Frame-to-print calculator
Work backward from a frame, an equal mat border and an overlap.
Choose your measurements and calculate to see the result.
A visual size estimate. Verify the actual artwork, frame, mat, glazing, hardware, wall and manufacturer specifications before buying or arranging a display. Dimensions alone do not guarantee fit.
Calculate the image window first.
The frame input is the nominal outer mat size, not the frame’s outside measurement. Subtract twice the chosen border to get the mat opening. Then add twice the overlap to get the full print size.
Print width = outer mat width − 2 × border + 2 × overlap
Worked example: an 11 × 14 frame
With equal 2 inch borders, the window is 7 × 10 inches. At ⅛ inch overlap per edge, the full print is 7¼ × 10¼ inches. That is a calculated custom print size, not a claim that a printer offers it.
An existing mat may have unequal borders or a bottom-weighted design. Measure its actual window instead. Use the mat calculator when you already know both the artwork and the outer board.