Hanging Pictures on Bulkhead

[MidLandOne]

We use small flat mirror mounting plates (normally one middle of the top of the frame and one middle of each side) but these do have the disadvantage of leaving screw holes if removed - we have painted bulkheads so easily repaired whereas varnished/oiled bulheads that is not so. I can't find a picture of them but they are just a flat plate with normally two holes which screw into the back of the picture frame and a tab overlapping out from behind the frame which one puts a screw through into the wall/bulkhead so are 100% secure.

svHyLyte mentions the risk of glass if used. Picture framers close to the commercial part of a port at least should be all set up to replace the glass with a rigid art quality rigid plastic sheet that serves the same purpose. I don't know what the plastic is but it is clear like glass (plastics of the normal kind, including "normal" acrylic, introduce a colour cast). It also reduces the weight to be hung.

Years ago when I first went into such a picture framer all prepared to explain what I wanted in that line he cut me short with "I know exactly what you want, we do it all the time for the ships and boats in the port" and it proved to be so .

[stevensc]

Mark's suggestion of rmovable, adhesive backed velcro stips made for that purpose! We use them all the time on walls or horizontal surfaces to hold things in place.

[Reality Check]

Avoid putting in wood screws or other wall destroying items unless your plans are to do like the Vikings and be burned with your boat when you die. It will destroy a lot of value when/ if you ever want or need to sale your boat.

However I am aware we typically do what ever the heck we want to on our boats, but you really do need to understand what the down side will be and act reasonably.

[hellosailor]

I love Velcro, but it is flat out WRONG for this job. It can and will fail after it has been heated up on hot summer days. Even the best of it. Unless your boat stays in cool climes and you use lots of premium stuff--you'll find the picture on the floor in a couple of years.

3M does make an industrial velcro for use in hot places (like toll transponders on auto windshields) but even their best can fail if the boat is closed up and heats up. And you won't find the stuff on retail shelves, I had to beg some directly from 3M.

So far I've only used the 3M Command Adhesive strips for a year or so, but I'm very impressed by them. Applies to tile (recommended) or over wallpaper (expressly against the instruction) with heavy loads, they seem to work very nicely, and come off clean. On a wood bulkhead my only question would be that the surface needs to be non-porous for them to stick properly.

I'd vote for the mirror hardware, which is going to leave small holes in the bulkhead, but is going to work for sure. I'd try the command strips IF the bulkhead was nice and smooth, and neither the art nor anything under it would be damaged if it released.

[David M]

There is industrial grade Velcro you can buy from places like McMaster-Carr. It is extra wide and has some really strong adhesive.

[Jim Cate]

FWIW,

Faced with the same problem, and wanting to minimize the number of holes to be drilled in the bulkhead, we simply used two appropriately sized woodscrews coming from the "back" side of the bulkhead and going into the photo's timber frame. The "back" side was in the head compartment, behind hanging towels, and so the heads of the screws were not a problem for us.

This solution seems structurally sound, costs nearly nothing, and does minimal damage to the boat.

Adhesive backed velcro or other attachments will likely slowly creep during hot wx, eventually failing as others have said above. I suspect that any adhesive that was man enough to last would do more damage upon removal than a few tiny screw holes which are not hard to repair.

Anyhow, I hope that you find an acceptable soulution for your application.

Cheers,

[hellosailor]

David, if it is "genuine" Velcro (R) the product was made by 3M. And 3M are the folks who say it can and will fail in the heat, even the industrial grades. They just don't have a "desert noon structural" grade of it. Yet.

Once we stacked a mini-stereo set with 5-6" squares of heavy duty Velcro. ROFL, couldn't pull them back apart again without a prybar! But not on a hot bulkhead.

[MarkJ]

It is the 3M command strip. I couldnt remember the words when I was writing the post... I was prolly drunkish....


I had to take this artistic photo of Nicolle's off the wall to show you..... Now I don't know which way is UP!

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

It is the 3M command strip. I couldnt remember the words when I was writing the post... I was prolly drunkish....


I had to take this artistic photo of Nicolle's off the wall to show you..... Now I don't know which way is UP!

Your pictures are correctly oriented, showing the release tab at the bottom.

Select Picture Hanging Strips
Instructions

[hellosailor]

A Command Strip with Velcro on it! Cool, I haven't run into those yet.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Your pictures are correctly oriented, showing the release tab at the bottom.

Gord, that was a joke about Modern Art.
The gag is taken from a very famous Australian play of the early 1970's called Don's Party.


I notice Modern Art is still as bad 40 years later!!!!!!!

[Red Charlotte]

Well we finally got the picture hung. We used the Safe Hold Picture Hooks from Delta Products. I was suprised at how easy they were to install. Quick and simple. We took the time to replace the glass in the frame with plexiglass at Michael's before we hung it. Not too shabby. I'm really happy with the results!

[shadow]

I'm with MarkJ. I've been using heavy duty velcro forever!! Works great and easy to move around if you change your mind!! Good luck with your venture!!

[Dockhead]

Another vote for velcro. You can exactly adjust the holding force you want with the area of the velcro. The picture won't swing around and abrade the bulkhead at sea, like it will with any picture hooks, no matter how secure. And in heavy weather you can take the picture down and stow it somewhere safe, which you can't do if the picture is screwed to the bulkhead. It's the ideal solution.