Picture Mat Size Calculator
A mat sits between the picture and the frame. This works out the size of the window cut in the mat, and the outer size of the mat, from the picture size and the width of the border you want.
- Free
- Works offline after your first visit
- Saves on this device
- No sign-up
- Updated
How it works
The window opening is the picture size minus the overlap on each side, because the mat covers a little of the picture edge. Then the border is added to get the outer size.
Each side adds the border once, so the border is added twice to each measurement, once on the left and once on the right, and once on the top and once on the bottom.
Worked example
A picture 8 in wide and 10 in tall, with a 2.5 in border and 0.125 in overlap, needs a window of 7.75 in by 9.75 in. The mat itself is 12.75 in by 14.75 in.
Questions
What is overlap?
Overlap is how far the mat covers the edge of the picture, so no gaps show at the window. About an eighth of an inch is common, but it depends on the frame and how the picture is held.
Can the border be different on each side?
This calculator uses one border width on all sides. Many people make the bottom border a little wider, so you can add that difference to the height by hand.
Do I measure the picture or the frame?
Measure the picture itself, the image or print, not the frame. Then use the outer size shown here to choose a frame that holds the mat.
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