Picture Frame Sizes Chart
Every stocked frame size, what it holds with and without a mat, and the ones that catch people out. Built for buying, not for printing.
By Janet H. · Published
The four sizes that cover most photographs are 4x6, 5x7, 8x10 and 11x14. The two that cover most posters are 18x24 and 24x36. Everything else is a special case, and the table below has them all.
Read it in one direction: find your artwork size in the middle column, then read left to the frame you need. Buying the frame first and hoping the art fits is how returns happen.
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Quick picks
Tap any row to jump to the full write-up.
| # | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Americanflat Picture Frame Covers 4x6 through 24x36 in one consistent line with shatter-resistant glazing, so a whole room can be framed to match. | Best standard-size range | |
| 2 |  Craig Frames Picture Frame The widest size range here, including oversize and non-standard, with lightweight acrylic fronts. The answer when the chart above does not contain your size. | Best for awkward sizes | |
| 3 |  Golden State Art Picture Frame Strong matted range in the standard step-downs, with acid-free mats on the archival lines and frequent multi-packs. | Best matted standard sizes | |
| 4 | upsimples Picture Frame Standard sizes sold in multi-packs with hardware in the box, which is how you frame a set of prints in one order. | Best multi-packs |
The full chart
| Frame size | Holds unmatted | Holds with standard mat | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4x6 in | 4x6 | 3.5x5 | Desk photographs, the standard photo-lab print |
| 5x7 in | 5x7 | 4x6 | Shelf and desk frames |
| 8x10 in | 8x10 | 5x7 | The most common gift frame size |
| 8.5x11 in | 8.5x11 | 5x7 | Certificates, documents, letter-size prints |
| 11x14 in | 11x14 | 8x10 | The workhorse wall size |
| 12x16 in | 12x16 | 8x12 | A step up from 11x14, common in art prints |
| 16x20 in | 16x20 | 11x14 | Statement photograph, small art print |
| 18x24 in | 18x24 | 12x18 | Standard medium poster |
| 20x24 in | 20x24 | 16x20 | Large photographic prints |
| 20x30 in | 20x30 | 16x24 | Large format photography |
| 22x28 in | 22x28 | 18x24 | Half-sheet movie posters |
| 24x36 in | 24x36 | 20x30 | The most common large poster size |
| 27x40 in | 27x40 | 24x36 | Modern movie one-sheet |
The sizes that catch people out
- 27x41, not 27x40. Movie one-sheets printed before the 1980s were slightly larger. A vintage poster in a modern one-sheet frame will not fit.
- A4 is not 8.5x11. A4 is 8.27 x 11.69 inches. Art printed abroad frequently arrives in A sizes and will not sit in a letter-size frame.
- Square sizes are their own family. 8x8, 10x10, 12x12 and 20x20 are widely stocked, mostly driven by album covers and social-media prints.
- “5x7” on a matted frame can mean two things. Some listings quote the frame size, others quote the mat opening. Check which number the listing is giving you.
How the mat changes the size
A mat lets a smaller print fill a larger frame, which is the cheapest way to make an inexpensive print look considered. The standard step-downs in the table above give a border of roughly 1.5 to 2 inches.
For a more generous border, go up two sizes rather than one: an 8x10 print in a 16x20 frame with a custom mat gives about a 3 inch border, which reads as gallery framing rather than as a photo frame.
Published border widths: 2 to 2.5 inches around small prints, 2.5 to 3.5 inches around an 18x24, and 3 to 4 inches around a 24x36. The full mat sizing chart has the print-to-opening-to-frame matrix, and how to mat a print covers doing it yourself.
Size and weight — the hanging consequence
Frame size drives weight, and weight drives how you can hang it. The pivot point is the 16 lb ceiling for adhesive strips:
| Frame size | Acrylic glazed | Glass glazed | Hanging implication |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 11x14 | Light | Light | Adhesive strips, easily |
| 16x20 | Light | Moderate | Adhesive strips, both ways |
| 18x24 | Moderate | Heavier | Adhesive with acrylic; check the weight with glass |
| 24x36 | Moderate | Frequently over 16 lb | Specify acrylic if you cannot drill |
| 27x40 | Heavier | Usually over 16 lb | Glass at this size needs a hook |
Buying to these sizes
Standard sizes are cheap because they are mass produced; custom sizing is where framing gets expensive. If you are buying art, buying it already sized to a standard frame saves more than any discount on the frame itself.
The general frame roundup covers photographs and prints, poster frames covers the large sizes, and gallery wall frame sizing works out which combinations add up to a given wall width.
The picks in full
Each entry states what it is for, the specification that decides it, and who should skip it.
1. Best standard-size range
Americanflat Picture Frame
Americanflat
Covers 4x6 through 24x36 in one consistent line with shatter-resistant glazing, so a whole room can be framed to match.
- Sizes
- Wide standard range from 4x6 to 24x36
- Glazing
- Shatter-resistant polished plexiglass on most sizes
- Matting
- Most sizes ship with a removable mat
- Orientation
- Hangs vertical or horizontal; most sizes also stand
The spec that decides it: Wide standard size range with shatter-resistant plexiglass on most sizes.
Skip it if: Your artwork is a non-standard size — you need a made-to-size frame instead.
2. Best for awkward sizes
Craig Frames Picture Frame
Craig Frames
The widest size range here, including oversize and non-standard, with lightweight acrylic fronts. The answer when the chart above does not contain your size.
- Sizes
- Very wide size range, including oversize and non-standard
- Glazing
- Lightweight shatter-resistant acrylic front
- Profiles
- Contemporary through ornate; wide molding choice
- Origin
- Made in the USA
The spec that decides it: Very wide size range including non-standard, with shatter-resistant acrylic.
Skip it if: You need it tomorrow and your size is standard — the mainstream lines ship faster.
3. Best matted standard sizes
Golden State Art Picture Frame
Golden State Art
Strong matted range in the standard step-downs, with acid-free mats on the archival lines and frequent multi-packs.
- Sizes
- Standard sizes, strong matted-frame range
- Glazing
- Glass or acrylic depending on line
- Matting
- Acid-free mats on the archival lines
- Packs
- Frequently sold in multi-packs for gallery walls
The spec that decides it: Standard step-down matted sizes on acid-free board.
Skip it if: You want the frame unmatted at its full size — you would be removing what you paid for.
4. Best multi-packs
upsimples Picture Frame
upsimples
Standard sizes sold in multi-packs with hardware in the box, which is how you frame a set of prints in one order.
- Sizes
- Standard sizes, usually sold in multi-packs
- Glazing
- High-definition plexiglass
- Matting
- Mat included on most sizes
- Hardware
- Wall-mount hardware included in the box
The spec that decides it: Standard sizes in multi-packs with plexiglass glazing and mounting hardware.
Skip it if: You need one frame in one size. Multi-packs only save money at volume.
Common questions
What are the standard picture frame sizes?
The most widely stocked are 4x6, 5x7, 8x10, 8.5x11, 11x14, 12x16, 16x20, 18x24, 20x24, 20x30, 24x36 and 27x40 inches. The first five cover almost all photographs and documents; 18x24 and 24x36 cover most posters.
What size frame do I need for an 8x10 photo?
An 8x10 frame if you want it unmatted, or an 11x14 frame with a standard mat for a border of about 1.5 inches. For a more generous 3 inch border, use a 16x20 frame with a custom-cut 8x10 opening.
What size frame do I need for a 24x36 poster?
A 24x36 frame with no mat, or roughly 30x42 if you want a 3 inch mat border. Measure the poster first — many commercial posters are printed at 22.375x34 inches, which leaves a visible gap in a 24x36 frame.
Is A4 the same as 8.5x11?
No. A4 is 8.27 x 11.69 inches and letter is 8.5 x 11 inches. Art printed outside the US frequently arrives in A sizes and will not sit correctly in a letter-size frame, so check which standard your print uses.
What does 11x14 matted to 8x10 mean?
The frame measures 11x14 on the outside, and the mat inside it has an opening sized for an 8x10 print. That gives a mat border of roughly 1.5 inches on each side. Some listings quote the frame size and some quote the opening, so check which number you are reading.
What are the standard poster frame sizes?
18x24 and 24x36 are the two most common, with 27x40 as the modern movie one-sheet. Note two exceptions: pre-1980s one-sheets were 27x41, and many commercially printed posters are 22.375x34 rather than 24x36.
Sources for the figures on this page
Read next
- Mat Sizes for Standard Prints
The complete print size to mat opening to frame size matrix, with published border widths by artwork size.
- Best Picture Frames
Frame lines compared on glazing, mat quality, size range and depth — plus what genuinely changes with price.
- Best Poster Frames
Poster frames by size coverage and glazing weight, including the awkward 22.375x34 commercial size.
- Acrylic vs Glass Glazing
Weight, scratch resistance, optical flatness and safety compared — and why the weight difference decides the hanging method.
- Frame Sizes for Gallery Walls
Frame size combinations by target wall width, with gaps included — the arithmetic to do before ordering.
- How to Hang Pictures Without Nails
Every no-nail method ranked by rated weight capacity, from 1 lb poster strips to a 35 lb drywall hook.