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Photo frame sizes: matching print, mount and frame

Buying a frame should be simple, yet people often come home with a frame that hides half the caption or leaves a gap at the side. The confusion comes from three different measurements that share one name. Once you know which is which, any print can be matched to any frame.

Three measurements

Because the lip covers the edges, keep faces, dates and captions away from the outer few millimetres of anything you plan to frame. The frames and collages made on this site keep words well inside the edge for this reason.

What a mount does

A mount, also called a mat, is the card border between the print and the frame. It has a window cut in it. A mount does three useful things: it keeps the print from touching the glass, it gives the picture breathing space, and it lets a small print sit in a larger frame.

The window of a mount is cut a little smaller than the print, so that the print's edges are held behind the card.

Common pairs

PrintFrame without a mountFrame with a mount
4 × 6 inch4 × 65 × 7 or 6 × 8
5 × 7 inch5 × 78 × 10
6 × 8 inch6 × 88 × 10 or 10 × 12
8 × 10 inch8 × 1011 × 14 or 12 × 16
8 × 12 inch8 × 1212 × 16
A4A4A3 or 12 × 16

These are the usual ready-made pairings. Ready-made sizes differ from shop to shop, so carry the print, or its measurements, when you buy.

With or without a mount?

A collage with white spacing already has a built-in border. Putting it in a mount as well gives a double border, which can look heavy. Choose one or the other.

Measuring an old frame

  1. Turn the frame over and remove the backing board.
  2. Measure the backing board, or the recess it sits in. That is the frame size, the size of print or mount it holds.
  3. Measure the opening from the front as well. Anything outside that opening will be hidden.

Old frames are often in sizes that are no longer standard. Print one size larger and trim the print with scissors and a ruler, or ask the photo shop to print at the exact size in centimetres.

Which way round

Most rectangular frames can hang upright or sideways. Check the hooks on the back before you buy: some frames have hooks for only one direction, and a table frame's stand may fold out only one way.

Making the picture fit the frame you have

If you already own the frame, work backwards. Find its shape in the aspect ratio table, choose the matching size in the frame maker or collage maker, and print at the frame's size. An 8 × 10 frame, for example, is a 4:5 shape, which is our Portrait size.

Glass and care

Keep framed photos out of direct sunlight, which fades prints over the years, and away from damp walls, kitchens and bathrooms. Clean the glass with a soft cloth, spraying the cleaner on the cloth and not on the frame, so that liquid cannot run behind the glass.

Questions people ask

Does an 8 × 10 frame fit an 8 × 10 photo?

Yes. The size on a frame is the size of the print it holds. The visible opening is a few millimetres smaller on each side, so keep important details away from the very edge.

What size frame do I need for a 4 × 6 photo with a mount?

Usually a 5 × 7 or 6 × 8 inch frame with a mount whose window is cut for a 4 × 6 print.

How do I find the size of an old frame?

Remove the back and measure the backing board. That is the size of print or mount the frame holds.

Frame a photo Make a collage

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