Last updated: October 2026 · By Stanislav Arnautov · Berlin
Custom skateboard wall art is your own image, UV-printed on a real skateboard deck. I print every custom deck by hand in Berlin, and almost every problem I see comes from the same two things: an image that does not fit the deck's shape, and a file that is too small. Both are easy to check before you order. This guide shows how.
Quick answer
- Size: one custom deck is 85 × 20 cm, a ratio of about 4.25 : 1. That is a long, narrow strip, not a photo shape.
- File: JPG, PNG or PDF, at least 3000 × 700 px. Bigger is better.
- Price: €140 for a single custom deck, matte UV print, no glass and no frame.
- Hanging: the deck is not ready to hang. The wall mount is sold separately, and you need one mount per deck.
- Ready to order? Go to the Custom Skateboard Wall Art page, upload your image and check out.
How to choose the image for custom skateboard wall art
Pick the image before you think about anything else. The best ones for a single deck share three traits:
- One clear subject. A person, a pet, a plant, a building, a logo, a word. If you cannot name the subject in two words, the deck will not be able to show it either.
- A vertical or centred shape. A standing figure, a tree, a tower, a tall flower, a face. Wide scenes lose the most in the crop.
- Strong contrast. The print is matte, so there is no glossy glare, and a deck is usually seen from across a room. Bold shapes and clear light and dark areas read from a distance. Pale, low-contrast or very busy images turn into a blur.
Good starting points: a portrait of a person or pet, your own illustration, a logo or lettering, a close-up of a single flower or object, a pattern or texture. A group photo or a wide landscape is better as a pair or a trio (see below).
Crop your image for 85 × 20 cm
A single custom deck is 85 × 20 cm (33.5 × 7.9 in). Divide 85 by 20 and you get 4.25. Your image has to become a strip whose long side is 4.25 units for every 1 unit of the short side. A normal phone photo is closer to 4 : 3, so most photos lose a lot.
The ten-second test. Open the photo on your phone, tap crop, and pull the frame into a very narrow strip, about 4 : 1. Look at what is left. If the thing you care about is still there and still clear, the image will work on a single deck. If the crop cuts through it, choose another image or use a set.
What the crop costs you. Take a landscape photo of 4000 × 3000 px. A 4.25 : 1 crop is 4000 × 941 px, so you keep only about a third of the picture height. Take a portrait photo of 3000 × 4000 px and turn the strip upright: it is 941 × 4000 px, which means you keep about a third of the width. In both cases the pixel count is fine for the deck. What shrinks is the amount of picture, so frame the photo with the crop in mind.
Where to place the subject. Keep the main subject in the middle of the strip. A deck has rounded ends, so do not put faces, text or small details right at the tips.
Get the file right
- Formats: JPG, PNG or PDF.
- Minimum size: we recommend at least 3000 × 700 px for a single deck. That is a ratio of about 4.3 : 1, which matches the deck.
- Send the original. Use the file from your camera or your computer, not a copy from a messaging app, a social network or a screenshot. Those copies are smaller and compressed, and the lost detail does not come back.
- Check for blur. Zoom to 100% on your screen. If it looks soft or noisy there, it will look soft and noisy on 85 cm of wood. A slightly blurry photo gets more obvious when it is enlarged, not less.
- Drawings and logos. Export them as a large PNG or PDF with a clean edge. Do not send a small screenshot of your design.
Design tips that matter on a deck
- Simplify the background. A plain or soft background makes the subject stand out. A busy background fights it.
- Leave breathing room. Keep a margin around text and the subject. Anything pressed against the edge looks cramped on a narrow deck.
- Make text big. A name or a short word works well, because lettering suits a long strip. Small text, such as a long quote, is hard to read from across a room.
- Check it at thumbnail size. Shrink your design to the size of a stamp. If you can still tell what it is, it will read on the wall.
- Dark shadows and fine detail. A screen is backlit and a print is matte. Very dark areas and very fine detail tend to look flatter on a print than on a bright screen, so favour clear shapes.
- Look at the bare wood. The back of the deck is bare maple with nothing printed on it. The print is on the front, and the front is what you see on the wall.
Diptych and triptych ideas
If your image is wide, do not squeeze it into one deck. Spread it over two or three. A diptych is two decks and measures 45 × 85 cm. A triptych is three decks and measures 70 × 85 cm. The decks hang upright side by side with a 5 cm gap between them. Each deck needs its own mount. A diptych needs 2 mounts. A triptych needs 3 mounts.
Diptych ideas (2 decks):
- Two portraits that belong together: a couple, two siblings, two pets.
- One subject split across two decks, such as a tall tree or a standing figure. Keep faces and other key details away from the 5 cm gap.
- Two views of the same thing, for example a close-up and a full shot.
- Two designs in a matching palette.
Triptych ideas (3 decks):
- A wide panorama or a city skyline, one third of the scene per deck.
- A three-step sequence, such as morning, noon and night, or three seasons.
- A family or a team, one person or one detail per deck.
- Three letters or three short words, one per deck.
Questions about a custom pair or trio? Get in touch via our contact page. You can see the catalogue formats in the diptych collection and the triptych collection.
Images you cannot use
Fine: your own photographs, your own artwork and designs, paintings in the public domain, and images you hold a licence for.
Not fine: photographs taken by someone else, including professional portraits and wedding photos you paid for but do not own the copyright to; copyrighted characters from film, television, games and comics; band and film artwork; sports club badges; and logos of companies other than your own. If a photographer took the picture, ask them for permission in writing before you upload it.
Ordering, returns and shipping
Ordering takes a few minutes. Open the Custom Skateboard Wall Art page, upload your image and order. The custom deck is €140. Each deck is UV-printed in Berlin on a 7-ply Canadian maple deck that is pressed in Butzbach, Germany, and it ships from Berlin in protective packaging.
Check your file before you order. Custom decks are excluded from returns. The 14-day statutory withdrawal and our voluntary 30-day return apply to regular decks, not to custom ones. If it is a gift for a date, order well before that date and double-check the image first.
Hanging it
A custom deck is not ready to hang. The wall mount is sold separately, and you need one mount per deck. The two I recommend are the horizontal wall mount and the 360° rotating mount. More options are in the display accessories collection. If you prefer to build your own, see these DIY skateboard wall mount methods.
As a starting point, put the middle of the deck at about 145–150 cm from the floor, which is eye level for most people. For a diptych or a triptych, lay the decks on the floor first and fix an even gap before you mark the wall. The full steps are in the mounting guide, and the sizing guide helps you measure the wall.
Five common mistakes
- Sending a compressed copy. Use the original from your camera, not the one from a chat app. Anything below 3000 × 700 px is too small.
- Using a wide photo on one deck. Run the crop test first, or use a diptych or triptych.
- Putting key details at the ends or in the gap. The tips are rounded, and a set has a 5 cm gap between decks.
- Choosing a pale, busy image. Pick one subject with strong contrast.
- Forgetting the mount. The deck does not come ready to hang, and a set needs one mount per deck.
Not sure a custom deck is right for you? Compare it with a ready-made piece in the full collection, or read classic or custom: which to choose.
FAQ
How do I design my own skateboard wall art?
Choose one image with a clear subject and strong contrast, crop it to a strip of 85 × 20 cm (about 4.25 : 1), and upload a JPG, PNG or PDF of at least 3000 × 700 px on the Custom Skateboard Wall Art page. Test the crop on your phone first. If the subject survives, order. If not, choose another image or use a pair or a trio.
What size is custom skateboard wall art?
A single custom deck is 85 × 20 cm (33.5 × 7.9 in). A diptych of two decks measures 45 × 85 cm and a triptych of three decks measures 70 × 85 cm, with a 5 cm gap between the decks.
What file do I need for a custom skateboard deck?
A JPG, PNG or PDF. We recommend at least 3000 × 700 px. Send the original file from your camera or computer, not a screenshot or a copy from a messaging app, because those lose detail that cannot be restored.
Can I use a phone photo?
Yes, if it is sharp and the original file is large enough. A 4000 × 3000 px phone photo gives a 4000 × 941 px strip after a 4.25 : 1 crop, which is above the recommended size. Check that the subject still looks right in the strip.
How much does a custom skateboard wall art deck cost?
A single custom deck costs €140. The wall mount is sold separately.
Do I need a wall mount?
Yes. The deck does not come with hardware. You need a wall mount, which is sold separately, and one mount per deck. See the display accessories.
Can I return a custom deck?
No. Custom decks are excluded from returns. The 14-day statutory withdrawal and the voluntary 30-day return apply to regular decks. Check your image and crop carefully before you order.
Is anything printed on the back?
No. The back of the deck is bare maple with nothing printed on it.
Where is it made and shipped from?
I print every custom deck by hand in Berlin. The deck is 7-ply Canadian maple pressed in Butzbach, Germany, and the order ships from Berlin.
Can I use any image I like?
Only images you have the right to use: your own photos and artwork, public-domain paintings and licensed images. Photos taken by someone else, copyrighted characters, band and film artwork, club badges and other companies' logos are not allowed.
Prefer Spanish? Read this guide in Spanish: Arte de pared con monopatín personalizado: cómo diseñar tu propia tabla
About the author
Stanislav Arnautov is the founder of deckarts, a graphic designer and print specialist originally from Ukraine, now based in Berlin, where he personally designs and prepares every deck.
Related guides
- Custom Skateboard Wall Art: the order page
- Classic or custom: which to choose
- Sizes and formats: measuring the wall
- Mounting guide: fixings and spacing
- Materials and quality: how a deck is built
- Gift guide: buying for someone else
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