SUMMARY

STANDARD FRAMES	Department and craft store frames come in a variety of standard sizes. Many of these options have a window mat as well, which offers space for two sizes: one with the mat, and one without. (ie: 8x10" and 5x7")
FLOATER FRAMES	Floater frames border canvas prints, original paintings, thick plaque mounts, and wood block prints. They are constructed to allow space between the outside of the artwork and the inside of the frame. There are three different styles of floater frame.
STANDARD POSTER FRAMES	Both posters and their frames come in a few standard sizes. These frames are generally plain and slim, without a mat. For non-standard poster frame styles or sizes, a custom order will be required. Mats may not be available for sizes larger than 28x36"
STANDARD PAPER SIZES	North American standard paper sizes include letter, legal, and tabloid. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) identified the A-series. Standard paper sizes are useful to know for framing important documents.
CANVAS PRINT GUIDELINES	Canvas prints are available in a number of depths, 3/4" and 1-1/2" being standard. The size of the print will determine the recommended stretcher bar depth. In general, smaller canvases will be 3/4" while larger ones will be 1-1/2". 2-1/2" is also avaialbe for a more dramatic depth.
HANGING HARDWARE	Different types of hanging hardware are suitable for different pieces, depending on dimensions and weight. Hardware should be affixed 1/3 to 1/4 of the total height from the top, and hanging wire should be securely fastened to each hanger.
CONTENTS OF FRAME	The thickness of the frame contents - which includes the glazing (glass or acrylic), mat, artwork, and backing - should be slightly less than the frame's rabbet depth to allow space for securing the contents in the frame.

Many standard frames also come with a mat. This allows the buyer to use the frame as two different sizes: one larger size without the mat, and a smaller size with the mat in place. An 8 x 10" standard frame may come with a 1-1/2" mat, which allows you to frame a 5 x 7" image as well.

NOTE: The mat opening will be slightly smaller than the suggested picture size. This allows the mat to overlap the image slightly, holding it behind the frame. Generally, the mat will cover 1/4" on each side of the image. So, a mat for a 5 x 7" picture will have an opening of 4.5 x 6.5".

Standard Frame and Mat Sizes in Inches

There are other important measurements for frames, besides the dimensions. You may want to know the face width, rabbet depth, or overall depth. When you order a custom picture frame you will see all these measurements outlined in a graphic within the order page.

DIMENSIONS AND FRACTIONS

• 1/16 = 0.0625
• 1/8 = 0.125
• 1/4 = 0.25
• 3/8 = 0.375
• 1/2 = 0.5
• 5/8 = 0.625
• 3/4 = 0.75
• 7/8 = 0.875

This graphic is shown on each frame's order page

If you have purchased a less expensive standard frame, the mat within may be low quality. It is also possible you require that frame size but a different mat opening. In that case, we are happy to cut a custom mat to fit in your standard frame. Place your order from our Custom Cut Matboards page.

For more information on these different choices, you can read these articles:

Measuring for a Mat

Choosing the Best Mat Color

Choosing a Mat Size

All About Mats

Though matboard is available in hundreds of colors, a white mat is the most common choice. One of those many different shades is bound to work with your photograph or artwork. And if it doesn't, extending your search to grays and creams will generate a suitable result.

BOTTOM WEIGHTING

Bottom weighting is the traditional mat style practice of making the bottom arm of the mat slightly wider than the other three. The style originated when artwork was hung high on the wall, tilted down. An optical illusion created when the viewer was gazing up made the bottom arm of the mat appear thinner, though it was the same size. To compensate, the framer would make that arm 10-20% wider.

Today, most art is hung at eye level, and the optical illusion is a thing of the past (some some museums). Some framers may encourage the style, while others have moved away from it, but the choice to bottom-weight is entirely at the discression of the buyer. If the correlation between the frame size and the image size means even measurements on all sides is not possible, bottom-weighting is a way to avoid disparate dimensions.

(For instance: if you are fitting a 10 x 11" image into a 16x20" frame, you can avoid a mat that is 2" on the sides and 2.5" on the top and bottom by making the top and sides 2" and the bottom 3".)

Bottom-weighted mat border

Because the floater frame overlap the artwork from behind rather than in front (like the lip of a traditional frame), the arrangement of the pieces differs slightly. A floater frame is cut to be slightly larger than the dimensions of the canvas, so there is a gap between the outside of the art and the inside of the frame.

Stair Step and Tapered floater frames force this gap, while the L-shaped variety must be deliberately cut wide. As you can see from the images at the right, the two former frames will touch the sides of the canvas, while the latter does not. Regardless of the style, the standard gap between a floater frame and the canvas is 1/4".

Stair Step Floater Frame Tapered Floater Frame L-Shape Floater Frame

POSTER FRAME SIZES

• 11x17
• 20x28
• 24x32
• 27x40
• 27x41

Most poster frames will not come with a mat, as a simple display is often desired. The frame will generally be quite thin and unadorned. If you require a mat or decorative frame for one of these sizes, a custom frame is your best option.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) originally applied the A series designations and measurements in millimetres. North American standards have full names and are generally measured in inches.

NAME DIMENSIONS (in) DIMENSIONS (mm) A0 33.1 x 46.8 840 x 1188 A1 23.4 x 33.1 594 x 840 A2 16.5 x 23.4 420 x 594 Ledger/Tabloid 11 x 17 279 x 432 A3 11.7 x 16.5 297 x 420 A4 8.3 x 11.7 210 x 297 Letter 8.5 x 11 215.9 x 279.4 Legal 8.5 x 14 215.9 x 355.6 A5 5.8 x 8.3 145 x 210

While there are no strict rules - we can make a canvas print as small as 4 x 6", and as large as 59" by 10 feet - most framers prefer to match the stretcher bar depth to the size.

As the canvas size increases, a thinner stretcher bar will require more supports, and is not recommended. Canvas prints that will be framed in a traditional frame are an exception, and must be stretched on a very thin, 7/16" frame.

STRETCHER BAR DEPTH SIZE MIN/MAX 3/4" 4 x 6" up to 18 x 24" 1-1/2" 12 x 12" up to 59 x 120" 2-1/2" 26 x 36" up to 59 x 72"

NOTE: These guidelines are based on ease of construction and safety regarding stability and weight. They are not rules, and orders deviating from this guide are welcome!

• Sawtooth Hooks: These small, zig-zag toothed hooks are hammered or stapled (depending on the style) to the back center of the canvas or frame. They are used only for very small, lightweight pieces, on which a hanger and wire would be unnecessary or difficult to apply. Multiple hooks may be added to long, thin panoramic images.

• D-Ring Hangers: Constructed from a flattened metal piece with a hole looped around a D- or triangle-shaped hook, these hangers are screwed or nailed in place on either side of the canvas or frame, in preparation for the hanging wire. The more spaces for screws, the stronger these hangers are. Hangers with 2 or 3 holes are sometimes refered to as D-strip hangers.

• Steel Plate Hangers: Made from a single strip of steel, these hangs have one or two holes on either side of a raised lip, through which the wire is threaded. Because they have no moving parts, they are stronger than D-ring hangers.

HANGER STYLE MAX. STRENGTH Sawtooth Hook 20 pounds D-Ring Hanger, single hole 20 pounds D-Ring Hanger, multi-hole 40 pounds Steel Plate Hanger, 2-hole 50 pounds Steel Plate Hanger, 4-hole 100 pounds

HANGER PLACEMENT

HANGING WIRE

Softstrand Hanging Wire Strength

• #2 - up to 15 lbs.
• #3 - up to 20 lbs.
• #4 - up to 25 lbs.
• #5 - up to 43 lbs.
• #6 - up to 60 lbs.
• #8 - up to 100 lbs.

Attaching the Wire

1. Cut the wire 6 to 8 inches longer than the width of the frame.
2. Thread the wire through the loop.
3. Wrap it around and pass it through again.
4. Wrap the remaining wire (the short end) around the longer end for extra strength.
5. Repeat on the other side.

Wrapping the hanging wire

While there are ways to counteract contents thicker than the frame rabbet, ideally you should have a bit of space left over in the back of your frame once your contents are in place. This allows room for the framer's points (those flat nails that secure the contents) or another backing board for important artwork.

To make sure the rabbet on your chosen frame is deep enough, you will need to know the thickness of the various pieces going into it. If you are putting the frame together at home, don't forget to include the thickness of the art itself in your calculations.

PRODUCT THICKNESS Acrylic Plexiglass (any style) 3 mm / 0.12 inches Regular or Conservation Matboard Approx. 1.3 mm / 0.05 inches Museum Matboard Approx 2.5 mm / 0.1 inches Foam core 5 mm / 0.2 inches

All these thicknesses should be taken into consideration and compared to the rabbet depth of your chosen frame. For instance:

0.12" plexiglass + 0.05" mat + 0.05" artwork + 0.2" foam core = 0.42". Therefore, a frame with a rabbet of 0.5" or more is preferred. 3/8" or 5/16" will be too shallow and the contents will stick out at the back of the frame. These thin frames may also be too fragile to safely support the weight of the contents.

Rabbet depth in frame profile

Have questions about standard or custom sizes, weights and thickness, or any of our services or products? Don't hesitate to contact us. Our knowledgeable staff is always happy to assist with answers, advice, or suggestions.

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