You just received the large canvas marketing poster you ordered. Boy, does it look nice. Pat your self on the back. You researched and hired a top notch graphic designer. Your printer hit it out of the park. And the marketing message you poured your heart and soul into is shiny and ready for the world to see. All that’s left is to hang it somewhere where the world can see it. The most effective way to hang your marketing brilliance is with metal grommets. And no. A metal grommet is not a giant robot muppet you hire to hold your poster – as awesome as that would be. Metal grommets are circular rings you can install at the corners of your poster so it will hang taught without interfering with your poster’s message. While it seems like a simple task to install circular rings into canvas, there are some things you should avoid. After all, why screw up perfection now?
Don’t Buy Grommets
Huh? Well yes, you need to buy grommets – of course, silly. But you shouldn’t buy only grommets. You need to buy a kit with your grommets. Grommets can also be called eyelets, so keep an eye out for “eyelets” on the packaging as well. The eyelet kit or grommet kit you purchase will include the necessary tools for installation.
Avoid Department Stores
Don’t go to any old department store to buy your grommets. You’ll end up with cheap tools that will make your life more difficult. Instead, visit hardware stores or other professional tool businesses and buy your kit there. The higher end professional grommet kits include extra helpful tools, including a hole cutter to cut the perfect-sized hole in your poster.
Eye-balling
Don’t “eye-ball it”. Ever. Period. Even if you’re on your fourth grommet and feeling confident. Alignment and centering is key or you’ll end up with weird bends and dents in your canvas when you go to hang it. You want it to be flat – dynamic. Always use a ruler – or similar tool – to measure the distance from the edge to each grommet. Place the grommet on the canvas, measure, and use a pencil to trace the inside circle of the grommet. Or if you went the VIP route and got yourself a hole cutter, you can use it instead of tracing.
Scissors
This isn’t 3rd grade art class. Put those green-handled scissors a way. This is way too important. Invest in an X-acto knife and, instead of cutting around the circle, cut an “X” inside the circle and just push the grommet through it. This ensures your grommet will fit perfectly. If you choose to cut the circle out instead and cut too big or too small, you’ll be surprised just how unprofessional it’ll make your canvas look around the grommet. Cut at your own risk.
So there you have it – those are the top things you should avoid when installing grommets. With them in mind, follow your installation guide and hang up that awesome message of yours.