How to Install a Gallery Picture Rail on a Budget :

How to Install a Gallery Picture Rail on a Budget

Tired of the traditional gallery walls? Try this vintage inspired hanging gallery picture rail instead

Gallery walls are always a touchy subject, you either love them or hate them…

I personally love them when they are done well, because sometimes a wall needs a gallery.

That was definitely the case with this staircase wall. From the very beginning of this staircase makeover I pictured a really cool hanging gallery picture rail filled with art.

I found a bunch of hanging gallery picture rail systems but they were kind of pricey…

And I had already blown most of the budget on the globe chandelier in here (no regrets). So I had to get creative and DIY my own budget version.

If you also like the hanging gallery wall look and want to do it on a budget then this tutorial is for you!

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DIY Gallery Picture Rail

Gallery Picture Rail Supplies:

IKEA Rail System (I used 3 bars)
Brass Hanging Chain
Picture Hangers
Art or Photos
Frames

Finding Art for the Gallery Rail

How to Install a Gallery Picture Rail on a Budget

Before hanging the gallery picture rail I first had to assemble all the frames and art I wanted to use.

I found these really budget friendly art prints from Amazon and used this simple method to make them look like real oil canvas artwork.

You can also check out our entire collection of free printable art over in the Southern Yankee DIY VIP Gallery that you can gain access to by just signing up for our email list.

If you are choosing to do an art gallery wall over a photo gallery wall my biggest tip is to include a mix of landscapes, portraits, and floral prints together. This will add interest to your art themed gallery wall.

Check out all the best gallery wall tips and tricks here!

Hanging the Photo Rail

For our photo rail I used three of these IKEA rail system bars. The rails connect together easily with screws that they send you.

I started by marking the center of the staircase wall with a piece of tape. You may notice this isn’t the center of the entire wall, just the center of the staircase portion.

Next, I used a laser level to guide me on where to install the rails. It was way too high up to be juggling a large level, so the laser level was a must for this situation.

None of my brackets hit studs (I was not even slightly surprised) so I used drywall anchors behind each bracket.

Determining how high up the gallery wall should hang will depend on your space. For the staircase I went as high up as I could without running into the weird slope situation my ceiling does.

If you are hanging a gallery rail on a regular wall, I would aim for 3-5″ below the crown molding or ceiling.

After the brackets and rails were installed I was able to start hanging the gallery art.

Hanging Gallery Picture Rail Art

This part of the project was a lot of fun. I love laying out an aesthetically pleasing art arrangement.

Before I started hanging any art I organized all the frames and arranged them how I wanted them to hang on our dining room table.

Next I added these small frame hangers to the back of the frames. Make sure you attach them towards the top of the frames or they will hang weird.

Then I measured and cut the amount of chain I needed for the first section. I measured 3″ down from the rail and 3″ in between each frame.

I used cutters to bend the chain so that I could secure the frame hangers to the chain.

The IKEA system came with S hooks that I used to attach the chain to the rail.

After my first hanging art section was done I just followed the same steps for the other sections. I included multiple types of frame shapes and sizes to add interest to the hanging gallery.

The best part about this gallery picture rail method is that you can play with the frame placement without having to worry about putting holes in the wall. So if after you get the frames hung up, you are not happy with the arrangement you can easily change things.

You could have a very uniform looking hanging gallery picture rail or you could lay out a more eclectic pattern like I did.

I did have a few frames that just would not lay correctly and for those I used a Command Strip on the back and stuck it to the wall where I wanted it. The Command Strip is really only helping a few frames not to twist so much.

Picture Hanging Rail System Reveal

This picture hanging rail system is hands down my favorite part of this entire staircase makeover.

I love the character and texture these prints and frames added to this staircase wall.

I was also able to add a sweet scarf my Nana left me to the gallery wall. She passed away earlier this year and I have been adding one of her scarfs to each room makeover that I do.

This DIY picture rail was also a lot cheaper than most of the picture hanging rail systems I found so that’s a big win!

Let me know what you think of our new hanging gallery wall and don’t forget to follow along for the rest of this staircase/entryway reveal.

How to Install a Gallery Picture Rail on a Budget