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Gallery wall spacing: gaps of 2 to 3 inches, with the width formula

Sources suggest a gap of 2 to 3 inches between frames on a gallery wall, and 1.5 to 2 inches for tight layouts. Use one gap throughout. Total row width = count x frame width + (count - 1) x gap, so three 12 inch frames take 40 inches with 2 inch gaps and 42 with 3 inch gaps.

0:30 long. No sound: the captions explain everything and are on by default. Captions file · Download the video (WebM, 0.9 MB)

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0:00Sources suggest a gap of 2 to 3 inches between frames for a gallery wall or grid (Passion4Art) [P4A, GW].
0:05Use the same gap between every frame. Passion4Art gives 2 to 3 inches for a gallery wall or grid; CustomPictureFrames gives 1.5 to 2 inches for tight layouts. The sources differ a little, so the real choice is consistency [P4A, CPF, GW].
0:10Total width = count x frame width + (count - 1) x gap.
0:15Three frames 12 in wide with 2 in gaps: 3 x 12 + 2 x 2 = 40 in, which is 101.6 cm (1 inch = 2.54 cm) [GW, NIST].
0:20Three frames 12 in wide with 3 in gaps: 3 x 12 + 2 x 3 = 42 in, which is 106.7 cm, two inches more in total [GW, NIST].
0:25Tighter layouts use 1.5 to 2 in (CustomPictureFrames). Treat the whole group as a single rectangle centred at about 57 inches, and check the row width against your wall before you buy.

Questions

How far apart should frames be on a gallery wall?

Passion4Art gives 2 to 3 inches for a gallery wall or grid. CustomPictureFrames gives 1.5 to 2 inches for tight layouts. Pick one gap and use it between every frame.

How wide will a row of frames be?

Total width = count x frame width + (count - 1) x gap. Three frames 12 inches wide with 2 inch gaps take 3 x 12 + 2 x 2 = 40 inches.

Where should I centre a gallery wall?

Treat the group as a single rectangle and centre it at about 57 inches above the floor, as the guides suggest.