Skateboard Frame: How to Frame and Display a Deck

A skateboard frame turns a deck into a finished piece of skateboard wall art. You can use a deep shadow box, a shallow deck frame, or skip the frame and use a wall mount that holds the board by its edges. The right choice depends on what the deck means to you, how much protection it needs and how clean you want the wall to look.

Quick answer

• Signed, vintage or collector deck: a shadow box with UV-protective acrylic.
• Art deck you bought to decorate: a slim wall mount, so the deck itself is the frame.
• Renting or no drilling allowed: a floor stand or a picture ledge.
• Measure first: most decks are about 8–8.5 in wide and 31–33 in long. A bare deck needs only a few centimetres of depth; a complete board with trucks and wheels needs roughly 12–15 cm.

I hand-print every DeckArts deck myself in Berlin, and the question I hear most after "which artwork?" is "how do I put it on the wall?". This guide is my honest answer, including when a frame is worth it and when it just adds weight.

What is a skateboard frame?

"Skateboard frame" usually means one of three things:

1. Shadow box (display case). A deep box with a backing board and an acrylic or glass front. The deck sits inside, protected from dust, fingers and sunlight.
2. Deck wall frame. A shallow moulding around the deck with a backing board. It looks more like a framed painting than a case.
3. Frameless mount. A bracket or clamp that holds the bare deck on the wall. The deck's own shape becomes the frame.

All three put a deck on the wall. They differ in depth, weight, cost, protection and how much of the deck you actually see.

Skateboard frame vs shadow box vs wall mount: comparison

My rule of thumb: frame the history, mount the art. A deck you rode in 2009 with a pro's signature deserves glass. A deck printed to be wall art is designed to be seen bare.

When a skateboard frame is worth it

A shadow box or frame makes sense when:

• The deck is signed or rare. Glazing keeps a signature readable and stops people touching it.
• It is a complete board. Trucks and wheels collect dust and are awkward to mount on their own. A case keeps it all tidy.
• The wall gets direct sun. UV-protective acrylic helps slow fading of graphics (the Library of Congress guide to limiting light damage explains why).
• The room is formal. In a study or living room with other framed art, a frame helps the deck match the rest of the wall.

The trade-offs are real. A case is much heavier than a bare deck, so you need stronger fixings. Glazing can reflect light, and the frame hides the deck's shape: the nose, the tail and the concave are a big part of why a deck looks good on a wall.

If you want to go the framing route, I wrote a deeper walkthrough in How to Frame Skateboard Decks for Gallery Walls.

How to choose the right size frame or shadow box

Measure your deck before you order anything. Do not trust a size label alone.

1. Length: measure nose to tail along the top. Most decks are about 31–33 in (79–84 cm). DeckArts decks are 85 × 20 cm.
2. Width: measure at the widest point. Most decks are about 8–8.5 in (20–21.5 cm).
3. Depth: lay the deck on a table and measure the highest point of the kicktail. A bare deck needs a few centimetres. With trucks and wheels, plan for roughly 12–15 cm.
4. Add breathing room: leave a margin around the deck so it does not look squeezed and the tails do not touch the glazing.
5. Pick the backing colour: contrast makes the graphic pop; matching the dominant colour gives a calmer, uniform look.

Custom shadow box makers let you enter your exact inside width, height and depth, which is the safest route for an unusual board.

Frameless display: the deck as its own frame

For art decks, I almost always recommend skipping the frame. A good mount keeps the deck close to the wall and invisible from the front, so all you see is the artwork and the deck's curves.

This is why the DeckArts wall mount exists. It cradles the nose and tail and holds the deck horizontally. It is powder-coated steel, sits flush to the wall, and comes with screws and wall plugs. Nothing is drilled into the deck itself.

If you like to change things around, the 360° rotating wall mount clamps the deck by its edges. You can turn it vertical, horizontal or at an angle whenever you want a new look.

One honest note: DeckArts decks have nothing on the back, no hangers and no D-rings. They are not ready to hang out of the box, and the wall mount is sold separately. I keep it that way so the deck stays clean and you can choose how to display it.

For a full side-by-side of mounting methods, see Floating vs Wall Mount: Best Skateboard Display Methods.

How to hang a framed or mounted skateboard

The steps are the same idea for a case or a bare deck. Only the fixings change with the weight.

1. Find the height. Centre the deck (or the middle of a set) at roughly eye level. Above a sofa or bed, leave a clear gap so it does not feel cramped.
2. Check the wall. Solid brick, concrete or drywall each need different plugs. A heavy shadow box needs stronger anchors than a light mount.
3. Mark with tape. Stick painter's tape where the deck or frame will go and step back. It is much easier to move tape than holes.
4. Use a level. Mark both screw points with a spirit level. A deck that is a few millimetres off looks crooked straight away.
5. Drill, plug, screw. Follow the instructions for your mount or case, then hang the deck and check it sits firmly.

My step-by-step version with photos is in How to Hang Skateboard Wall Art: Complete Mounting Guide.

No drilling? Display options for renters

Not every wall can take screws. You still have good options:

• Floor stand. Our floor stand holds decks upright, leaning slightly back, with no wall fixing at all.
• Picture ledge. A narrow shelf lets you lean one or several decks and swap them whenever you like.
• Leaning against the wall. The simplest display of all. It works best on a sideboard or a clean floor corner, away from walkways.

Displaying decks as a pair or a set

One deck is a statement. Two or three decks side by side read as a single artwork, like a diptych or triptych painting.

A few rules that help a set look intentional:

• Use one mount per deck, all at the same height, with even gaps between boards.
• Hang them vertically for height, for example in a narrow hallway or beside a tall shelf. Hang them horizontally to stretch a wall above a sofa.
• Frame them together or not at all. One framed deck next to two bare ones usually looks unfinished.
• Plan the whole width first. Tape out the full set on the wall before drilling.

Our diptych sets and triptych sets are designed to be read as one image across the boards.

Where a framed or mounted deck works in your home

• Living room: one bold deck or a triptych above the sofa.
• Hallway: a vertical deck fills a narrow wall nicely.
• Bedroom or teen room: a pair above the bed or desk.
• Home office: a calm fine-art print behind your desk looks great on video calls.
• Cafés, studios and shops: sets on a long wall give a space personality fast.

More room-by-room ideas: Where to Display Skateboard Art: Room by Room Guide.

FAQ

Do I need a frame for a skateboard deck?

No. A frame is useful for signed, vintage or complete boards that need protection. Art decks usually look better on a slim wall mount, because the deck's shape becomes the frame.

How deep should a skateboard shadow box be?

A bare deck needs only a few centimetres of depth for the concave and kicktails. A complete board with trucks and wheels needs roughly 12–15 cm. Measure your board before ordering.

What size frame fits a skateboard?

Most decks are about 8–8.5 in wide and 31–33 in long. Measure your own deck and add a margin on all sides so it does not touch the frame or glazing.

Can I hang a skateboard without drilling into the deck?

Yes. Wall mounts that cradle the nose and tail, or clamp the edges, hold the deck without any holes in it. A floor stand or picture ledge avoids drilling the wall too.

Do DeckArts decks come ready to hang?

No. DeckArts decks have nothing on the back, so they are not ready to hang out of the box. The wall mount is sold separately.

Can I return a deck if it does not suit my wall?

Yes. You have the 14-day statutory right of withdrawal plus a voluntary 30-day return. Custom decks are excluded.

Find a deck worth framing

If you are looking for a deck that is made for the wall rather than the street, browse all DeckArts decks. Every deck is 7-ply Canadian maple pressed in Butzbach, Germany, hand-printed by me in Berlin, and everything, including mounts and stands, ships from Berlin. Add a wall mount and your new piece is on the wall in minutes.