Putting decorative letters on the wall comes down to three measurements. They are the height from the floor, the spacing between characters and the fixing system. Fluxenna letters are made in PLA bioplastic with a matt finish. The catalogue heights are 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 cm. PLA technical data sheets put its density at around 1.24 g/cm³. A 20 cm letter rarely reaches 100 grams. That is why a drill is almost never needed. By the end of this guide you will have a level, centred composition with no unnecessary holes. All the models are in the decorative letterscollection.
Materials and tools
- Set of matt PLA letters in the chosen height (1 set)
- 3 m tape measure (1)
- 30 cm spirit level, or a level app on your phone (1)
- Soft graphite pencil and eraser (1 of each)
- 25 mm masking tape (1 roll)
- A4 sheets or brown paper (1 sheet per letter)
- Scissors (1)
- Double-sided foam tape, or removable adhesive strips (2 strips per letter)
- Adhesive mounting putty for position tests (1 pack)
- Isopropyl alcohol and a cotton cloth (to degrease the wall)
- A two-step ladder if the composition goes above 170 cm
The drill, wall plugs and screws only come into play on exposed brick, concrete or tiles. On smooth emulsion paint, adhesive fixing is enough for the weight of a PLA letter.
Step 1: Measure the wall and mark out the usable area
Before touching anything, measure the free width of the wall. Then take the height from floor to ceiling. Also note the furniture below, because it will be the visual reference for the composition. The working rule is constant. The word should take up between half and two thirds of the width of that piece of furniture. Above a 210 cm sofa, the usable range is 105 to 140 cm. Mark that width on the wall with two pieces of masking tape. Expert tip: take the measurements with the furniture already in its final position. Second tip: photograph the empty wall with your phone and draw over it. Seeing the proportion on screen avoids mistakes of scale.
Step 2: Choose the letter height according to the viewing distance
Letter height depends on how far away it will be viewed from. In a 1.2 m wide hallway it is seen close up and 10 or 15 cm is enough. In a living room it is viewed from 3 or 4 m, and that calls for 20 or 25 cm. The practical guideline is 5 cm of letter height for every metre of distance. Note that the catalogue works with 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 cm. Expert tip: cut a rectangle of the height you are unsure about out of card and stick it on the wall. Look at it from the sofa before deciding. The Personalised freestanding letters (€3.99–29.99) cover that whole range of heights.
Step 3: Set the placement height from the floor
There is no EN standard that sets the decorative height of a letter in a home. What does exist is common practice in interior design. Place the centre of the composition between 145 and 150 cm from the floor. That is the average eye line of a standing person. If the composition goes above a piece of furniture, the reference changes. Leave between 20 and 30 cm between the top edge of the furniture and the base of the letters. Expert tip: mark the centre line with masking tape, not pencil. The tape comes off without leaving a trace on matt paint. Second tip: in a child’s room, raise the composition above 160 cm, out of the child’s reach.
Step 4: Work out the spacing between characters
Letter spacing is what separates a well-mounted word from a badly mounted one. Common practice in typographic composition sets the reference. Leave between 15 and 20% of the letter height. With 20 cm letters, that means 3 or 4 cm of space. With 15 cm letters, between 2 and 3 cm. That space is measured between the closest points of two characters, not between their centres. Expert tip: round letters such as O, C and G need 2 mm less. Their curve already creates visual space. Second tip: the combination of A and V needs half a centimetre less, because their diagonals overlap. Adjust by eye from 3 m, not with the tape measure against the wall.
Step 5: Put up a paper template on the wall
Cut a sheet of paper to the rough outline of each letter and number them in order. Stick the outlines on the wall with adhesive putty. Follow the centre line and the spacing from the previous step. Step back 3 m and look at the whole for a minute. This step is what avoids extra holes and regrets. Correct the position as many times as needed: moving paper costs nothing. Expert tip: check the composition in natural light and in artificial light. Afternoon shadow changes how the composition is perceived. Second tip: mark on each outline in pencil the point where the adhesive will go. That way you transfer the exact reference to the back of the letter.
Step 6: Prepare the surface and choose the fixing
Wipe the bonding area with the cloth and isopropyl alcohol and wait five minutes. Dust and grease are the main reason adhesives come unstuck. On smooth emulsion paint, two strips of double-sided foam tape per letter hold without any problem. On textured walls, wallpaper or freshly painted walls, adhesion drops sharply. There it is better to rest the letters on a shelf. Always follow the adhesive manufacturer’s load guidelines. Expert tip: place the strips at the ends of the letter, not in the centre. The pair of forces resists peeling from a corner better. The Stackable serif-style decorative letters, 6 heights (€3.99–29.99) have a flat back and stick well.
Step 7: Stick, level and check from three metres
Remove the paper outline of one letter and stick that letter in its place. Press for 30 seconds with an open palm, without knocking. Work from the inside out: first the central character, then the sides. Accumulated errors are then pushed towards the ends, where they are less noticeable. Rest the level on the top edge of each letter before accepting the position. When everything is in place, step back 3 m and look at the whole again. Expert tip: wait 24 hours before touching the letters. Most foam adhesives reach their maximum grip the following day. Second tip: keep two spare strips in case you need to reposition.
5 common mistakes when putting letters on the wall
Mounting too high. It is the most frequent mistake in living rooms and hallways. The composition ends up floating and disconnected from the furniture. Solution: go back to the reference of 145 to 150 cm to the centre and lower it as needed.
Spacing the characters too far apart. With more than 25% of the height as space, the word no longer reads as a word. Solution: reduce it to 3 or 4 cm for 20 cm letters and check from 3 m.
Sticking onto a dirty or freshly painted wall. Paint needs weeks to cure before it will take an adhesive. Solution: wait at least four weeks and degrease with isopropyl alcohol before sticking.
Placing the letters next to a heat source. PLA starts to soften at around 60 °C, its glass transition temperature. Solution: avoid the wall directly above a radiator and walls with prolonged direct sun in summer.
Skipping the paper template. Improvising as you go wastes adhesive and leaves marks on the paint. Solution: spend ten minutes on the outlines; it is the step that saves the most trouble.
Frequently asked questions
At what height should decorative letters be placed on the wall?
There is no EN standard that regulates decorative height in homes. Interior design follows common practice. The centre of the composition is placed between 145 and 150 cm from the floor. Above a piece of furniture, the reference changes: leave between 20 and 30 cm from its top edge.
How much space should be left between letters?
Leave between 15 and 20% of the letter height. The measurement is taken between the closest points of two characters. With 20 cm letters it is 3 or 4 cm. For 15 cm letters, between 2 and 3 cm is enough. Round letters can take a couple of millimetres less.
Can PLA letters be stuck on without drilling the wall?
Yes, on smooth, clean emulsion paint. A 20 cm PLA letter rarely reaches 100 grams. Two strips of double-sided foam tape are enough. On textured walls, wallpaper or freshly painted walls, adhesion drops and it is best to rest them on a shelf.
What should I do if the wall is textured or tiled?
On a textured wall, the adhesive sits on the peaks and loses contact surface. The cleanest solution is a floating shelf or thick double-sided foam tape. On tiles, a mounting suction cup or neutral-cure silicone adhesive, removable with a craft knife, works well.
Does heat affect PLA letters?
PLA has a glass transition temperature of around 60 °C. That temperature is not reached inside a home, so the letter is stable. Even so, it is best to avoid the wall directly above a radiator or the inside of a car. Prolonged direct sun also takes its toll.
To finish
A well-placed wall of letters is recognised from three metres away, not close up. The height of the composition and the spacing between characters explain almost everything. A clean surface completes the result. Always work with a paper template before sticking anything. With the installation clear, the next step is choosing the word and the colour. The full catalogue is in the decorative letterscollection. For full names, the personalised letters collection uses the same range of heights.
Perhaps you are still at the idea stage. These 12 ideas for decorating a wall with large letters sort out the composition before installation. For the general framework, this guide to using decorative letters is a good starting point. This analysis of wood, PLA and vinyl compares systems before you buy. It explains how the fixing changes depending on the material. For a child’s room, the starting point is the children’s letterscollection. This guide to decorating children’s rooms with letters adds the out-of-reach height criterion. The Decorative cube letters with a raised initial (€6.99–129.99) add a frame and volume. Because of their relief, they need to rest on a shelf. Each order is made to order in 24-48 hours. Shipping to mainland Spain takes 3 to 5 working days.
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