Calculate the mat border and the resulting frame size for a piece of art.
| Artwork size | 8 × 10 in |
|---|---|
| Required frame (outer) size | 12 × 14 in (30.48 × 35.56 cm) |
These examples show the simple sizing pattern: the mat border is added to the left, right, top, and bottom. A 2 inch mat around an 8 × 10 inch artwork creates a 12 × 14 inch outside size.
| Artwork size | Mat border | Resulting outside size |
|---|---|---|
| 5 × 7 in artwork | 1.5 in | 8 × 10 in |
| 8 × 10 in artwork | 2 in | 12 × 14 in |
| 8 × 12 in artwork | 2 in | 12 × 16 in |
| 11 × 14 in artwork | 3 in | 17 × 20 in |
| 12 × 18 in artwork | 3 in | 18 × 24 in |
| 16 × 20 in artwork | 4 in | 24 × 28 in |
The mat calculation only decides the physical frame or mat size. It does not tell you whether the artwork file has enough image detail. If the visible artwork is 11 × 14 inches, for example, a 300 DPI file should be about 3300 × 4200 pixels even if the outside mat size is larger.
frame size = artwork size + (2 × mat border) on each dimension. A uniform border on all four sides is assumed.
After you know the final outside size, use the Print Size Calculator if you also need to confirm whether the image has enough pixels for that physical print size.
The mat border width is added to every edge of the artwork size, so the outer frame size is the artwork size plus twice the border width in each dimension.
A 2 inch mat is common for small and medium art prints. Larger prints often use 2.5 to 4 inch borders so the mat still feels proportional around the artwork.
No. The result is the mat or frame opening's outer size before adding any visible frame moulding. If your frame profile adds extra outside width, add that separately.
This calculator assumes one even border on all four sides. For gallery-style bottom weighting, calculate the left/right border normally and add the extra bottom border to the height.
