Ask someone what size frame they need and they will usually name one number. Ask what size the
photograph is and you often get the same number back. That is where most disappointment starts.
The mat is what makes them different
A mat is the card border that sits between the glazing and the print. It overlaps the edge of the photograph
by roughly a quarter of an inch on each side and covers the gap between the print and the moulding. So a frame
described as 11×14 inches — that is the size of the frame opening — holds an 8×10 inch print
once its mat is fitted. Take the mat out and the same frame holds a full 11×14.
This is why every product page here carries both figures: the outside frame size, and the photo size it takes
with and without the mat. Read the second one.
Measure the print, not the old frame
Old frames get replaced because something about them was wrong, so they are a poor reference. Lay the
photograph flat, measure the shorter side, then the longer side, and write both down in inches or centimetres.
If the print has a white border you do not want to see, measure the image area instead and expect the mat to
cover the rest.
Common pairings
- A 4×6 print sits comfortably in an 8×10 frame with a mat, or a 4×6 frame without one.
- A 5×7 print goes into an 8×10 frame with a mat.
- An 8×10 print goes into an 11×14 frame with a mat — the most-bought combination in most homes.
- An A4 certificate (8.3×11.7 inches) needs a 12×16 frame if you want a mat around it.
When neither number is right
Some prints are simply an odd size, especially anything trimmed by hand or printed to fit a phone aspect
ratio. A mat cut to a non-standard opening solves it, but we do not cut mats to order, so that is a job for a
local framer. Send us the two measurements before you order and we will tell you plainly whether anything we
stock fits, including when the answer is no.