You found a running poster you like. You added it to your cart. Then the dropdown asks you what size you want and you stop. You do not know how big 16 by 24 is in inches versus the wall above your treadmill. You do not know whether the 24 by 36 is going to dominate the room or look about right. You close the tab and tell yourself you will come back to it.
Run Culture sells every print in three sizes: 12 by 18 inches, 16 by 24 inches, and 24 by 36 inches. The point of this post is to give you a quick way to pick the right one without standing in your house with a tape measure. Every size fits a standard frame you can buy at any frame store or in the home decor section of a big box store. Here is how to decide.
The 12 by 18 Inch Print
This is the small size. It is the size of a piece of standard printer paper plus a small margin on each side. About the size of a magazine cover spread.
The 12 by 18 works well in three places. The first is a small wall in an office or a bedroom, where you want a print but you do not want it to dominate the space. The second is as part of a series of three or four prints hung together, where each individual piece is smaller but the group adds up to something larger. The third is on a wall that already has other things on it, where you want the poster to fit in rather than take over.
The 12 by 18 is the most affordable size and the easiest to frame, since 12 by 18 frames are stocked at almost every frame store. If you are buying your first Run Culture print and you are not sure where it will end up, the 12 by 18 is the safest first purchase.
The 16 by 24 Inch Print
This is the middle size and the one most customers pick. It is about the size of a piece of cardboard you would use to wrap a small package. Bigger than a standard magazine, smaller than a movie poster.
The 16 by 24 is the right size for most home gym walls, above a desk in an office, or in a bedroom on a wall by itself. It is big enough to be a real presence in the room but not so big that it requires special hanging hardware or a custom frame. The 16 by 24 fits standard pre-made frames in stores. If you are not sure which size to get, the 16 by 24 is the answer most of the time.
For pairs and trios of prints hung together, the 16 by 24 works well when you have a wall about six feet wide. Two 16 by 24 prints hung side by side fit nicely above most couches, beds, or workout equipment. Three of them in a row work above a longer dresser or a row of cubbies.
The 24 by 36 Inch Print
This is the big size. About the size of a small TV. The same dimensions as a standard movie poster.
The 24 by 36 is a statement piece. It works alone above a treadmill, on the wall behind a squat rack, or as the centerpiece of a living room. It is the size people pick when they want one poster to be the focal point of the room rather than one of several pieces. A single 24 by 36 print well-framed can do more than five small prints in a gallery wall.
Three things to know before you buy a 24 by 36. First, you need a wall with enough space around it so the print does not feel cramped. Six to eight feet of empty wall in each direction is the general rule. Second, the 24 by 36 frame is heavier than the smaller sizes and may require an anchor in drywall instead of a regular nail. Third, the price for the 24 by 36 is the highest of the three sizes, but the cost per square inch is actually lower than the smaller sizes, so you get more print for your money even if the sticker price is higher.
Mixing Sizes
A good wall does not need every print to be the same size. Mixing one 24 by 36 with two 16 by 24s creates a hierarchy where one print is clearly the centerpiece and the others support it. A row of three 12 by 18s in a hallway or above a desk gives you a series effect without taking up too much wall.
The mistake most people make when mixing is using three random sizes without a plan. If you are mixing, pick one size to be the center and use the other sizes to balance around it. The three sizes Run Culture sells are designed to work together this way.
If you want a real example, the Magnolia Road poster at 24 by 36 paired with the Magnolia Drive Ad poster at 16 by 24 makes a clean two-print wall on the same theme. The Stop Pre poster at 24 by 36 paired with the Somebody May Beat Me poster and the Eugene, Oregon poster at 16 by 24 each works as a three-piece Pre wall.
Frames and Hanging
All Run Culture prints are designed to fit standard pre-made frames. You do not need to buy a custom frame. A 12 by 18 frame, a 16 by 24 frame, or a 24 by 36 frame from Amazon, Target, Michaels, or a frame store will fit the print without any extra cutting or matting.
If you want a matted look, get a frame that is two sizes larger than the print, with a mat opening cut for the print size. So a 12 by 18 print in a 16 by 24 frame with a mat cut for 12 by 18 gives you a clean professional look without custom work.
For hanging, the 12 by 18 and 16 by 24 sizes are light enough for a single picture hook or a pair of Command strips. The 24 by 36 in a glass frame is heavier and benefits from a wall anchor or a stud. Hang the center of the print at eye level, which is usually about 57 to 60 inches from the floor.
Where to Start
If you are buying one print, the 16 by 24 is the safest pick. It works in almost any room and frames are easy to find. If you are starting a wall and you know which print is going to be the center, start with that one in 24 by 36 and add 16 by 24s on either side. If you want a clean gallery wall with several pieces, start with three or four 12 by 18s in a row.
All of our prints are made to each order on semi gloss paper and ship in 5 to 8 business days. Free shipping on orders over $125, which is about four prints at the 16 by 24 size or three prints at the 24 by 36 size. The full running posters collection is the place to browse if you are not sure what you want yet.
The size you pick depends on the wall and on how present you want the print to be in the room. None of the three options are wrong. The 16 by 24 is just the one that fits the most situations.
