Standard Frame Sizes for Printable Wall Art

Most wall art files are not the problem. The frame is. A download that looks perfect on screen can arrive at a print shop in a size that no standard frame is made to hold, and the whole project stalls there.

Why standard sizes exist

Frames are manufactured in a small set of sizes because glass, backing board and moulding are cut to those dimensions. A print that matches one of them can be framed anywhere, cheaply.

A print in a custom size can still be framed, but the frame usually costs more than the artwork.

The sizes worth knowing

For small prints, 5x7 and 8x10 inches are the common pair. For medium pieces, 11x14 and 16x20. For large pieces, 18x24 and 24x36.

These are the sizes sold in most frame shops and department stores, which is exactly why they are worth designing around.

Aspect ratio is the real constraint

An 8x10 is a 4:5 ratio. A 16x20 is also 4:5, so the same artwork scales between them without cropping. An 11x14 is close to 4:5 but not exact, and an 18x24 is 3:4.

If you want one design to fit several frames, choose sizes that share a ratio.

Mixing ratios

A set that includes both 4:5 and 3:4 pieces will need different frames, and the artwork will need different crops. That is fine for a gallery wall, but it complicates a simple pair.

Matting changes the visible size

A mat adds a border between the print and the frame. An 8x10 print in an 11x14 frame with a mat looks larger and more finished than the same print in an 8x10 frame.

If you plan to mat, buy the frame one size up and check the mat opening matches your print.

Printing at home versus at a shop

Home printers usually handle up to A4 or letter. That covers 5x7 and 8x10 with trimming. Anything larger is better sent to a print shop, which will ask for the exact size in inches.

A simple rule

Decide where the print will hang, measure that space, then pick the largest standard size that fits. Work backwards from the frame rather than forwards from the file.

That one change removes most of the frustration from printing wall art at home.