5 × 7 frame size
For a full 5×7 photo, compare a frame labeled for a 5×7 insert with a larger frame that has a mat for 5×7 artwork. The frame’s outside dimensions are a third measurement.
Artwork is the full sheet. Nominal frame size is the stated insert reference. The visible opening is the area left after the frame lip or mat covers the edges. Actual frames, mats, rabbets and listed openings vary by manufacturer; these dimensions do not guarantee fit, preservation, hanging safety, load capacity or compatibility.
5 × 7 inches in cm, mm and both orientations
| Measurement | Portrait / listed order | Landscape / reversed order |
|---|---|---|
| Inches | 5 × 7 | 7 × 5 |
| Centimeters | 12.7 × 17.78 | 17.78 × 12.7 |
| Millimeters | 127 × 177.8 | 177.8 × 127 |
| Aspect ratio | 5:7 | 7:5 |
Swapping width and height changes portrait to landscape without changing area. Product features determine which orientations a particular frame supports. A matching ratio preserves shape when scaling an image; it does not make different physical sheet sizes interchangeable.
Without a mat: start with the full 5 × 7 sheet
Compare a frame described for a 5 × 7-inch insert. Measure any printed paper margin as part of that sheet. Do not subtract the front lip from the artwork dimensions unless the supplier explicitly asks for a visible-window measurement. The back opening, depth and clearance must come from the specific product; no universal rabbet allowance is assumed here.
A 5×7 photo in an 8×10 frame
The familiar larger-board option can give equal borders: a 4.75×6.75 window in an 8×10 board leaves 1.625 inches on each side. A supplied “5×7” mat might use a different overlap, so compare its exact window rather than treating 4.75×6.75 as a required cut size. In an 11×14 board, the same picture receives a much wider, taller surround.
A 4×6 photo does not have the 5:7 shape
A 4×6 image scaled to 5 inches wide becomes 5×7.5. Filling a 5×7 print loses a total of 0.5 inch of the scaled height. Fitting the whole image instead gives about 4.667×7 with side space. Decide that crop at printing time; a mat around the finished sheet introduces a separate overlap.
Count each opening in a multi-photo frame
A collage described as “5×7” may mean each intended photograph. It does not mean the entire board or the outer frame is 5×7. Record the number of windows, each cut size, their spacing and the outside board dimensions separately.
With a mat around a full 5 × 7 print
These centered examples use ⅛ inch overlap on each artwork edge, producing a 4.75 × 6.75-inch window. This is an editable illustration, not a prescribed cut. Board sizes are comparison scenarios, including possible custom dimensions; stock availability is not asserted.
| Outer board / nominal frame (in) | Window (in) | Left / right border (in) | Top / bottom border (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 × 10 | 4.75 × 6.75 | 1.625 | 1.625 |
| 11 × 14 | 4.75 × 6.75 | 3.125 | 3.625 |
Window = artwork − 2 × overlap
Centered border = (outer board − window) ÷ 2
Open this 8 × 10 mat example in the calculator to change the board or overlap. Some suppliers take artwork dimensions and make their own deduction; others want the final window size.
Smaller artwork inside a 5 × 7 outer board
This reverses the question: keep the nominal frame at 5 × 7, then compare smaller pictures. It is useful when a listing says “matted to” a smaller photo size. These are calculated scenarios, not a claim about an included mat.
| Full artwork (in) | Window (in) | Left / right border (in) | Top / bottom border (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 × 6 | 3.75 × 5.75 | 0.625 | 0.625 |
| 3 × 5 | 2.75 × 4.75 | 1.125 | 1.125 |
Before comparing a frame listing
- Confirm the full sheet and the portion of the image that must remain visible.
- Identify the nominal insert, outer mat board and exact cut window separately.
- Request the actual back opening, rabbet depth and manufacturer tolerances. Width and height alone cannot establish suitability for thick artwork.
- Use the listed outside dimensions for a visual gallery layout; these tables do not provide them.
Questions about 5 × 7 frames
Is 5×7 the same as 13×18 cm?
5×7 inches is 12.7×17.78 cm. The nearby metric label is not an exact match; check the actual insert and window.
What mat opening is used for a 5×7 photo?
This guide models 4.75×6.75 inches with ⅛ inch covered per edge. Manufacturers may deduct a different amount or ask for the exact window instead of the photo size.
Compare related frame sizes
Return to the frame-size directory · Work backward from a frame you already own · Understand mat terminology