Creating a gallery wall at home takes between 30 minutes and 2 hours depending on the number of pieces, the wall material, and whether you measure before you drill. The 5-step process below is the method that produces a gallery wall that looks intentional and professionally installed rather than random and approximate. For DeckArts Canadian maple decks, the consistent 85 × 20 cm format per deck is the single most useful property for gallery wall creation: every deck is identical in dimension, which means the measuring and spacing mathematics are predictable and reproducible. Ships from Berlin from $140 per deck with complete mounting hardware.
DeckArts
Van Gogh — Starry Night Triptych
Three decks — the most common DeckArts gallery wall starting point. Three anchor points, one horizontal line, 8 cm between decks. Complete in 20 minutes.
View this piece →Before You Start: Plan on Paper First
The single most effective gallery wall technique is planning the arrangement on paper before touching the wall. Take a sheet of paper (or use a note on your phone) and sketch the wall dimensions, the arrangement of decks, and the spacing between them. For a DeckArts three-deck triptych: • Wall width used: 3 × 20 + 2 × 8 = 76 cm • Centre of installation: 38 cm from left edge of leftmost deck • Anchor point for leftmost deck: 10 cm from left edge of deck = 10 cm from the left edge of the 76 cm installation • Anchor point for centre deck: 38 cm from left edge of installation • Anchor point for right deck: 66 cm from left edge of installation Note all three anchor positions on the paper, then transfer to the wall with a measuring tape and pencil before drilling. This eliminates the most common gallery wall mistake: drilled holes in the wrong positions that have to be patched.
The 5-Step Gallery Wall Creation Process
Step 1: Choose Your Arrangement
For 3 decks (triptych): Horizontal line, 8 cm between decks. Total width: 76 cm. One horizontal centre line at chosen height. For 5 decks (gallery): Horizontal line, 8 cm between decks. Total width: 132 cm. One horizontal centre line at chosen height. For a mixed arrangement (triptych + flanking singles): Mark the centre of the triptych first, then add single decks 8–10 cm to each side. For a staggered arrangement: Choose three heights within a 15 cm range (e.g. 150 cm, 165 cm, 158 cm). The stagger adds visual rhythm; keep all heights within 20 cm of each other for visual coherence. For a vertical pair: Two decks on the same vertical axis, 8–10 cm between them. Total height: 178–180 cm. The centre of the installation is at the midpoint between the two centres: (85/2 + gap/2 + 85/2) ÷ 2 from the bottom deck centre.
Step 2: Mark the Reference Line on the Wall
Use a spirit level and a pencil to draw a horizontal line across the wall at the chosen centre height. For a triptych or 5-deck horizontal gallery, the line spans the full width of the installation plus 5 cm on each side. Every anchor point for a horizontal arrangement falls on this line. Use a measuring tape to mark the position of each anchor along the line: For 3 decks at 8 cm spacing: • Left deck anchor: mark at your starting point (e.g. centre of the wall minus 38 cm) • Centre deck anchor: mark at centre of wall • Right deck anchor: mark at starting point plus 76 cm minus 10 cm = starting point plus 66 cm Dots on the line at each anchor position. Do not drill yet.
Step 3: Check the Arrangement with Paper Templates
Cut three pieces of paper to 85 × 20 cm. Hold them against the wall at the marked positions, using low-tack masking tape to hold them temporarily. Step back to normal viewing distance. Assess: Is the height correct from the sofa, the bed, the doorway? Is the spacing between decks what you expected? Adjust the pencil marks if needed. This step takes 5 minutes and prevents the most expensive gallery wall mistakes. If the arrangement looks correct with paper templates: remove them and proceed to drilling. If it looks too high, too low, or too close to a doorframe: move the reference line before drilling.
Step 4: Install the Wall Anchors
Drill pilot holes at each marked anchor point using the appropriate drill bit for your wall material: • Plasterboard / drywall: 6 mm drill bit for hollow wall anchors, or directly into stud with 3 mm pilot hole • Brick: 6 mm masonry bit, slow speed, gentle pressure, into mortar joint (not brick face) • Concrete: 6 mm masonry bit in hammer drill mode • Tile: tile drill bit, masking tape over tile surface to prevent slipping Insert the wall plugs from the DeckArts mounting system. Drive the screws to the depth specified in the mounting instructions. Use a spirit level across the installed screws before fully tightening to confirm alignment.
Step 5: Hang and Level Each Deck
Hang the leftmost or centre deck first. Check its horizontal alignment with a spirit level along its top edge. For a triptych that forms a single composition, all three decks must be exactly level with each other: use a spirit level across the tops of all three decks after hanging all three to confirm. Adjust any deck that is out of level by loosening its screw, moving the deck, and re-tightening. For a mixed-work gallery arrangement where the decks are from different works (and slight variation in level adds character): still keep all decks within 2–3 mm of each other. Larger misalignment is visible at any viewing distance and reads as a mistake rather than an intentional variation.
Gallery Wall Troubleshooting
| Problem | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Decks at different heights | Anchor points not on same horizontal line | Re-measure from floor; use spirit level for every anchor |
| Uneven spacing between decks | Anchor positions measured from wrong reference point | Measure all positions from the same reference; mark with tape before drilling |
| Deck not hanging level | Single screw anchor — deck rotates | DeckArts mounting system prevents rotation; check screw is fully seated |
| Anchor not holding in plasterboard | Hollow wall anchor not seated correctly | Remove and reinstall hollow wall anchor; ensure wings have deployed fully |
| Drill slipping on tile | No masking tape over tile surface | Apply masking tape, mark through tape, drill through tape at low speed |
FAQ
How do you create a gallery wall at home?
Creating a gallery wall at home requires five steps: choose the arrangement (triptych, 5-deck horizontal, staggered), mark a horizontal reference line at the correct centre height using a spirit level, use paper templates to test the arrangement before drilling, install wall anchors (hollow wall anchor for plasterboard, masonry anchor for brick), and hang all decks checking level across the full installation. For DeckArts decks, the consistent 85 × 20 cm format makes spacing mathematics predictable: 3 decks at 8 cm spacing = 76 cm total; 5 decks at 8 cm spacing = 132 cm total.
How far apart should gallery wall pieces be?
5–10 cm between DeckArts decks. 5 cm creates a tight, panel-like installation where the decks read as a single object from a distance. 8–10 cm creates a more open arrangement that emphasises each piece individually. For a triptych presenting a single composition, 5–8 cm is standard. For a mixed-work gallery where each deck is an independent work, 8–10 cm provides visual breathing room.
What height should a gallery wall be?
The centre of the gallery wall installation should be at 160–165 cm from the floor for standing-viewer rooms (living room, hallway), 145–155 cm for bedroom walls (viewed from the bed), and 130–145 cm for home office walls (viewed from a seated desk position). For a 5-deck horizontal gallery, the centre of the full installation is at the middle of the arrangement — place the centre of the three middle decks at the correct height, then the flanking decks follow from the spacing calculation.
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Article Summary
Creating a gallery wall with DeckArts Canadian maple decks follows a 5-step process: (1) choose arrangement and calculate dimensions (3 decks at 8 cm = 76 cm, 5 decks at 8 cm = 132 cm); (2) mark a horizontal reference line with spirit level at correct centre height (160–165 cm standing, 145–155 cm bedroom, 130–145 cm home office); (3) test with paper templates before drilling; (4) install wall anchors (hollow wall anchor for plasterboard, masonry anchor for brick into mortar joint, hammer drill for concrete); (5) hang all decks, check level across full installation. Spacing: 5–8 cm for triptych compositions, 8–10 cm for mixed-work galleries. Complete mounting system included with every purchase. Ships from Berlin from $140 per deck.
About the Author
Stanislav Arnautov is the founder of DeckArts and a creative director originally from Ukraine, now based in Berlin. With experience in branding, merchandise design and vector graphics, Stanislav connects classical art, skateboard culture and contemporary interior design through premium skateboard wall art.
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