Even SpacingHow to space pictures on a wall
Hang a row of pictures with the same gap between each pair. Choose the widest gap you like, then find how many pictures fill the wall space. The gap size is a rule of thumb, not a standard. Pick the look you want.
Worked example
A length of 84 in needs 6 pictures with gaps of 2.4 in.
(84 − 6 × 12) ÷ 5 = 2.4 in
Try your own length
6 pictures, with gaps of 2.4 in.
(84 − 6 × 12) ÷ 5 = 2.4 in
Center each picture at these distances from the start:
- Mark 1: 6 in
- Mark 2: 20.4 in
- Mark 3: 34.8 in
No fit. At this length the pictures cannot sit with gaps of 3 in or less. Try a longer length.
Type a length in inches, for example 48 or 48.5.
The method
- Measure the wall space for the row, in inches.
- Pick the widest gap you want between two frames.
- Find the smallest number of pictures whose gaps fit that limit.
- Divide what is left after the frames by the number of gaps. With a picture at each end, there is one less gap than pictures.
- Mark the center of each picture. The first center is half a frame width from the start. Each next center is one frame width plus one gap further on.
The marks are frame centers. Where the nail goes depends on your hanger and wire, so measure from the frame to the hook before you mark the wall.
A rule of thumb for the gap
This page uses 12 inch frames and a widest gap of 3 inches. Many hanging guides suggest a gap of about 2 to 3 inches. We have not checked that range against a primary source. It is a rule of thumb, not a standard or a code. A smaller gap looks tighter. A larger gap looks looser.
Gallery wall
Treat each row of a gallery wall as its own row. Keep the same gap across the whole wall so the rows look related. Find the pictures and gap for one row with the calculator above. Use the same gap for the space between rows.