Gardens are an extension of your home. Some are big enough to have a summer house that can be decorated with any type of wall art given that they are installed with insulation.
For open garden spaces such as patios, decks, or even the outdoor walls on your garden shed, you may be tempted to install some type of wall art to make your outdoor space more homely for summer use. You can’t just use any art though. Garden wall art is not your typical canvas print or frame brought outdoors for a temporary display.
What type of art can be displayed outdoors?
Typically, it is metal wall plaques that are used for all-year weatherproof art. It is possible to apply a lacquer to wood frames if you wanted to give your art a traditional framed finish, however, even with a weather sealant applied, it rarely would hold up to the winter elements. What you really ought to be concerned about with art outdoors is direct sunlight. That is what will cause the colours to fade on most paper prints.
Cautions to take with art in the garden
Asides from protection against direct sunlight hitting your art, which risks the ink pigments fading, there are also airborne pollutants to consider. More so if you have it near a barbeque or a firepit. The particles from smoke will degrade canvas materials.
What hanging materials are available for hanging art outdoors?
For temporary installations, vinyl siding hooks are handy for hanging art from fences or sheds. These are often used as a no-drill method to install security lights or solar lights to the siding of homes. Most will hold up to 10 lbs of weight. Be sure to check the weight recommendations and use enough clips to cover the weight of the art you intend to hang from them.
For lightweight artwork, CommandTM hooks can be stuck to any surface after cleaning it.
For patios and decking areas, the simplest display method for outdoor art is to just lean it against the wall of your home, or fencing. That way, you can have it on display while you’re using your garden space, then bring it indoors overnight.
Most art will need to be brought inside at night to prevent damage from morning dew. The only type of weather-proof art is those printed with UV-resistant inks applied directly to an aluminium sheet. Those are year-round garden art installations for outdoor displays. Every other type of material will need protection from the elements.