How to Hang a Diploma

Professors, doctors and other professionals display their diplomas prominently on office walls to show their educational achievements. Potential clients and friends frown on a diploma that is askew and poorly framed. A diploma needs to hang in a place that fits into your design scheme without being obscured by other decorative features. Read on to learn how to hang a diploma.

Things You'll Need

• Stud finder
• Hammer
• Nails
• Diploma frame
• Blank sheets of paper

Instructions

1. Hunt down studs that will provide a firm foundation for hanging your diploma before you drive your first nail. Electronic stud finders can be used to find studs and assess a level plane for framed diplomas.

2. Plan to hang your diploma in a location with a minimum of passing traffic. A hallway is a bad location to hang a framed diploma because an errant shoulder or box can put the document in jeopardy.

3. Align multiple diplomas and framed pictures in a creative manner to show your design aesthetic to visitors. You can hang a diploma at the top of a diagonal plane from left to right on your wall to draw attention to your accomplishments.

4. Step back from the wall where your diploma hangs to determine the level of the frame. Use a flat surface like the top of your television for comparison purposes with your diploma.

5. Purchase a frame for your diploma that matches the color and decor of your room. Your diploma should stand out from the rest of your decorations based on your accomplishments instead of an eccentric frame color.

6. View the location of a diploma before you hang the frame on your wall using a blank piece of paper and poster tape. Mark out a space the same size as your diploma with the poster tape to look at placement before you drive your first nail.

7. Simplify the process of hanging multiple diplomas with a single frame with two or more slots. Frame shops and university bookstores sell frames with multiple spots for undergraduate and graduate diplomas for convenient hanging.

8. Drive the first nail in your wall carefully to protect the integrity of your wall. Give the nail a few taps with your hammer to set it before driving the nail deep into the wall. Putting an X of clear tape where you will be placing the nail helps prevent cracks in the wall.

Tips & Warnings

• Place your diploma in a spot where a visitor will likely establish a line of sight. Your guests will notice your diploma if you hang it above televisions and desks which draw the most attention. You need to place the diploma on an imaginary line through the middle of these objects to maintain balanced design.