FRAME SIZE LAB
THE DIMENSION TOOLKIT

Photo-to-frame calculator

Find reference frame sizes for your print, with a mat.

Artwork size

Border runs from the mat window to the board edge. Overlap hides a little artwork on each side.

SMALLEST REFERENCE MATCH

11 × 14 in

With a mat
11 in nominal board width7.75 × 9.75MAT OPENING · IN

8 × 10 inch artwork · ⅛ inch overlap per edge.

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.

Choose a frame around the full print.

Enter the full sheet width and height, including any white border. The calculator subtracts your chosen overlap from both edges, adds the minimum border, then compares that minimum rectangle with the reference directory. It tests both orientations and orders results by nominal area.

Worked example: an 8 × 10 print

At ⅛ inch overlap per edge, the mat window is 7¾ × 9¾ inches. A minimum 1½ inch border needs at least 10¾ × 12¾ inches of board. An 11 × 14 reference is the smallest listed match: its side borders are 1⅝ inches and its top and bottom borders are 2⅛ inches, measured to the board edge.

Using a frame without a mat

Begin with a frame sold for the full artwork size. The frame lip may hide edges. This calculator’s border field models a mat; setting it to zero does not prove a direct fit. Check the manufacturer’s actual opening and tolerance.

For an 11 × 14 artwork example, see frame sizes with and without a mat.