Lightweight gallery wrap (2–5 lbs typical). French cleat pre-attached to the wood frame. ~10 minutes to install.
Mid-weight aluminum panel (3–8 lbs). French cleat sits flush so the print floats slightly off the wall. ~10 minutes.
Heavier (5–15 lbs by size). French cleat anchored into a stud or rated wall anchor. ~10–15 minutes for the largest sizes.
What's in the box
Every aiPRINT order arrives with everything you need to hang it. No separate trip to the hardware store.
- ✓ Your gallery-wrapped canvas print
- ✓ Wall cleat (pre-cut to size)
- ✓ 4 wood / drywall screws
- ✓ Drywall anchors (for non-stud walls)
- ✓ Quick-start install card
- ✓ Numbered Certificate of Authenticity
- ✓ Your ChromaLuxe metal print
- ✓ Wall cleat (pre-cut to size)
- ✓ 4 wood / drywall screws
- ✓ Drywall anchors (for non-stud walls)
- ✓ Quick-start install card
- ✓ Numbered Certificate of Authenticity
- ✓ Your acrylic facemount print
- ✓ Heavy-duty wall cleat (pre-cut to size)
- ✓ 4 anchor-rated screws
- ✓ Toggle anchors (for non-stud walls)
- ✓ Quick-start install card
- ✓ Numbered Certificate of Authenticity
How the cleat hardware works
It's the system museums and galleries use to hang heavy work. Two matching dark brushed-aluminum cleats — one mounted to the wall, one already on the back of your print — interlock when you lower the print onto the wall cleat. The two profiles hook into each other, gravity pulls the print flush against the wall, and it can't slip off, tilt, or twist.
The wall cleat is a long bar of dark brushed aluminum with a precision-machined hook profile. Mount it horizontally to your wall, level, with three screws (more on that below).
We pre-attach the matching aluminum cleat to the back of your print at our studio — same dark brushed finish, inverse hook profile, ready to engage with the wall cleat.
Hold the print, line up the print cleat directly above the wall cleat, lower it. Gravity does the rest — the two profiles hook into each other, the cleats seat together, and the print pulls itself flush to the wall.
Why this beats picture wire or D-rings: there's nothing to slip, nothing to come unhooked, and the print can never tilt or twist on the wall. It's also adjustable side-to-side — slide the print along the cleat to fine-tune position without re-drilling.
Step-by-step install
~10 minutes start to finish. If your wall has a stud where you want the print, you can skip the drywall anchor part of step 2 and drive screws straight in.
Mark your spot.
Decide where you want the top edge of the print to sit on the wall, then mark a small pencil dot about 5 inches below that point. That's where the center of the wall cleat goes — and where your first screw drives in.
Gallery convention: aim for the center of the print at ~57″ from the floor for eye-level viewing. Above furniture? Leave 6–10″ between the furniture top and the print bottom.
Mount the cleat with the center screw.
Hold the wall cleat against your pencil mark, centered.
If you hit a stud: drive the center screw straight in, only partway — snug but not tight, so the cleat can still pivot around it.
If you hit drywall only: pre-drill the center hole, tap in the included anchor, then drive the center screw partway. The anchors are rated 3× the heaviest size we make in that material.
Level it, then lock with the outer screws.
Place a bubble level on top of the cleat (or use your phone's level app). The cleat pivots around the center screw — rotate it until perfectly horizontal. Holding it level, drive the 2nd screw (one side), then the 3rd (the other side). Snug up the center screw last. Re-check the bubble — if it drifted, loosen the outer two slightly, re-level, and re-tighten.
Slide the print onto the cleat.
Hold the print by both edges and lift it up to the wall. Carefully slide the print cleat onto the wall cleat — the two profiles hook into each other, the cleats seat together. Before letting go, give the print a gentle nudge to confirm it's solid and stable. If anything feels loose or unseated, lift back up and re-engage. Once it's firmly seated, slide left or right along the cleat to center the print perfectly.
Step back. Adjust if you need.
Take a few steps back and look. The cleat keeps the print level by definition — but if the whole piece needs to shift left or right, just slide it along the cleat. To remove the print, lift straight up and off. That's it. You're done.
What you'll need
Most of this is in any junk drawer. The only must-haves are a drill and a level — everything else can be improvised.
From you
- 🔧 Drill or impact driver
- 📏 Level (or your phone's level app)
- ✏️ Pencil for marking
- 📐 Tape measure
- 👀 Stud finder (optional — most phones have an app for this)
- 🤝 A second pair of hands for prints over 24×36″ (optional but easier)
From us (in the box)
- ✓ Wall cleat (pre-cut to size)
- ✓ Print cleat (already attached to your print)
- ✓ Screws — wood-rated (for studs) and drywall-rated (for anchors)
- ✓ Wall anchors rated 3× the heaviest size we make in that material
- ✓ Quick-start install card with diagrams
Where to hang it
A few gallery conventions worth borrowing — they make every piece look more intentional.
Eye level: 57"
Most galleries hang so the center of the artwork sits at 57″ above the floor. It's the average eye-level for a standing adult. Higher feels formal; lower feels casual.
Above furniture: 6–10"
If hanging above a sofa, console, or bed, leave 6–10″ between the top of the furniture and the bottom of the print. Closer feels cluttered, farther floats awkwardly.
Lighting: indirect
Indirect daylight or warm interior light. Avoid direct sun all day — every pigment fades over enough years (see care guide for material specifics).
Multiple pieces: 2–4"
Gallery walls look best with consistent gaps between pieces — 2–4″ for tight clusters, 6–8″ for breathing room. Pick one and stick with it across the whole grouping.
Common questions
What if I don't have a stud where I want to hang the print?
Use the included drywall anchors. They're rated for 3× the heaviest size we make in that material. Pre-drill the holes per the anchor's specs, push the anchor flush, then drive the screws into the anchors. For acrylic over 30×30″, we recommend driving at least one screw into a real stud if there's one within 6 inches — extra peace of mind.
Can I hang on brick, concrete, or plaster?
Yes — but you'll want masonry anchors (Tapcons or sleeve anchors) and a hammer drill, neither of which we can ship with the print. Hardware stores carry them in the same aisle as picture-hanging supplies. Once the wall cleat is mounted to those anchors, the print install is identical.
My walls are textured — does that matter?
A little texture (orange peel, knockdown) is fine — the cleat sits flat enough against the wall that you won't see any gap. Heavy texture (popcorn, sand finish) may leave a hairline gap behind the cleat; you can fill it with a thin felt strip on the back of the cleat if it bothers you.
How exact does the level have to be?
Within a hair of dead level. The whole point of a French cleat system is that the cleat does the leveling for you — once the rail is level, the print can't tilt. So spend the extra 30 seconds on Step 2 and you're done forever. A phone level app is accurate enough for any room.
Can I rearrange / move the print to a different wall later?
Yes — just lift the print straight up and off the wall cleat. Patch the screw holes with a little spackle, paint over, mount the wall cleat in the new spot. The wall cleat is reusable, so you don't need any new hardware to relocate the piece.
I'm not handy. Is this really doable for me?
Yes. If you've ever hung a curtain rod or installed a TV mount, this is easier. There are exactly four screws and one decision to make (stud or anchor). Most customers report a sub-15-minute install on their first piece. If you're truly not comfortable with a drill, a TaskRabbit handyman can do it in 15 minutes for around $30–50.
What if something arrived damaged or the cleat is missing?
Email info@aiprint.ai within 14 days with photos of the damage and packaging. We'll ship a replacement at no cost — no need to return the damaged piece. Shipping damage is always replaced free; missing hardware ships overnight.
Still have questions?
We respond to every email within 24 hours. If you're staring at a wall wondering where to drill — send us a photo, we'll point.