJÄTTERYD pictures and Ribba frames with our brilliant range of picture hanging systems and hanging products. Sure… they were designed by a bloke named Bruce and not a lad called Lars but we are confident you will find our Aussie designed (and it some cases made) products up to the task of displaying your decor!
As you have managed to find this secret post, apply the following code (or mention it to team member on the phone) to receive a 10% discount on your order. (valid until 30/09/2019)
‘Mutto Dots are a characteristic family of hooks that make a friendly addition to any wall’ is what is written on the box and I quite agree!
The problem with these friendly hooks is that they can be decidedly unfriendly if you are trying to install them into a hollow wall as inevitably your better half will not want them placed inline with the existing studs. This means you have to try and secure the large (14 gauge) self tapping screw which comes with the Muuto Dot directly into the board; a task which means installing extra timber in the wall, patching and repainting… until now…
The GeeFix Fixings are the ideal solution to this problem. The fixing itself is more than capable of handling the weight of your wifes handbag, your Child’s school bag or evening your child! (Although climbing on them is very much not recommended!) More importantly they are able to accept a wide range of threads including that which comes with the Muuto Dot.
We recommend the following installation method in plasterboard or hollow board walls:
1. Decide where the ‘Muuto Dots’ are to be installed and lightly mark with a pencil.
2. With a stud finder (or the tapping method) identify if any are on or near the studs. Any that are on the edge of a stud consider moving across.
3. Install any that are on the stud by drilling a hole and screwing the ‘Muuto Dot’ in.
4. Where a stud cannot be found, install a ‘GeeFix’ Fixing as per the instructions. (In addition to the fixing you will require a 25mm hole saw or spade bit)
5. With the GeeFix Fixing in place, simply screw the ‘Muuto Dot’ into place.
6. Stand back and enjoy your handy work, knowing the Dot has been well secured and will not require further attention in the future.
Can I use this method if I has already tried installing the ‘Muuto Dots’ without the ‘GeeFix’ Fixings? Yes, absolutely! One of the great features of these fixings, is that you can remove any existing fixing by drilling around it with a hole saw and replacing with a ‘GeeFix’
‘GeeFix’ Fixing can be purchased in packs of 4, 5 or 50 on the product page. Alternatively if you are interesting in retailing the ‘GeeFix’ Fixings please contact me directly. Please do let me know if we can assist with this product or any of our Picture Hanging Systems.
The ‘push button hooks’ for ‘The Gallery System’, the ‘Slimline Art Hanging System’ and our picture rail hangers are the most popular units we sell.They allow the use to adjust the height of the hook without using a tool, which means pieces can be adjusted without being entirely removed; saving a great deal of time especially when making those millimetre perfect adjustments.But exactly what do you need to do use them?
If you inspect the ‘push button hook’ you will note that the wire enters a tube at the top and passes through the centre.This tube also activates the clutch mechanism which releases the hook and allows it to move.As such, adjustment is simply a case of removing the weight from the hook and pressing this tube inward toward the centre and sliding the hook as required.Releasing the tube locks the hook in place.
As you become comfortable with the hook you will not that the hook can be slide up without pressing the tube.As such, it can sometimes be easier to start the hook a little lower and then simply edge the hook up into its desired position.
If you have any questions about any of our picture hanging systems, please don’t hesitate to contact me; call, send me an email or chat online.
‘The Gallery System’ and the ‘Slimline Art Hanging System’ are wall mount picture hanging systems and we often receive the question, ‘at what height should I place the track (or rails) on wall?’Let me walk you through all the considerations we discuss with clients when helping to make this decision.
In general terms you want to go as high as you can allowing yourself the greatest amount of gallery space possible.However, if you are lucky enough to have very high ceilings, you should firstly check to ensure that droppers are available in the appropriate length to suit and further, you should consider how the end user will add and remove droppers as pieces are changed.It may or may not be appropriate to have staff or loved ones climbing high ladders especially when there may be no benefit to having the track so high – ie when the viewer can only enjoy the pieces from the floor.
The ceiling height is most regularly used as a guide, however, it is very much worth checking all the walls to ensure the cornice or ceiling is in fact straight and true.Even a good ceiling can dip by a few millimetres here and there; we have seen some that dip by as much as an inch (25mm) – not visibly noticeable when going about daily life but very noticeable when a straight edge is placed against it.If you are confident that your cornice or ceiling is straight, then by all means go ahead and use this as a guide or install firmly against it if possible.If it turns out that it is not as straight as perhaps it should be, we highly recommend lowering the track height by 40 to 60mm from the lowest point and using a laser line or straight edge and pencil as a guide.
If super height ceilings are not your problem or you don’t wish to use the ceiling height as a guide for the track, you should consider other visual elements in the room.The traditional Victorian picture rail (for which we carry some great hardware by the way!) was regularly placed inline with the top of the doorways.This and other similar cues, such as windows, might provide a sensible and aesthetically pleasing guide as to an appropriate height for your track.
Should you be installing the system on a masonry or brick wall, it is often best to allow 40 – 60mm of space down from any ceiling or above obstruction to allow room for a rotary hammer drill to do it’s work.These are available in many different sizes but all are typically larger than a standard drill and therefore require some space.
In addition to the above, there are also some system specific requirements that will help you with the decision
If you are intending to, or you may in the future, use ‘The Gallery Lighting System’, then you must be aware that the track should be placed no higher than 2.7m from the floor; unfortunately above this height the effectiveness of the lighting system is diminished.Further, the track must have 1.5cm of clearance from the top of the track to a cornice, ceiling or anything above to ensure you have room to add and remove the lighting wands as required.
‘The Gallery System’ is fixed to the wall by passing a screw through the top of the track and as such, installing firm against a square set ceiling is an almost impossible task as there is not enough clearance for most power drills (and their chucks).It may be possible where a cornice exists or removable ceiling panels are installed but this will need to be assessed on a case by case basis.
The ‘Slimline Art Hanging System’ uses specially made ‘wall anchors’ which fix to the wall with screws, over which the track is pressed into place (employing an interference fit for the engineers out there).Our wall anchors have been engineered to include two tabs at the top which can be used help vertically align the pieces to a straight edge above such as a cornice or ceiling.This generally will allow enough room for square set ceiling installations to install a screw on an angle, however, a ‘right angle drill attachment’ makes the job a great deal easier, especially if drilling into steal studs.
Many customers will decide on the appropriate height for them once they have the system on hand; this is generally a very reasonably approach.If you have any questions or would like to discuss the height at which you wish to install your track, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.As always we’re delighted to help!
In 1989 the Berlin Wall was still up, ‘Seinfeld’ first aired on television and we began selling ‘The Gallery System’!Since this time there have been a number of hanging systems come and go which has led to problems for people trying to source additional components as new pieces of art come along and fashions change. Naturally, we assist where ever possible in using the existing infrastructure a potential client may have, however, on some occasions, the only option to remove and replace… If only our system had been installed initially!
During this time ‘The Gallery System’ has changed too, with improvements and additions over the years that make the system more usable and generally better than it was in 1989.The improvement, however, has always been done with a commitment to backward compatibility, and because of this our very first customer can still purchase new components to use with their system!
This might seem trivial at the start of your product journey, however, given the investment, I would urge you to do your future self (or a future owner!) a favour and purchase a brand with a track record of availability and compatibility over a long period of time. ‘The Gallery System‘ and ‘Slimline Art Hanging System‘ both deliver on this front!
One of the beauties of using a picture hanging system is the ability to hang more than one piece per dropper in a column, however, sometimes getting pieces to sit neatly can be a challenge!Generally the issue occurs because the pieces ‘interfere’ with one another.By that I mean the lower piece will often lean out from the wall and pull the top piece off the wall and cause it to swivel around the dropper.Let me walk you through my approach to overcoming this issue.
(Naturally, before beginning it is important to ensure that the total weight of the pieces to be suspended is with in the weight rating for the dropper.Two droppers can be used if required and the process remains the same.)
Ok, so the first port of call is to use a HangRight Clip on each piece to limit the forward lean as mentioned in the ‘How to Hang Pieces Flat on a Picture Hanging System‘ post.Then, we look at how to ‘push’ the bottom of the pieces from the wall and in doing so allowing a gap for the wire to pass through without hindrance.Sometimes this gap will need to be 12mm before this occurs and whilst this may sound a lot, it does lead to the best outcome possible.
Usually when building up the bottom left and right corners I use our ‘Felt Wall Protectors‘ these are 6mm thick and can be doubled if required to allow for the very minimum of interference from the dropper.
With the top of the frames pulled back and the bottom pushed out your pieces should be sitting beautifully on the wall. 🙂
Have a question or require further information, please contact us to discuss your needs.
We ship free of charge Australia wide! Our online prices include freight to any Australian address! Thus the price you see, is the price you pay delivered.
We are very confident that our pricing is sharp! However in the unlikely event that you purchase from us and find the goods cheaper elsewhere, simply call and we’ll refund the difference! (with in 30 days of purchase)
We’ll do anything to make you happy! If you are not 100% happy with products purchased from Shakespeare Solutions simply send them back and we will issue a 100% refund.
